Because they were asking to go in an “official capacity”. Which means taxpayer-funded. Didn’t you read the story. How is it a good thing for Congressmen to travel to Israel, on the public dime, during a giant recession?
Well, it is cheaper than Obama going on a 3 day bullshit tour in buses fom Canada that we paid for.
"...the fact that House Speaker Boehner’s office had denied his and other congressmen’s requests to attend Beck Israel rally in an official capacity as a fact-finding mission..."
I did read the article. It is still not clear to me that attending "...in an official capacity as a fact-finding mission..." means paid in full by the serfs. But I'll take your word for it.