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Congress Reins In Its Perks for Travel
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| Contributor | Jason |
| Last Edited | Jason May 14, 2010 12:24am |
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| Category | Rule Change |
| Author | Brody Mullins |
| Media | Newspaper - Wall Street Journal |
| News Date | Friday, May 14, 2010 06:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | House leaders are revamping the rules for lawmakers and aides who travel overseas on official government business, forbidding them to fly in business class on shorter trips, use taxpayer funds to buy gifts or pocket unspent cash, among other changes.
The new travel rules, proposed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, also strengthen accountability and oversight for taxpayer-funded trips. But the rules don't require lawmakers to disclose some of the biggest costs of such trips, including travel by military plane, which can double or triple the total costs.
The changes are the first significant made to the House's travel rules in more than 30 years. They come after The Wall Street Journal published a series of articles documenting the perks of congressional travel and uncovering abuses by lawmakers of both parties, including the use of taxpayer money for alcohol, sight-seeing and other personal expenses on official overseas trips.
The new travel rules come at a time when lawmakers are seeking to respond to growing anti-Washington sentiment and rising concern among voters over government spending and perks ahead of mid-term elections later this year. |
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