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August 9, 2019

Congressional Travel Rules

By Caralyn Esser and Craig Holman

Read the .PDF of Congressional Travel Rules

Travel by Members, Senators and congressional staff are subject to specific requirements described in the Rules of the House of Representatives and the Standing Rules of the Senate. Usually the travel regulations are similar for both houses of Congress, but the House and Senate separately approved rules governing privately-sponsored travel with minor differences.

According to the rules, travel expenses usually include transportation, lodging, food and refreshments, [1] but not expenditures for entertainment or recreational activities. [2] The travel rules are distinguished from the gift rules largely by geographical radius around the Capitol or a Member’s home district. Within a 35-mile radius of the Capitol or home district, the gift rules dominate. Outside that 35-mile radius, many of the gift rules, such as limits on expenditures for meals and hospitality, are superseded by the travel rules. [3] (Occasional travel expenses within the 35-mile radius are permitted for giving speeches.)

Types of Travel

Seven types of travel are governed by congressional rules:

  • Travel in connection with the individual’s official duties that is paid for by a private source;
  • Travel entirely unrelated to official duties that is paid for by a private source;
  • Travel entirely unrelated to official duties that is paid for by a personal friend;
  • Travel paid for by the Federal Government, or by a state or local government;
  • Travel paid for by a foreign government or an international organization;
  • Travel for a political purpose that is paid for by a political organization; and
  • Official travel paid for or authorized by the House or

All seven types of travel are subject to different sets of regulations that are summarized below.

I.A.   Officially Connected Travel Paid by a Private Source – General Requirements

Privately-sponsored travel for officially-related purposes is the type of travel that had been most commonly subject to abuse. This is where private entities – corporations, unions and other special interest groups – provide free transportation, meals and lodging for Members, Senators and staff for “officially-connected duties,” such as giving a speech to constituents, participating in a conference, or attending a fact-finding trip. Until passage of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (S. 1), these trips often used to be little more than junkets, as lobbyists made use of the laxer travel rules to wine and dine Members, Senators and congressional staff on behalf of paying clients. Such abuses were the source of the new House and Senate travel rules restricting the role of lobbyists and lobbying organizations on officially- connected trips.

Today, a Member, Senator, or staff may accept travel expenses to attend a meeting, speaking engagement, fact-finding trip or similar event related to official duties, from a private source only if:

a) The private source is directly and immediately associated with the event and the location of the event bears a relationship to the officially-connected purpose of the trip. [4] When a non-profit organization, for instance, pays for officially-connected travel, the organization must (1) be publicly disclosed as a trip sponsor on the applicable travel disclosure forms and (2) be directly involved in the event. If the organization pays the travel expenses with donations that are earmarked, either formally or informally, for the trip, each such donor is deemed a “private source” for the trip and must be disclosed and intimately involved in the event. In terms of location, the rules distinguish between travel to locations arranged without regard to congressional participation, which is deemed presumptively reasonable, as opposed to travel arranged largely for congressional participation, which must be located at a site directly related to official business.

b)  The private source is not a registered lobbyist or a registered foreign agent. [5]

  • The prohibition against accepting travel expenses from a registered lobbyist, an agent of a foreign principal, or a lobbying firm applies even when the lobbyist, agent or firm will later be reimbursed for those expenses by a non-lobbyist
  • “Registered lobbyist” is any person registered under the [6]
  • “Foreign agent” covers any person registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, usually foreign governments or entities supported by foreign governments. [7] However, the Members, Senators and staff of Congress may accept some specific travel expenses from foreign agents subject to regulations of other types of travel – travel paid for by a foreign government or an international organization outside the United
  • Important additional requirements restricting the role of lobbying organizations are discussed

c)  Travel expenditures cover brief time periods. [8]

  • For the House it is limited to four days total for domestic trips and seven days for trips outside the United States, excluding days taken in whole or in part in traveling to and from the United
  • For the Senate the limits are three and seven days respectively (in both cases time of traveling is excluded).
  • A Member, Senator or staff can travel beyond the day limits if he or she is participating in consecutive but distinctive trips financed by different organizations, or he or she is willing to extend the trip at his or her own expense. In the latter case, the Member, Senator or staff may still accept return transportation.

d) The private source offers to cover only transportation, lodging and related expenses that are necessary to accomplish the purpose of the trip, and thus it may not always be proper to accept expenses for the full three-, four- or seven-day period. [9] The new House and Senate rules further stipulate that travel expenses should be “reasonable.” Reasonable expenses are defined as expenses commensurate with other attendees at an event that is organized without regard to congressional participation (e.g. academic conference), or expenses compatible with per diem rates for trips organized largely for congressional participation (e.g. fact-finding trip).

e) Travel expenditures regarding entertainment or recreational activities are generally not permitted. [10] However, Members, Senators and staff may accept such expenditures if they are provided to all attendees as an integral part of the event, or alternatively if they conform to the gift

f) No more than one relative accompanies a Member, Senator or employee of Congress at the expense of the private sponsor. [11] A Member, Senator or staff may accept payment from a private sponsor for the expenses of one relative only, not a spouse and a child. However, the Member, Senator or staff can be accompanied by other individuals at his or her own expense.

This provision has recently come under closer scrutiny for its tax implications. The IRS requires that payments by a private source for the travel of a family member, if the family member is not serving a bona fide business purpose, as additional income to the recipient, subject to tax. Public Citizen filed a complaint with the IRS alleging that many, if not all, Members, Senators and staff routinely fail to report this income and pay taxes on it. The congressional ethics committees have no rule or advice to Members, Senators and staff of the potential tax implications of family travel paid for by a third party.

g) After each trip taken by a Member, Senator or staff a travel disclosure form that lists the expenses by the private source must be completed, signed and filed with the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate. [12] The form must include good faith estimates of the transportation, lodging, meal and other expenses paid, set out separately, and a determination that such expenses were ‘necessary’ and related to the individual’s official duties. In the House, this disclosure form must be filed within 15 days of returning from the trip. In the Senate, the disclosure form must be filed within 30 days of the trip. Furthermore, Members, Senators and officers, as well as employees who file a Financial Disclosure Statement, must also disclose each such trip on Schedule VII of their annual financial disclosure

I.B.   Officially Connected Travel Paid by a Private Source – Specific Requirements Relative to Different House and Senate Rules

a) Trips sponsored by lobbying organizations [13]

1.In the House , a private entity that retains or employs a lobbyist is prohibited from sponsoring officially-connected travel , except in the following limited circumstances:

  • The trip is pre-approved by the ethics
  • The trip is for a one-day event, exclusive of travel time and one night’s
  • A second night’s stay may be permitted if it is necessary to accomplish the purpose of the one-day
  • An institution of higher education, even if it hires a lobbyist, is exempt from the one-day trip.

2.In the Senate , registered lobbyists and the entities that employ them are prohibited from sponsoring officially-connected travel, except in the following limited circumstances:

  • The trip is pre-approved by the ethics committee
  • The trip is necessary to participate in a one day (travel time excluded) meeting or speaking engagement, fact-finding trip or similar
  • A second night’s stay may be permitted if it is necessary to accomplish the purpose of the trip.
  • A 501(c)(3) charity, even if it hires a lobbyist, is exempt from the one-day trip

b)  Lobbyist participation in travel events [14]

  • In the House , registered lobbyists are prohibited from participating in travel events, except for de minimis Even for permissible one-day events sponsored by a lobbying organization, a lobbyist may participate in meetings at the destination of the trip, but the lobbyist cannot accompany the Member or staff on the travel; organize, finance or arrange the trip; or participate in more than a negligible fashion in the event. This restriction on lobbyist participation does not apply to an event sponsored by an institution of higher learning. Nevertheless, registered lobbyists and agents of foreign principals may not directly finance any trips.
  • In the Senate , registered lobbyists may not plan, organize, arrange or participate in officially-connected trips except for de minimis Even for permissible one-day events sponsored by a lobbying organization, a lobbyist may participate in meetings at the destination of the trip, but the lobbyist cannot accompany the Senator or staff on the travel; organize, finance or arrange the trip; or participate in more than a negligible fashion in the event. This restriction on lobbyist participation does not apply to events sponsored by a 501(c)3 charity. However, the restriction does apply to events sponsored by charities. Nevertheless, registered lobbyists and agents of foreign principals may not directly finance any trips.

c)  Transportation of Members and Senators by corporate jets [15]

  • In the House , Members may not use official, personal or campaign funds to pay for the use of privately-owned aircraft on trips, unless the aircraft is owned by the Member, a family member or a personal friend. Since privately-sponsored trips are considered reimbursement to the House, a private entity may not supply a private jet at no cost for an officially-connected trip. A sponsor may pay for up to business-class transportation on commercial aircraft or rail. A private source may provide charter fare or first-class fare only if it can be demonstrated necessary to accommodate a disability, security concerns, or other exceptional
  • In the Senate , Members and employees are required to pay full market value for airfares (charter rates) for flights on private jets not operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), except if the aircraft is owned or leased by the Senator involved or an immediate family member of the Senator (including an aircraft owned by an entity that is not a public corporation in which the candidate or an immediate family member of the candidate has an ownership interest), so long as the Senator does not use the aircraft more than the candidate’s or immediate family member’s proportionate share of ownership allows. The term `immediate family member’ means, with respect to a Senator, a father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, husband, wife, father-in-law, or mother-in-law.

d)  Formal approval of trips [16]

  • In the House , all privately-sponsored trips for Members and staff must be pre-approved by the House ethics committee . The committee must certify both the sponsor and the nature of the trip prior to travel. The sponsor must submit written certification that it will abide by all the conditions and restrictions regarding the payment, arranging and participation in the event. Members and staff must also receive written approval that the trip complies with the restrictions on duration, location and purpose of congressional travel. Pre-approval authorizations are made immediately available to the public. Post-travel disclosure of expenses is required within 15 days after the traveler
  • In the Senate , all privately-sponsored trips for Senators and staff must be pre-approved by the Senate ethics committee. The committee must certify both the sponsor and the nature of the trip prior to travel. The sponsor must submit written certification that it will abide by all the conditions and restrictions regarding the payment, arranging and participation in the event.

Senators and staff must also receive written approval that the trip complies with the restrictions on duration, location and purpose of congressional travel. Pre-approval authorizations are made immediately available to the public. Post-travel disclosure of expenses is required within 30 days after the traveler returns.

II.   Travel Unrelated to Official Duties and Paid by a Private Source [17]

A Member, Senator or employee of Congress may accept transportation, lodging, meals and other benefits unrelated to official duties paid for by a private source if it is related to outside business or employment. This type of travel is not as strictly regulated as officially connected travel – it is not subject to time limits, the limitation that only one relative may accompany, or the prohibition on recreational activities.

But two important restrictions still apply:

  • The travel benefits may not have been offered or enhanced because of the official position of the Member, Senator or staff
  • The benefits must be identical to those customarily provided to others in similar business circumstances.

Unlike officially-connected travel, the travel expenditures unrelated to official duties should not be reported on the 15-day travel disclosure forms filed with the Clerk of the House or the 30-day travel disclosure forms filed with the Secretary of the Senate. But unofficial travel funded by a private source that exceeds $250 in value in a calendar year must be reported on Schedule VII of the annual Financial Disclosure Statements of Members and those employees required to file an annual statement.

III.   Travel Unrelated to Official Duties and Paid by Personal Friend [18]

This kind of travel is subject to regulations imposed on other unofficial travel paid for by a private source (see above). In addition, if travel expenditures exceed $250 in value they may not be accepted on the basis of personal friendship unless the ethics committee issues a written determination that the personal friendship provision applies. Therefore, Members, Senators and congressional staff should submit an advance written request to the Committee. This request and the Committee’s response are confidential. Usually, travel paid for on the basis of personal friendship that exceeds $250 in value should be reported on the annual Financial Disclosure Statement but under some circumstances the Committee may waive the reporting requirement.

IV.   Travel Paid for by Federal, State or Local Government [19]

The gift rules of both houses of Congress allow accepting travel from any governmental entity in the United States. This type of travel is not considered a gift and does not have any regulations regarding trip duration, spouses or children. Such trips don’t have to be disclosed on either the travel disclosure forms or on annual Financial Disclosure Statements.

V.   Travel Paid for by a Foreign Government or International Organization [20]

The U.S. Constitution prohibits Members, Senators and employees of Congress from receiving gifts including travel, from a foreign state or its representative without the consent of Congress. That’s why Congress has consented to the acceptance of travel by the officials only in limited circumstances – under the provisions of the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act (FGDA) and the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act (MECEA). Both acts contain very complicated and distinctive sets of regulations. The basic features include:

Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act:

  • Any travel paid for by a foreign government under FGDA regulations must relate directly to the official duties of the Member, officer, or
  • That Act defines the term of “foreign government” to include not only foreign governments per se but also international or multinational organizations whose membership is composed of units of foreign governments, and any agent or representative closely affiliated with such a government or organization while acting as such.
  • The trip must take place totally outside of the United States to be consistent with the interests of the United States and be permitted by the Standards
  • Travel expenses for an accompanying spouse or dependent may be accepted.
  • Travel is usually subject to the seven-day limit when it is taken in connection with a trip that is otherwise paid for with private
  • Such travel expenses should be disclosed within 30 days after leaving the host country in a special form filed with the ethics committee, but they should not be reported on the annual Financial Disclosure

Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act:

  • This Act applies to travel related to cultural exchange programs that finance visits and interchanges between the United States and other
  • Members and congressional staff may accept travel expenses from a foreign government in order to participate in MECEA programs approved by the Director of the United States Information
  • Such travel expenses are not considered gifts and are to be paid by the sponsoring government, not by any private
  • Under MECEA, the traveling Member, officer or employee may not accept travel expenses for a spouse or
  • Travel expenses associated with approved exchange cultural programs do not need to be disclosed on the travel disclosure forms, but they must be reported on the annual Financial Disclosure Statement.

VI.   Travel Paid for by a Political Organization [21]

A Member, Senator or employee of Congress may accept travel expenses provided by a political organization or party committee in connection with a fundraising or campaign event sponsored by that organization. These are campaign trips in support of a candidate or party committee. If expenses are paid for by the political organization, it is considered either an in-kind contribution from the political organization to the campaign or a party expenditure. The travel expenses may also be paid for or reimbursed by the campaign itself. These expenses are not to be reported on the travel disclosure forms. The expenses need be reported on the annual Financial Disclosure Statement of the Member or staff only if that travel is not filed with the Federal Election Commission.

VII.   Official Travel Paid for or Authorized by the House or Senate [22]

Official travel usually includes travel paid for out of Congressional funds, as well as the travel of Members, Senators or staff abroad as part of an official delegation. All official travel must be paid for or authorized by the House or Senate. A private source generally may not pay any portion of the expenses of a trip having an official purpose. Official travel is not to be reported either on the travel disclosure forms or on the annual Financial Disclosure Statement. There are surprisingly few regulations, and very little oversight and public disclosure, of official taxpayer funded travel.

VIII.   CODEL Reforms

In May of 2010, the former speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi issued new limits for House members. The new limits restrict members of the house from flying business-class unless the scheduled flight time exceeds 14 hours. Members of committees must seek authorization for travel for oversight purposes. The Speaker made a point to emphasize that DOD aircraft support is extremely limited and stipulated that it be requested through the Office of Interparliamentary Affairs and not the DOD directly. Finally, the new rules designate a quarterly filing period in which travel expenditures must be disclosed to the Clerk of the House [ 23 ].

Prepared by Bryan Kappe, Public Citizen (May 2011)

Making Government Work

Protecting Democracy : Ethics & Lobbying Reform , Money in Politics

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Government meetings and travel.

Ensuring understanding of the value of face-to-face meetings on behalf of taxpayers

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Business travel's contribution to the U.S. economy in 2016.

During the financial crisis in 2009, U.S. Travel was an early and effective voice in amplifying the benefits of business travel for meetings, conferences and events.  It created the Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) to showcase the incredible value that business meetings, travel and events bring to the U.S. economy.  The MMBC provides resources, tools and information to show the real impact the industry has on businesses, economies and communities.

An important component of business meetings and travel is conducted by government workers.  Federal employee travel is an essential component of conducting inspections, certifications, training and investigations in areas like food safety, aircraft manufacturing and maintenance, transportation safety, law enforcement, military training, and emergency preparedness and response.

Face-to-face meetings play a vital role in connecting people and driving effective results. Federal agencies depend on in-person meetings to build and maintain strong relationships, initiate public-private partnerships and develop high-performing talent.  Meetings also serve as a platform for education and training, through conventions and conferences that focus on skill-building and workforce development.

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Prevent waste, but preserve travel

Congress and federal agencies should develop government travel policies that prohibit wasteful spending, encourage responsible travel, and incorporate private sector best-practices

Demonstrate travel’s ROI

The federal government, in partnership with the private sector, should develop research and information for policymakers that demonstrates the value of government travel, the return on investment government meetings and travel brings, and travel’s critical role in providing services and delivering results for American taxpayers.

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Policymakers should resist attempts to unnecessarily limit or discourage government meetings and travel, particularly across-the-board budget cuts.

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Live and Let's Fly

Why Politicians Fly In First Class (Not Just AOC…)

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New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) took some heat for recently flying first class from Austin to New York on American Airlines. Understanding the Congressional travel policy seems to me like the more interesting issue.

Generous Congressional Travel Policy Helps Us Understand Why Politicians Fly In First Class

The AOC issue is a political tinderbox, so rather than defend her for fighting the good fight for the poor or scorn her for the optics of flying in first class or palling around with tax evaders and the ultra-wealthy at the Met Gala, let’s not make this a discussion centering on AOC.

Instead, let’s talk how Members of Congress tend to travel. I know first hand, because I worked for two of them early in my career.

Members of Congress are allocated generous travel allowances each year, primarily to visit their home districts or states. In the House of Representatives, this is part of the Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA) which also covers staffing expenses, mail, office supplies, and rent for district offices.

MRAs ranged from $1,320,585 to $1,498,546 in 2019 , the last year with available data. From that amount, theoretically, a Member of Congress could spend it all on travel and not hire staff. Travel is not limited to travel to the district.

Currently, there are no prohibitions against members of Congress flying first class or using their travel allocation to book in a premium cabin. Members of Congress have at times introduced bills to restrict premium cabin travel (such as  H.R.626 – No Congressional First Class Flights Act introduced by Rep. Robert J. Whitman [R-VA] who conveniently lived within driving distance of the District of Columbia) but those bills have died in committee.

Members of Congress have access to YCA fares, which are highly discounted unrestricted fares as negotiated by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) as part of the U.S. Government CPP (City Pair Program). As the single largest customer of commercial airline tickets, the U.S. Federal Government has negotiated a sweet deal for itself in the form of these YCA fares and it greatly influences Congressional behavior, at least in the offices I worked for.

If the Member of Congress needed to travel home to the District, we wouldn’t book one flight, we’d book 3-4 flights. That way, if the Member had a meeting or floor vote that went over or under, he could go home when he wanted. Plus, it gave him three shots at an upgrade instead of just one.

These are also coded as “full fare” economy class tickets, meaning these Members of Congress enjoy instant upgrades, where available, and enjoy being at the top of the upgrade waitlist, despite paying discount-level fares.

But we didn’t even have to leave it to chance. Airlines have Congressional travel liaisons and practically that meant calling the airline’s Congressional liaison to clear upgrades if they did not clear early, a sort of Concierge Key / Global Services / Delta 360º status without actually having to pay for it. The Member always bought economy class tickets…but always flew first class.

His weekly flights to the District and back meant top-tier elite status, something many Members of Congress enjoy.

Finally, I should note that while YCA fares are officially for “business travel” there is no actual verification – all you need to book a government ticket is a government-issued credit card (all federal government Visa cards, for example, start with the prefixes 4486, 4614, 4615, or 4716). It isn’t clear if AOC was traveling on a YCA fare for her first class fundraising trip last week, though a spokesperson stated that no taxpayer money was used for her ticket.

Members of Congress enjoy lucrative travel benefits and frequent upgrades. Some of that comes simply based upon the volume of flying they do, but they are helped with generous travel budgets and the ability to purchase deeply-discounted unrestricted fares that make upgrades to first class even easier.

On top of that, airlines are eager to please Members of Congress and the pandemic, during which airlines received billions of dollars of direct aid and payroll support, makes it very easy to understand why one hand washes the other…

image: Dimitri Rodriguez

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About author.

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Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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50 comments.

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It was from Austin not Dallas

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AOC is trump of the left. She loves attention and will say stuff just to rile people up. She also puts forth legislation that has no hope of passing but generates great sound bites. It may be good for her career but it’s a waste of reputation for new York. She is trump of the left, that’s why fox is mesmerized by her.

Also liberals are some of the most self centered people that cloak their intentions in communal well being. Student loan forgiveness, her signature issue is one. No loan forgiveness, unless you make college free for everyone from now on. I remember occupy wall street where all this bunch of young people wanted to change the system, then they found jobs and became part of the system and now probably just protect it from inside. Bunch of self- centered pricks.

No to populist sloganeering unless there is a permanent change for everyone.

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Big businesses get bailouts all the time, Why not regular people? College should be free for everyone, it will help the country if more are educated… plus an educated popation will mean the demise of the republican party

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Educated? You mean indoctrinated. I put two sons through college (they graduated in 2017 and 2019). One went to a liberal public college, the other to a private college that leaned more conservative. Both received excellent educations, but you can guess their political outcomes.

Population*

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I do not begrudge AOC first class, but a couple of observations:

It appears that the trip was made to support a candidate, not official travel, so I would hope the ticket was not a government fare at all.

Indeed, I assume that the fare was a non-government fare paid by the candidate’s campaign. That is the campaign’s issue to deal with.

FWIW, I recall a Monday morning PHX-DCA flight when the entire Arizona delegation was returning to DC. There were simply too many of them to upgrade them all. Indeed, I think the only one getting upgraded was a southern California congressman who connected onto that flight.

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My point was that she could have easily purchased a YCA then paid for the bill later out of campaign funds. That, to me, is the most interesting question of the AOC first class debate.

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Doesn’t that potential for “fraud” exist for all govt employees? Book a govt fare, but pay for it personally. This “fraud” also exists for personal travel by using a corporate code or portal for a travel booking and paying for it on a personal credit card.

I’m still not sure what the big deal is here, other than AOC being in first class.

I don’t really care if she did but that is the only angle that interests me. Personally, I could not care less if she flies in first class.

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That was a really interesting piece you wrote. I wish I had access to those government fares. Your knowledge would have been helpful to the NY Post, but I don’t think their goal was objectivity. AOC, or any politician sitting up front shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody who knows anything about travel, but it does make a good outrage piece for the masses.

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Great point…and that’s the only reason it was written.

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I live in DC and fly often. Mostly I see members of Congress shuffling back to coach past wheee I’m sitting in first. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve flown the afternoon dca-lax on AA over the years and seen several high profile California delegation members walk past me behind the curtain. Those cabins sell out and there not always room for upgrades, regardless of political sway

Interestingly, we once flew AS nonstop from DCA-LAX when they were the only n/s game in town and first class was full of Members of Congress. A rare bipartisan display!

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What about CA fares, which are cheaper than YCA fares? How come those weren’t booked?

I’d imagine for the flexibility, though these days with no change fees it seems -CA fares would be more prudent.

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-CA fares are fully refundable as well, just limited to fare class availability. And for the record, using GSA fares or one’s government travel card for unofficial travel is a major ethics violation and likely a chargeable offense.

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$1.5 million for each congressperson seems positively huge to me. Members of the European Parliament routinely get lambasted for receiving lavish allowances for staffing, travel etc which come to well under a third of that amount.

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Yes, PM, but that’s for everything: staff salaries, district office rent, office supplies, coffee service, limos/taxis, yadda yadda yadda. It adds up…..

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Most elected officials, whether state or federal, get upgrades because they fly so much. While they may get special treatment it’s probably not that much different than what any top tier flyer would enjoy.

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Fascinating look at how politicians travel and book flights. I had no idea. Really nice perspective and approach to this story, Matthew.

I had a friend in college (at Georgetown) whose father had been a high level exec at one of the big 3 US airlines. She could use that Washington desk that was for Members of Congress whenever she needed to travel. Just made a call and boom! She was set to travel. It was funny to see.

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“The AOC issue is a political tinderbox, so rather than defend her for fighting the good fight for the poor or scorn her for the optics of flying in first class or palling around with tax evaders and the ultra-wealthy at the Met Gala, let’s not make this a discussion centering on AOC.”

You just negated your whole preface by highlighting the earlier statements. Even bringing up the Met gala clearly shows your bias.

The fact is, she drives nearly every week to DC from NYC. Rarely flies or takes the train. And rents an apartment in the Bronx and DC. As opposed to the millionaires who normally inhabit Congress. So spare us your sanctimony.

First Class in the US is hardly some price premium over most coach fares, and the seat and service are hardly Shangri-la.

This is a non story, but given your political bias, I can see why you would troll out these kinds of click bait stories. And I’m sorry I’m contributing to it. You blog is really sucking.

Lol. So many assumptions.

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Further to this, renting two apartments in two high cost areas on a Member of Congress’ salary is not easy.

Frankly, we underpay our Members of Congress when you consider their housing costs. It’s part of the reason so many members come to Congress already wealthy.

If you want better representation: 1) increase the size of Congress (the United States has one of the lowest representative to represented ratios among democracies; and 2) pay them more (including their staffs); and 3) increase the number of committee staffers, so that Congress is less reliant on outside experts (aka lobbyists).

You could quadruple the cost of running Congress and it still would not even be a rounding error in the federal budget.

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Not sure how it’s “clickbait” when the post’s title is “Why Politicians Fly in First Class (Not Just AOC…)” — and then Matthew explains why (and how) politicians fly in first class. If that were the title of the post and his write-up had nothing or very little to do with politicians flying in first class, that might be considered clickbait.

I found this to be a very interesting and insightful post. I had no idea about how the congressional allowances could be used, nor the special Visa cards.

I’ve read Matthew’s blog for several years, corresponded with him, and met him on several occasions — and don’t have any idea which way he leans politically. Frankly, I don’t care because he’s a good guy. And people I trust say the same thing.

+1. Agree with you on all counts, Chris.

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I’ll second agreeing with you on all counts.

Side note Loved your work in Gran Torino. It was a great role and you did a great job with it.

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wpr took the words out of my mouth. While I found some interesting facts in the article, I found the reference to the Met Gala perplexing. And upon reading Matthew’s response to an earlier comment I am left scratching my head at just what about congressional travel he found so interesting? He didn’t really describe what interested him, in fact he outright stated that he had dealt with it in a previous lifetime as congressional staff. Was there something he missed in those days that he’s just learning now?

It all seems pretty disingenuous, to me.

In all sincerity, I don’t see your point or that of the other poster – I tried to paint two extremes; how the far left will defend her no matter what and how the far right will find fault in whatever she does – I was not trying to draw a false equivalency or express my own viewpoints on AOC, just sum up how she is viewed in American political discourse.

As for what interested me – I am fascinated that Members of Congress are treated better than top-tier elites who spend tens of thousands of dollars each year on airline tickets.

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AOC is the Greta of politics. Do as I say not as I do. She hates Florida but went there to party maskless and got Covid. It tells a lot about her.

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Your comment says more about you than about AOC. AOC was photographed maskless in Florida while sitting outdoors at a restaurant. There’s almost no risk from COVID under those circumstances. As for hating Florida, I haven’t read any such comments from AOC herself. I haven’t figure out yet whether you’re a troll or a Russian boy.

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Hey ball washer!!! Who cares if it was indoors or outdoors. She was hugging people and dancing in a packed placed. Or Covid doesn’t transmit outdoors? She always attacked the Florida Governor for his actions but she still went there to party.

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Given the amount of press this got her, if she gives up her next first class seat to a member of military or to someone in need, that would give her really good PR.

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Term limits. Drain the swamp.

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We already have term limits. They are called elections.

Yes! Whatever happened to term limits? The republicans yapoed on this for years (until they gained control).

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Sounds like Congress gets too much$$$ to do what they want with it!!

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Many years ago on an Delta ATL-LAX flight, then Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was onboard. He was coming from a mayors conference in Charleston, SC. He and his girlfriend sat in the row in front of me – in Economy. It was a 767 aircraft and I know there were First Class seat available before the flight because they were clearing Medallion upgrades at the gate. His LAPD security detail were all around him including one officer next to me (had a nice chat with him). To me his Economy-seating seemed more about appearances

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I’m sure if she was traveling for a campaign on behalf of a bunch of Democratic candidates in Texas, that trip was picked up by the DCCC who in 2020 raised $345,784,504. Or possibly the travel was paid for by the various candidate’s committees.

Members can’t use taxpayer money or office staff for campaign purposes. House ethics rules state: “The House buildings, and House rooms and offices – including district offices – are supported with official funds and hence are considered official resources. Accordingly, as a general rule, they may not be used for the conduct of campaign or political activities.” So that would eliminate the use of MRA unless, of course, she happened to visit a military installation while there as a member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform or even the Federal Reserve as a member of the Committee on Financial Services as they’re all clumped right there: Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

Although her flight from Austin back to her district may have used MRA, I doubt it. Hard to say since money flows almost indiscriminately from both parties who have campaign committees and if there’s one in the House, the Senate has a counterpart.

I don’t thing she used MRA for the trip…I’m only curious if she bought a YCA because she could and paid for it herself.

Maybe, but heck if I was out campaigning for a bunch of candidates I wouldn’t pay for it. Does make me wonder, now that you brought it up *if* a campaign committee could drop her name to gain access to the YCA fare. Then again, if she did make any committee-related stops she may have.

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So it was a campaign appearance in Texas and not official travel. YCA would be a misuse of government credit card. For me, this is in the same category as Jerry Falwell Jr. I do not care if Jerry Falwell liked to watch, only that he professed to be all pious. If it was some libertine, no problem. Whatever. Similarly with AOC, if she was representing “the rich”, no problem. But since she claims to be a democratic socialist, she should fly in economy or some all coach airline like Frontier or Allegiant or best of all on a CRJ200.

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I tell my grandkids. Forget a career in medicine. The real money is in politics & will be for decades to come.

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Tangential, but years ago I flew a Swiss plane from Zürich to JFK and the swiss president at the time, Éveline Widmer Schlumpf, was in the plane. It was a three class plane and she (and Susan Sarandon fwiw) had seats in first. I was in business with one of the parliamentary assistants to Ms Schlumpf and she spent the entire flight working in business class with her assistant, only moving to first to deplane. I thought it was refreshing when so many world leaders take private jets.

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I don’t support any member flying first class unless it comes out of their own pocket. I am a huge fan of AOC and will continue to support her efforts. Flying first class, trading stocks, these perks need to stop. Members get all the perks and constituents are left holding the bag. Airlines kiss members ass for obvious reasons.

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Years ago I was in F on a Northwest flight form MSP to DCA. My seatmate was former VP Walter Mondale. I never liked his politics but he turned out to be a delightful and entertaining companion for the journey.

Did he engage in talk or did you strike up a conversation?

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This precisely why I don’t vote and haven’t for years. Regardless of what the ordinary guy expects from his elected officials, they do whatever they please. Anyone who votes and thinks he can change things is a sucker. It may change alright, but only for the elected and a few elites who bankroll them. “Politics: The domaine of the ignorant and the province of fools.”

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I know that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is doing the best she can for your people in NY-14 but I now have seen that she has sold-out the people she represent. If only Joe Crowley got a few thousand votes, there be no aoc.

She is Joe Crowley 2.0 and I compared her to Anthony Weiner

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All politicians should fly coach, just like 99.9% of the flying public. They need to stand and wait to board and de-plane the aircraft. If they want to fly first class, it comes out of there own pocket and not the taxpayers. Just because there a politician, doesn’t give flying privileges.

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