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| Subject: OOOHH, I'm so sorry! | |
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Author: Oropan |
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Date Posted: 13:00:15 04/16/07 Mon In reply to: Mo' Green 's message, "Another story without a link" on 11:24:25 04/16/07 Mon http://www.examiner.com/a-675671~Congressional_junkets_picking_up_steam.html WHERE ARE THOSE DEM DEFECIT HAWKS?????????????????????? >>Congressional junkets picking up steam > >Not according to this piece of crap story. It makes >absolutely no reference to any change in congressional >travel whatsoever. > >> >> >>Apr 15, 2007 10:13 PM >>by Charles Hurt, The Examiner >> More and more congressional delegation trips are >>becoming an everyday occurence on Capitol Hill with >>the Carribbean becoming a favorite destination. >>Congress is keeping Andrews Air Force base plenty busy >>this year ferrying lawmakers all over the globe at >>taxpayers’ expense. Rep. Bennie Thompson of >>Mississippi took his wife, nine Democrats and two >>Republicans - Reps. Dan Lungren of California and Mike >>Rogers of Alabama - on a whirlwind tour of the >>Caribbean last week. After stops in Honduras and >>Mexico, they stopped in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where >>the delegation stayed at the five-star Caneel Bay >>resort. >> >> >>In a separate trip to the Caribbean last week, Rep. >>Eliot Engel of New York squired his wife and four >>Democratic members to Grenada and Trinidad. >> >>All told, the military flew at least 13 congressional >>delegations to various destinations during the Easter >>recess -- at an estimated rate of $10,000 or more per >>flying hour. >> >>The congressional delegation trips, known as CODELs, >>are paid for by taxpayers. They are supposed to be >>directly related to members’ official duties, and >>House guidelines also stipulate that delegations >>include members of both parties to qualify for >>military planes -- a requirement that Speaker Nancy >>Pelosi waived for Engel’s group and two other >>delegations. >> >>“There was a good faith effort made to include >>Republican members,” a Pelosi spokesman said. “For one >>reason or another, that did not work.” >> >>In one instance, he said, a Republican slated for a >>Democrat-led trip had to cancel because of a “family >>emergency.” >> >>In their successful campaign to win control of >>Congress last fall, Democrats accused Republicans of >>extravagant travel paid for by lobbyists. Some of >>these trips carried a strong whiff of influence >>peddling. The worst that can be said of CODELS, and >>critics often say it, is that they’re junkets. >> >>Thompson’s office said he toured the Caribbean because >>he now chairs the Homeland Security Committee and >>wanted to see vacation hot spots to “examine border >>security and port security.” Three other members of >>the delegation also brought along their spouses. >> >>“They are going from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday,” a >>committee spokeswoman told The Examiner. “They do not >>have down time.” >> >>At the Caneel Bay resort, where room rates reach >>$1,100 per night, the spokeswoman said Thompson and >>his wife paid the “government rate.” But, according to >>the reservations department, Caneel Bay doesn’t “offer >>any government rates.” >> >>After Caneel Bay, the group headed to Key West, Fla., >>for a “classified briefing on inter-jurisdictional >>agency task forces,” a Thompson spokeswoman said. >> >>The Caribbean trip led by Engel, who is chairman of >>the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western >>Hemisphere, explored the “best practices for emergency >>disaster relief” and energy policy, according to his >>office. >> >>Traveling with Engel and his wife were Reps. Yvette >>Clarke, D-N.Y., Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Tex., and >>Barbara Lee, D-Calif. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., >>who went to Belgium in a delegation led by Rep. Barney >>Frank, D-Mass., earlier in the week, also joined >>Engel’s Caribbean trip. She brought her husband with >>her. >> >>Frank’s trip to Belgium and London was related to his >>work as chairman of the House Financial Services >>Committee, according to his office. The trip, which >>also included Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., was designed >>“to further understand the interrelationship between >>various issues related to the financial services >>regulatory structures” of the United States, the >>United Kingdom and the European Union, according to >>Frank’s office. >> >>Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn., also led a trip to Belgium >>over the two-week Easter recess. In February, Sen. Bob >>Bennett, R-Utah, took a delegation there. >> >>“We’re at war with Iraq and Afghanistan, but >>apparently our members see Belgium as our most urgent >>international destination,” scoffed one Republican >>member of Congress. >> >>Last week, Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., defended >>Congressional travelers after a trip he took to Syria >>came under intense White House criticism. >> >>“Members of Congress are not simply potted plants, >>though the White House apparently would like them to >>be,” he told reporters after his return. “Congress >>plays an important role in determining policy and >>providing funding for America’s international >>policies.” [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |