House lawmakers on track to take 35% more trips in 2011
(NEWSER) - Just last summer, congressional leaders pledged to spend less on travel—but they're not exactly traveling less. During the first five months of this year, special interest groups have spent more than $1 million on lawmakers’ trips, some 200 of them, nearly double the amount spent during the same period last year. Congressional trips, often quite cushy, are “a form of influence peddling when sponsored by private entities,” says a consumer advocacy group rep. More»