The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same
Published by Pokerwolf on Friday, June 15, 2007 at 10:33 AM.
DoD braces for a fight with Pelosi - TheHill.com
It's nice that the Democrats have fulfilled all of the things they promised their voters when they "won" Congress, isn't it?
It's rare at the moment, but I bet it won't be if this bullshit is allowed.
Pentagon officials are bracing for a fight with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) over her desire to allow lawmakers’ adult children to tag along on taxpayer-funded travel for free.
Pelosi wants them to be able to fill the role of lawmakers’ spouses when the latter are unable to make a trip because of health issues or work commitments.
"It has been longstanding policy that, in the absence of a congressional spouse, the adult child of a member of Congress may accompany the member on official U.S. government travel abroad for protocol reasons and without reimbursing the U.S.
Treasury," Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami said. "Speaker Pelosi believes that a modern policy must reflect the professional responsibilities or health realities that might prevent a spouse from participating, and instead permit an adult child to fulfill the protocol needs of the official trip."
It's nice that the Democrats have fulfilled all of the things they promised their voters when they "won" Congress, isn't it?
Public Citizen filed a complaint with the IRS last year, saying that family members who receive free travel by accompanying lawmakers should pay taxes on the travel’s value. The complaint focused on privately sponsored travel, but Holman said it should apply to taxpayer-funded travel as well.
"I don’t see any difference," Holman said.
In its first week with a Democratic majority this year, the House passed what Pelosi called "the toughest congressional ethics reform in history." It forbade gifts and travel from lobbyists and banned travel on corporate jets. It did not address publicly funded travel such as codels.
Lawmakers’ children currently can travel gratis if they get a waiver, termed an "invitation," from the secretary of defense, according to Dan Stanley, a former assistant secretary for legislative affairs at the Pentagon. He said it was rare for a lawmaker to travel with his or her children.
It's rare at the moment, but I bet it won't be if this bullshit is allowed.
