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Politics

January will be work, not travel, for Congress

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published January 1, 2007

WASHINGTON - The January junket to warmer climates - a postholiday tradition of sorts for some members of Congress - could be headed to the wayside.

An accelerated work schedule set up by the new Democratic leadership has put a halt on many January excursions funded by lobbyists. Given that Democrats are taking over the House and Senate in part because of GOP ethics scandals, some lawmakers are fearful of the voters' wrath anyway if they go on the trips.

"I think members are looking more closely at privately funded travel, and I think ... many of them are being careful and avoiding it," said Rep. Charles Dent, R-Pa.

The last time members had to work much of January was 1995, when a newly Republican-led House took control, recalled Todd Hauptli, senior executive vice president of the American Association of Airport Executives.

For the past 21 years, except for 1995, his organization paid for members to fly to Hawaii to discuss airline issues at a conference. This January, members are declining the offer and will participate by video conference.

"They can't really be scooting around the country when Congress is in session," Hauptli said.

Members also will be missing out this January on attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where TiVo digital recorders and Nintendos first were introduced.

Attention surrounding the excesses of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who is now in federal prison, brought the practice of lobbyist-funded travel to light. Abramoff defrauded American Indian tribe clients of millions of dollars while arranging lavish trips and meals for public officials.

Both the House and Senate passed changes in lobbying laws and rules in 2006 under Republican leadership, but neither chamber voted to ban privately funded travel altogether. The two chambers were never able to bridge their differences and produce final legislation.

Democrats have promised to tackle the issue of ethics again in 2007.

*As of Nov. 30Source: PoliticalMoneyLine

Lawmakers' free travel

Since 2000, private organizations have spent more than $21-million to fly members of Congress around the world. A breakdown of the number of trips and how much was spent by private groups in the past six years:

Year Number of trips Cost

2000 1,018 trips $2.5-million

2001 1,303 trips $3.8-million

2002 781 trips $2.5-million

2003 1,292 trips $4-million

2004 1,171 trips $3.5-million

2005 1,339 trips $3.6-million

2006* 546 trips $1.4-million

[Last modified January 1, 2007, 00:49:15]