Hoyer Reviewing His Travel Records

House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) is reviewing privately financed trips he made after Republicans suggested that he might have violated House rules by not reporting the travel within 30 days.

House records show that Hoyer has filed updated reports with the clerk of the House of Representatives in recent days, detailing at least four trips, dating back to 1999.

The reports include travel expenses, meals and lodging totaling about $4,100. The trips included a March 1999 journey to Tampa, where he gave a speech to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and a March 2000 visit to Alabama sponsored by the Faith and Politics Institute to mark the 35th anniversary of the 1965 voting rights march.

Hoyer began updating his filings after Republicans, in a series of leaks to the media, suggested that he might be committing violations of House ethics rules similar to those attributed to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas).

Hoyer spokeswoman Katie Elbert said yesterday that Hoyer has always disclosed gifts of food, travel and lodging in his annual financial disclosure report, required of all House members and senators, but that he had in some instances not filed reports due 30 days after a trip. Elbert said the office was reviewing all the records, dating back to Hoyer's arrival in the House in 1981.

"While we did disclose these trips in annual reports, and there was full public disclosure, there were some trips for which we did not file additional reports, and we are working to complete the record," Elbert said.