[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 106 (Wednesday, July 15, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H8161-H8162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 H.R. 3036: BRINGING SUNSHINE TO COSTS OF CONGRESSIONAL TRAVEL OVERSEAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, many Members of the House may have seen a 
recent Wall Street Journal article that documented how existing 
disclosure requirements allow many of the costs associated with 
congressional delegation trips overseas, known as CODELS, to go 
unreported.
  Right now, when Members of Congress take foreign trips using 
commercial airlines, the costs are publicly disclosed in reports 
published in the Congressional Record. However, the costs of Members' 
foreign trips using military aircraft are not. In the past, Members of 
Congress have used military aircraft even when traveling to exotic 
locations that are readily served by commercial airlines. Press reports 
have indicated that the military even maintains a specially outfitted 
VIP fleet, operated out of Andrews Air Force Base, where aircraft can 
carry costs estimated at $10,000 per hour.
  When a Member of Congress takes a taxpayer-funded trip overseas, 
taxpayers have a right to know how much of their hard-earned money is 
being spent on that travel. For this reason, I recently introduced H.R. 
3036.
  This legislation would direct the Department of Defense to provide a 
report on the costs incurred in taking a Member of Congress, an officer 
or an employee of Congress on a trip outside the United States. It 
would then require the Member of Congress to disclose those costs, and 
these costs would be publicly reported online.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that this bill would not apply 
to any trip for which the sole purpose would be to visit one or more 
U.S. military installations or to visit U.S. military personnel in a 
war zone, since there may be varied security reasons for not disclosing 
the costs of these trips.
  With an ever-growing national debt and with our military budget 
stretched thin, it is more important than ever that Congress acts as a 
responsible steward of taxpayer dollars. Bringing sunshine to the costs 
of Members' foreign travel will help ensure taxpayer dollars are 
efficiently used.
  I am pleased that this legislation has received the support of the 
National Taxpayers Union, of Eagle Forum and of Public Citizens 
Congress Watch. It has also been endorsed by the Council for Citizens 
Against Government Waste. Their letter of support for this bill states:
  ``Military aircraft is necessary when flying into war zones or U.S. 
military installations overseas; however, the military fleet is too 
often used to shuttle Members back and forth to locations served by 
commercial airliners. Members of Congress should be held accountable 
for every bill footed by taxpayers.''
  Again, that statement that I just read is from a letter that the 
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste wrote to support this 
legislation. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I submit the text of this letter for 
the Record.
  In closing, I hope my colleagues will become cosponsors of H.R. 3036, 
and will join in bringing transparency to the cost of foreign travel by 
Members of Congress.
                                      Council for Citizens Against


                                             Government Waste,

                                   Washington, DC., June 29, 2009.
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative: Congressman Walter Jones (R-N.C.) 
     recently introduced H.R.

[[Page H8162]]

     3036, a bill that would bring transparency to taxpayer-funded 
     overseas trips taken by members of Congress. On behalf of the 
     more than 1.2 million members and supporters of the Council 
     for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), I urge you to 
     support this legislation.
       The military maintains a specially outfitted VIP fleet out 
     of Andrews Air Force Base that can cost up to $10,000 per 
     hour to operate. Members of Congress often take advantage of 
     these military aircraft for overseas travel, even in 
     instances where commercial flights are readily available and 
     more cost-effective. The cost of commercial airline travel is 
     publicly disclosed, but the cost of travel on military-owned 
     jets is not provided.
       H.R. 3036 would require the Secretary of Defense to 
     determine and disclose the cost of foreign trips for members 
     of Congress using military aircraft. These costs would then 
     be publicly reported online through the House Clerk's 
     website.
       Military aircraft is necessary when flying into war zones 
     or U.S military installations overseas; however, the military 
     fleet is too often used to shuttle members to back and forth 
     to locations served by commercial airliners.
       Members of Congress should be held accountable for every 
     bill footed by taxpayers. All votes on H.R. 3036 will be 
     among those considered in CCAGW's 2009 Congressional Ratings.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Thomas A. Schatz,
     President.

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