LegiStorm

Last month, Congressional Black Caucus members traveled to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before continuing to Rwanda - a trip that represents some of the highest-ever spending by an interest group on private congressional travel.

The American Israel Education Foundation, a sister group to the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee, sent ten representatives on a trip to the two countries' capital cities from Sept. 1-10.

So far, six of those members - Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) - have filed ethics disclosures for the trip. Except for Jackson and Torres, each of the six brought along a family member on AIEF's dime.

For those who traveled with family members, AIEF spent more than $50,000 per member - the four highest expenses for privately funded congressional travel since at least 2000. Only one other trip has ever passed the $50,000 mark.

Jackson's and Torres's trips cost AIEF $28,593 and $26,279, respectively.

Reps. Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Troy Carter (D-La.) and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.) also reportedly traveled with the group but have not yet filed disclosures. Members and staff are required to disclose such travel within 15 days of the trip's end.

In Israel, the delegation met with Netanyahu, reportedly to help boost the prime minister's relationship with the Biden administration and Democrats and in an unsuccessful attempt at securing Netanyahu a White House meeting.

Members also met attended discussions on Israeli-African relations, visited the Gaza Strip border and met with the Rwandan president. Members and their accompanying relatives flew business class to and from the U.S. and by chartered plane from Israel to Rwanda.

So far this year, members and staff have disclosed accepting a total of 86 AIEF trips that have cost the organization more than $1.7 million. Other interest groups have spent $5.5 million on another 1,363 trips.

After a nine-month stint on the Hill, a staffer to Rep. Jimmy Panetta has flocked elsewhere.

Trey Elizondo started this month as a policy associate for agribusiness giant Cargill Inc., the largest privately held company in the U.S. by revenue. Its CEO testified before the House Agriculture Committee last year in a hearing on anti-competitive industry practices and rising food prices.

Elizondo most recently served as Panetta's legislative assistant covering agriculture issues. He previously worked for Monument Advocacy and the Farm Credit Council.

Former Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) is now a first-time registered federal lobbyist.

Per a recent disclosure, Garrett is representing Honduras Próspera Inc., a U.S.-based investment group that operates a special economic zone in Honduras. Garrett is lobbying on trade, economic development, foreign relations and immigration issues related to the zone.

Garrett served in Congress from 2003-2017. After losing his 2016 election bid, Garrett became Donald Trump's pick to head the Export-Import Bank of the United States but was not confirmed. He later served as a senior adviser to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

One of Rep. Anthony D'Esposito's (R-N.Y.) first hires has left for the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers.

Sarah Talmage joined the trade association earlier this month as a government-affairs director. In the last year, CIAB spent about $1.4 on its federal lobbying program, which includes an in-house team and an ongoing relationship with Steptoe & Johnson.

Talmage was most recently D'Esposito's deputy chief of staff. She was previously legislative director to then-Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.).

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Republicans have added a new labor lobbyist to their ranks.

Brian Walsh joined the committee from the National Association of Manufacturers, where he was a director for labor and employment policy. He was a member of NAM's massive lobbying team, which, according to disclosures, cost the trade group $12.2 million to run over the course of the last year.

Walsh is now a HELP Committee policy adviser handling labor issues under Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-La.). Walsh is an alumnus of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as well as the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy and Office of the Secretary.