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Posted on 03/02/2010 5:26:19 AM PST by reaganaut1
When lawmakers travel overseas on official business they are given up to $250 a day in taxpayer funds to cover meals and expenses. Congressional rules say they must return any leftover cash to the government.
According to interviews with 20 current and former members of Congress, lawmakers use the excess cash for shopping or to defray spouses' travel expenses. Sometimes they give it away; sometimes they pocket it. Many lawmakers said they didn't know the rules demand repayment.
"If that was the policy, you could never get many members traveling," said Rep. Solomon Ortiz, a Texas Democrat. Mr. Ortiz said he had never returned any money.
"There's a tacit understanding that if lawmakers don't spend the money, they get to keep it," said Rep. Sue Kelly, a New York Republican who was defeated in 2006.
Former Rep. Tom Davis, a Virginia Republican, said lawmakers often used leftover money "for shopping or to buy souvenirs to bring back to constituents. That's fairly standard."
Rep. Joe Wilson (R., S.C.) said he once bought marble goblets in the Kabul airport as gifts for constituents. Rep. Mark Souder (R., Ind.) said he dipped into his funds to buy a $200 painting of an estuary in Turkey, which hung in his office for a while and was now in his house.
Lawmakers who said they sometimes keep excess funds said the amounts were small. "I won't deny that sometimes I have a little left, but it's not much—maybe 80, 90, or 100 dollars," said Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D., N.C.).
Congress has no system for tracking how the cash payments, called per diems, are being spent. Lawmakers aren't required to keep receipts and there are no public records.
In the past two years, hundreds of lawmakers spent a total of 5,300 days visiting 130 foreign countries
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
The downside to this would be what?
If employees at corporations broke these rules repeatedly, you can bet they’d be fired pretty quickly if they did not make restitution.
Since they break the rules so flagrantly, then why aren’t they brought before the House Rules & Ethics Committee for violations?
Maybe we need a recall proviso in our election laws. Then perhaps the lawmakers wouldn’t be so brave with their illegal behaviors.
Since they break the rules so flagrantly, then why aren’t they brought before the House Rules & Ethics Committee for violations?
Maybe we need a recall proviso in our election laws. Then perhaps the lawmakers wouldn’t be so brave with their illegal behaviors.
A journey of a thousand miles starts with a cash advance.
Sen. Tom Coburn (R., Okla.) said he once tried to return surplus cash to the State Department, but “they wouldn’t take it. They said, ‘We don’t have a way to handle that.’ “ Mr. Coburn said he sent a personal check to the U.S. Treasury.
I have a little left, but it’s not much—maybe 80, 90, or 100 dollars
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Obviously this is “chump change” for our Representatives.
Now that's what I call a good start! mebbe Obama meant Hopey, Keep that Changey...and I agree, When Congressmen break the law by not returning unused travel funds, I bet they are also breaking the law by failing to report that money as income. Instead of writing your congressman, write the IRS.
“If that was the policy, you could never get many members traveling,”
That is the idea - to stop government hacks from traveling.
Again I am speechless at how out of touch these people are with the middle class. I hate these bloodsuckers.
Lawmakers who pocket the change would also include those at the local levels, and it would include staff members who go to seminars and/or training programs. Let’s also not forget that due to some reporting requirements, or non-requirements, booze, special shows on TV, etc., are being paid with tax payer dollars.
We should have a citizen's panel.
The House Committee is just a bunch of foxes judging another fox that raided the henhouse!
That IS the policy, according to the IRS. Per Diem not used for travel expenses ( and documented with a receipt) is income. This is why most companies reimburse expenses only. Of course, Congress doesn't have to follow the rules they've laid down for the rest of us.
just mo o’ dat dere Walkin’ Around Money dontcha know...
FIRE THEM ALL.
Claiming that I didn’t know the rules got me a verbal reprimand and some retraining!
$250/day may seem like a lot but I’ve been places where a buffet breakfast was $75.
In the long run it is usually best to grant the per diem and not spend the time and expense of accounting for the nickel and dime stuff. And yes, $100 left over after a week or two of traveling is still nickel and dime and there is more spent in accounting for the $100 than it is worth.
But those aren’t the rules and they should play by the rules.
When the cost of a business class ticket is $10k or more, $80-$100 in perdiem isn’t a whole lot. Sometimes that is barely enough for a meal at the hotel.
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