SOUTHERN ARIZONA – The Wall Street Journal reported recently a disturbing trend among members of Congress – tenfold increases in travel expenses, all funded by the taxpayer, to destinations like Italy, the Galapagos Islands, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands and locations in-between.
The Journal reports that travel itself is up significantly over levels 12 years ago. In 2008, members of Congress spent nearly $13 million in travel costs and expenses, which amounts to a 50% increase just since the Democrats regained control of Congress two years ago.
“Lawmakers say that the trips are a good use of government funds because they allow members of Congress and their staff members to learn more about the world, inspect U.S. assets abroad and forge better working relationships with each other,” the paper said.
The paper reports the tendency for lawmakers to combine trips to war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan with stops at more luxurious locations, like Italy or the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a delegation of Democrats to Afghanistan for a day – a single day – and then continued on to Italy for eight days where more than $57k was spent on hotel accommodations and meals.
The paper continued by reporting trips from Congressional members to more exotic locations. “Last summer, Rep. Brian Baird (D., Wash.) took a four-day trip to the Galápagos Islands with his wife, four other lawmakers and their family members. The lawmakers spent $22,000 on meals and hotels, records show. Mr. Baird, a member of the House Science Committee, said the trip was to learn about global warming.”
“The congressional trips are possible thanks in part to an unlimited fund created by a three-decade old law. Nearly two dozen government officials work full-time organizing the trips.”
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