The coronavirus pandemic sort of put a cork in the overseas political wagering wine bottle, but now that most nations are opening, and vaccination rates are up, we can feel safe in analyzing international politics odds. Kucinich traveled alone.International political betting is back. Marcy Kaptur after being thrown into a faceoff by redistricting. Kucinich, a two-time presidential contender, lost a March primary to fellow Ohio Democrat Rep. Dennis Kucinich, meanwhile, took a $15,000 trip in May to United Arab Emirates funded by the American University in Dubai. Phone calls to their offices were not returned. Mike Ross, D-Ark., and Dan Boren, D-Okla., who also traveled to Taiwan with their spouses on Fu Jen's tab. Other lame-duck travelers include retiring Reps.
In his paperwork, Burton said he met with government officials, faculty and students "to promote mutual understandings." The following month, Burton and his wife flew first-class to Taiwan, courtesy of Fu Jen Catholic University, a private college. House of Representatives, Burton said the goal of his trip was to "discuss bilateral relations," speak about current events at the University of Bahrain and visit the fleet. Phone calls and e-mails to Burton's office were not returned.
Navy's 5th Fleet, has been the site of clashes since February 2011 between the Sunni monarchy and Shiite-led protesters, who say they lack political power. He and his wife, Samia, traveled to Bahrain and Qatar in April funded by the Bahrain American Council, a group launched in 2011 that says it is focused on promoting trade and "educating the public about the strategic importance of Bahrain." The Gulf kingdom, home to the U.S. Even in retirement, he said, Lugar plans to "advance American foreign policy and nonproliferation."ĭan Glickman, a former Agriculture secretary who runs Aspen's congressional program, said Lugar "was significantly involved in making the world safer" and participated in the gathering not "only as a member" of Congress "but as a scholar in this effort."īurton, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is among the lame-duck lawmakers with the biggest private travel tabs, according to USA TODAY's tally. "It would be outrageous to suggest the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee should not be doing his job," Lugar spokesman Andy Fisher said. A signature Lugar achievement was a 1991 law that paid Russia and other countries to dismantle their weapons of mass destruction. Officials with Aspen and Lugar's staff say the $12,000 trip was no junket but a chance to offer his foreign-affairs expertise.
Citing partisan stalemates on Capitol Hill, Craig Holman of the watchdog group Public Citizen instead calls them "vacations for retiring members of Congress." The lawmakers describe these trips as fact-finding missions that will shape their thinking on legislation.
More than a dozen lame-duck senators and House members also have traveled abroad at taxpayer expense, congressional records show. In April and May, however, he and his wife racked up nearly $33,000 in travel to Taiwan and Bahrain, courtesy of private groups.īurton is among nine lame-duck lawmakers who have accepted free travel from outside groups since announcing their retirements or losing their seats in primary elections, according to a USA TODAY tally of data compiled by the non-partisan Political MoneyLine. Dan Burton, R-Ind., for instance, announced in January that he would not seek re-election to a 16th House term this year, citing family health concerns. WASHINGTON - Some congressional lame ducks are flying the globe during their final months in office. Members of Congress describe the trips as fact-finding missions that will shape legislation.Many free trips abroad include their spouses, a USA TODAY review shows.Lawmakers have reported taking nearly 300 privately funded trips for a total of nearly $1.5 million in 2012.
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