OT - Privately Funded Congressional Travel

November 4, 2006

I came across a new database on The Center for Responsive

Politics' website. Thought you might like to see.

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Congressional Travel - Privately Funded

Top Congressional Travelers, 2006 Cycle

Being able to spend thousands of dollars on plane tickets and at

hotels and restaurants—paid for by someone else—is only a dream to

most people, but it's one of the perks for lawmakers. The

politicians must prove the trip is linked to their official duties,

though a few-day trip to Las Vegas probably is not all work,

especially when a member of the family comes along. A sponsor is

prohibited, however, from covering entertainment and recreational

activities but may pay for transportation, lodging and meals.

The totals listed here include not only the total amount that

sponsors spent to bring the lawmaker to their events but also the

cost of family members who accompanied the Congress member or

staffer. Lawmakers are not required to list their personal

expenditures from the trip on their travel disclosure forms.

1 Joe Barton (R-Texas) $91,466

2 Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga) $79,257

3 Jim McDermott (D-Wash) $73,137

4 Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) $71,546

5 T. Doolittle (R-Calif) $60,713

6 G. Oxley (R-Ohio) $53,010

7 Norm (R-Minn) $52,346

8 Shays (R-Conn) $51,580

9 Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md) $50,352

10 Don Young (R-Alaska) $49,927

NOTE: All data on this page is based on information found on reports

filed by Members of Congress with the House Legislative Resource

Center and Senate Office of Public Records. It includes travel

reports filed beginning in July 2005 and was last updated on Monday,

August 21, 2006.

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