Travel ban proposed in scandal-rocked House

[Judi Lynn]

Travel ban proposed in scandal-rocked House
Wed Mar 15, 2006 4:31 PM ET

By Thomas Ferraro
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers would have to give up one of the perks of office -- free trips -- for the rest of the year under a proposed ethics overhaul prompted by a lobbying scandal that has roiled the Republican-led Congress.

Drafted largely in response to the wide-ranging investigation involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the proposed ban drew quick fire on Wednesday both on and off Capitol Hill.

A public watchdog group accused Republican leaders of merely seeking to get past the November election without any more reports of congressional junkets arranged by lobbyists seeking to influence legislation and paid for by corporations, unions or nonprofits.

And some Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives complained that the moratorium proposed for them would restrict their ability to attend educational conferences and give university commencement addresses.
(snip/...)

http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2006-03-15T213143Z_01_N15293512_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-CONGRESS-ETHICS.xml

[aquart]

1. They can address schools in their own states.

[democrat_patriot]

5. What they can't drive?

Take the bus.

I guess it's a security thing.

[Seedersandleechers]

2. Or deduct travel expenses from their taxes

[Jayhawk Lib]

3. Our party

is not lilly white on this one either. Stuff like this really chaps my a$$.

[Virginia Dare]

4. I suspect there will be loopholes galore...

plus they will still go on tax-payer sponsored "fact-finding" missions. I knew a guy who was a repuke staffer who went on a "fact-finding" mission about the illegal drug trade in the Caribbean once. I couldn't make this stuff up.

[Rose Siding]

6. A temporary ban, just til the heat's off

Not good enough

[pfitz59]

7. Permanent ban...ride COACH!.......

With the rest of us! "Of the people, by the people, for the people.....!"