“Lately, the number of privately financed trips offered by corporate interests, lobbyists, universities and foreign governments, including China, have been rising. Trips this year so far total 1,363, at a cost to the hosts of $3.2 million. Bill Allison, editorial director of the Sunlight Foundation, said the best arrangement would be to conduct all lawmaker travel ‘on the taxpayer’s dime.’ Lawmakers have traveled to a variety of locales this year on trips paid for by private groups and foreign governments, with Turkey the top destination so far, followed by Israel. Lawmakers stress the travel’s fact-finding nature.”
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/19/lawmakers-travel-the-world-on-lobbyists-dime/
