Congressional Travel Report
Private Sponsorship of Member Trips Examined

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls
Executive Director, Center for Public Integrity
Wednesday, June 7, 2006 12:00 PM

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls , executive director the Center for Public Integrity, was online Wednesday, June 7, at noon ET to discuss a new report on privately funded trips taken by members of Congress. The report, Power Trips , is based on analysis of 25,000 travel disclosure documents and examines trips to destinations around the world with a total value of almost $50 million dollars. The Center for Public Integrity, Northwestern University's Medill News Service and American Public Media collaborated on the study.

The transcript follows.

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Raleigh, N.C.: Mr. Rawls -- While there has been much focus on the travel of the members of Congress, I would like you to comment on the significance of business-paid travel by congressional staffers. What impact might it be having on the awarding of contracts, the fate of legislation and policy-making on Capitol Hill?

Thanks

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: First off, glad to be here and thanks for your questions...

Staffers largely control the schedules of their congressional office and their elected rep. They have great impact on the priorities that the member of Congress addresses. They have special access with the aides of other members of Congress. They have significant input into the business conducted by the legislative committees. And in this way, they are the gatekeepers to much that goes on in Congress.

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Scottsdale, Ariz.: If there is no way to stop staffers, Congressman, aides... well all of Washington, from accepting "vacations" from lobbyists and business, couldn't we at the very least CHARGE those hosts a fee equal to the costs of the trips, travel, accommodations to help reimburse America for the loss of time on the job? The private sector frowns on this type of extravagance for fear of showing partiality. Congress has become the new entitlement group. Where is decorum?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: In some countries such largesse to elected officials is considered taxable income. Perhaps the luxurious travel with airfare, accommodations, private jets, etc... that are for the accompanying spouse, could be considered taxable income. In addition, such expenditures by corporations and private, profitable interests could be dis-allowed as ordinary business expenses; thereby creating, perhaps a plus for the tax payer.

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Alexandria, Va.: The question everybody wants answered - who are the biggest takers of this largesse? I'd like to see a nice big spreadsheet with all of the data, but I'd settle for a listing of the top ten by total value accepted...

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: The Center will be making its data available to the public in the near future. However on our Web site currently is a list of some of the top takes of congressional travel. Offices that accepted more than $300,000 worth of trips include (in alphabetical order), Rep. Barton (R-TX), Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Miss) Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX), and Speaker Hastert (R-IL)

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Springfield, Mo.: Of the trips you studied, how many times did they incur an additional cost to the government for the protective services of the Capitol Police, Secret Service, or other bodyguard services?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: The costs were a relatively insignificant amount if any. To the best of our knowledge, these trips rarely, if ever, included security personnel paid for by the government.

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Washington, D.C.: Are these trips an illegal augmentation of appropriations -- after all, at least one Congressman said that his paid trips save the taxpayer money.

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: We may have addressed this one earlier about taxable income/expenditures... If education or fact-finding is really required in certain situations, the question arises whether the accompaniment of a spouse or other relative enhances the education or fact-finding process. These elected officials all have travel budgets! Which can be used to educated them or aid in their fact finding. In addition, it raises the question of whether education can better occur at plush resorts like, Hawaii, The Breakers, and Palm Beach or a ski resort in Colorado or a golf course in Scottsdale.

Many of the trips are of no apparent benefit to the taxpayer when the member of Congress is simply making a speech to a special interest group or potential campaign contributors

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Fairfax, Va.: Mr Rawls,

Can you sum up your main concerns regarding this issue, and the possible solutions to the problems?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: My main concerns involve honesty and transparency by elected officials and their staffs. These trips appear to be merely another form of lobbying by special interest groups with business before Congress. They appear to provide those groups with special access and hearings that average, ordinary citizens with governmental concerns never get.

As for possible solutions, we are not in the advocacy business. We merely report and let you decide :)

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Phoenix, Ariz.: Mr Rawls, has their been a reaction to your article? from DC or readers? I think it is of great merit and an important accounting of a very large problem.

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: The response to our disclosures has been phenomenal. In addition to being displayed on page 1 of the Post, it was the top story in newspapers all across America, from Anchorage to South Florida. We were even interviewed by reporters from Poland and Germany. There have been a number of appearance on radio and television as well.

Clearly there is a remarkable concern for this issue... And we have 10 more articles coming over the next 2 weeks. Check our Web site tomorrow!

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Bethesda, Md.: Does anyone besides me see the irony in the French bashing that was going on and the number of junkets -- whoops, I mean vital fact finding trips to better serve the constituents -- to Paris?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: The intellectual dishonesty on Capitol Hill should never surprise any of us, sadly. Another surprising finding was the paucity of trips to countries were civil strife and unrest and abuse of human rights abounds, situations that certainly could use fact-finding and education of our elected officials.

It seems you learn best when you're in the world's greatest vacation destinations

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Milwaukee, Wis.: Is the study online? And House Judiciary Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner has been high on similar lists in the past; where did he place on yours? Thanks.

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: The office of Rep. Sensenbrenner, according to our analysis of his filings, took over 110 trips valued at more than $340,000. There were only 20 or so other offices that took as many trips as his did.

The fact of the matter is, Rep. Sensenbrenner himself, personally incurred more than $165,000 worth of travel, the second most of any individual traveler

As we said earlier in the conversation, the database will be up in the near future. We're working hard on it.

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Reston, Va.: Your report list a Mr. Cochran and wife taking a $27,000 trip to Australia. Is his wife's trip considered taxable income?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: I suppose it could be construed to be taxable income, but I'll leave this question for the IRS to determine.

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Washington, D.C.: Wendell,

As a federal employee who travels for work quite a bit, both domestically and foreign it seems that there are a couple of simple things that could be done to reduce the incentives for unnecessary Congressional travel.

One option. Any cost above the federal per diem and travel cost would have to be reported by the members of Congress as personal income. This would be based on actual cost incurred. Also corporations should not be allowed to deduct as business expenses any thing over the federal rate.

Or in alternative the members have to pay out of their own pocket and could seek reimbursement capped by the per diem/travel regulations.

It would seem that if the trips are really informative and necessary then the members and staff would continue to travel and there would be no appearance of conflict.

Oops sorry what was I thinking a reasonable approach to a political issue.

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: Your approach seems to have merit and presents a reasonable alternative to what has obviously become lavish treatment as a lobbying tack.

We found one member of Congress and his spouse who accumulated almost $24,000 worth of transportation costs in a four day trip between Washington and London, paid for by a tobacco company; so that he could address the leaders of another tobacco company. Do you think that's excessive?

Another congressman spent almost the same amount traveling to Beaver Creak Colorado to participate in discussions on social security. What mode of transportation is that expensive inside the continental United States?

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Alexandria, Va.: Mr. Rawls,

It doesn't sound like this travel is illegal. Why is it such a big deal? Is it really something we should be concerned about?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: It's all legal, but being legal doesn't make it right or transparent. Companies with business interests before Congress have found new ways to rub elbows with key lawmakers and aides. Does the everyday taxpayer have that access? Most likely no.

The key here, though, is the lack of disclosure. A lot of the times we simply don't know what's going on during these trips. Sometimes, on the travel forms, we don't even know who is sponsoring the trips or how much they cost. This is a problem

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Indianapolis, Ind..: It's ironic that politicians portray themselves as "average Joes" who understand what its "like."

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: One of the issues is that lawmakers and their aides have this sense of entitlement because of travel. They feel as though they are indeed not average, but special. They want their spouses to be treated lavishly. They want to bask in comfort and attention. That may be one of the reasons that they ran for office in the first place.

They often do not adhere to their own rules involving privately financed travel. And they are frequently cavalier to the point of indifference in fully providing information about their trips.

And then, when challenged about the nature of the trip or other information, they seek waivers which are routinely and expectedly granted by the ethics committees. They are allowed to amend their travel disclosures years after the fact. And if no one challenges them, they leave the inadequate information as is.

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Scottsdale, Ariz.: Please, more reporting like this! It is sure to influence journalists to do what they were meant to do; report facts. Thank you WP, Mr. Rawls and The Center. I have hope again.

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: This kind of investigative journalism is extraordinarily expensive and labor intensive. We are able to do what other news organizations can't, don't or won't do, because of the financial support of foundations and private citizens such as yourself, who are concerned about holding all of our institutions accountable.

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Washington, D.C.: I notice in your story about Congressman Rangel that he made a mistake in a form he filed, but only corrected it after you all called him on it. Are there any penalties for "goofs" in the travel reporting process?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: Apparently, corrections to documents are not subject to reprimand and the explanation of the member of Congress are virtually always accepted.

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Arlington, Va.: I believe the inexcusably expensive trip to Beaver Creek, CO you mention above was enjoyed by outgoing Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA) and involved chartering a private jet.

Regardless of the benefactor, how does a member justify this type of celebrity treatment for a trip? Having flown between DC and Colorado numerous times, I can say that a number of airlines offer flights that are both affordable and convenient to varying schedules.

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: It is likely that Rep. Thomas would not have arranged such transportation if he had to pay for it himself. More than likely, his travel expenses were negotiated before hand with the sponsors of the trips, the American Enterprise Institute and Vail Valley Foundation. They apparently wanted his appearance and were willing to pay for it; and give him the comfort and schedule and convenience that he desired.

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Washington, D.C.: It's surprising that the travel disclosure reporting is done with ink on paper. Isn't that a little low tech in this day and age? Wouldn't it be easier for the members and their staffs as well as the public if the whole system was in a computer database? Why isn't it?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: Imagine how difficult it is to do database analysis with such low-tech material as hand written forms. Both houses could provide electronic filings but haven't. Perhaps that would make it too easy for constituents and other citizens to investigate the activities of their elected and paid employees.

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Lexington, Ky.: According to recent press reports, Congress' efforts at lobbying reform have slowed and don't include changes to travel rules that apparently have allowed the lavish trips outlined in your report. What can the public do to insist that substantive changes take place now?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: You could motivate elected officials to act like the paid employees they are and not as though they are minor members of royalty. That is best done in November at the ballot box.

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Washington, D.C.: Why does the Center for Public Integrity think that members of Congress would be corrupted by a few fancy trips?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: Why do the sponsors think that the members would be favorably influence by those same fancy trips? Because they wouldn't pay for these trips unless they thought they were getting something out of it.

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Scottsdale, Ariz.: I have thought for a long time that we need a special section of a major newspaper (get it in writing) that gives a daily planner of all Congressman, staffers, aides, and their expenditures. I would subscribe for life to such an accounting and take it to the polls. Do you publish such information Mr. Rawls?

Wendell "Sonny" Rawls: The Center for Public Integrity is not a daily newspaper. We do long term intensive investigative reports on matters of public interest. If newspapers were as aggressive in tracking the business and activities of members of Congress as they do following the lives of celebrities, this would be highly beneficial to our democracy, and actually justify the special position that the first amendment provides.

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Wendell "Sonny" Rawls Thanks for all your questions. Please check out www.publicintegrity.org.

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