The Aspen Instutite sent Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) on one of Congress's most expensive sponsored trips of all time. The two-night excursion to Japan cost the think tank more than $31,000.
Sewell traveled with her fiance, Jesse Wells Jr., from April 8 to 10 to attend an Aspen Institute congressional program on U.S. trade, security and resource interests in Asia, according to a post-travel disclosure form. She cut the trip short and returned to her home state of Alabama following the passing of her father.
Transportation ($26,824) made up the vast majority of Sewell and her fiance's $31,256 expenses. Though the pricetag pales in comparison to former Rep. Mike McIntyre's (D-N.C.) $49,635 trip to Australia, sponsored by the Defence Teaming Centre in 2014, Sewell's is the fifth-most expensive sponsored congressional trip since 2000. It's also the most expensive two-night trip, beating out a $27,962 trip to Colorado by former Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.).
So far, five other representatives have disclosed traveling on the same Aspen Institute-sponsored trip at an average cost of about $20,728 per member, including their respective travel companions' expenses. The trip cost less for the other members despite being longer trips and including additional airfare to South Korea.
Editor's note: This piece was corrected to add that Rep. Sewell left the trip early due to her father's death.
