Privately funded congressional trips hit new highs in 2011
There were 1,600 privately funded congressional trips in 2011, worth a total of more than $5.8 million, the largest amount since ethics reforms were enacted in 2007 in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal. The total amount is the highest since 2005, when a record 4,917 trips were taken totaling $9.9 million. The record for money spent came in 2004, when 4,780 trips cost nearly $10.4 million.
LegiStorm's figures were used by CBS This Morning in a report which aired today looking at privately financed travel for congress.
Not only did the total cost and number of trips rise in 2011, the average trip was longer and costlier. The average trip in 2011 lasted more than four days and cost $3,638, both record figures. The average trip cost is up nearly $800 over 2010, which was the previous high.
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