Kline to go to Brazil, Colombia and Mexico with Boehner

Posted at 2:35 PM on December 23, 2011 by Brett Neely (4 Comments)
Filed under: U.S. House

WASHINGTON - Republican Congressman John Kline will be taking a trip to Latin America with House Speaker John Boehner and other House members in January.

The Washington Post reports that the congressional delegation will visit Brazil, Colombia and Mexico on a week-long trip starting Jan. 8. Kline spokesman Troy Young would not confirm that itinerary and said only that the trip will "focus on economic and security issues in the Western hemisphere."

Kline chairs the House's Education and Workforce Committee and sits on the Armed Services Committee and is considered a close ally of Boehner's.

Other participants reportedly include Reps. Dan Boren (D-OK), Dave Camp (R-MI), Doc Hastings (R-WA), Devin Nunes (R-CA) and Greg Walden (R-OK). Like Kline, Camp, Hastings and Walden all chair powerful House committees.

Comments (4)

Is is nice to see that our legislative members are able to spend some time away a beautiful climate - courtesy or either the taxpayers or some corporate lobby.

Posted by Sue | December 23, 2011 6:49 PM

Sue makes a great point as there are difference it types of CODELs. Mr. Kline has participated in many CODELs to the war zone ... but since there are many that believe they are TaxedEnoughAlready should be questioning the necessity of a trip to Brazil, Columbia and Mexico which includes their WIVES.

A little prespective, according to a Roll Call tally of 2009 travel reports, House committees reported about $8.7 million in travel expenses.
If the delegation is traveling on a military airplane, the Defense Department pays those costs out of its own budget. Roll Call reported last year that the military maintains a fleet of about 375 airplanes that are used for VIP travel — including Congressional travel — and according to military records, these aircraft can cost as much as $20,000 per hour to operate.

The WashPost story said that the wives would be accompanying their husbands using military planes.
QUERY : Did Vicky Kline travel with her husband to Iraq or Afghanistan ? If not, why is she going to Brazil ?
Mr. Kline may offer to re-imburse for his wife's meals, but that is a joke ... Members traveling are given $250 per day for meals and most never refund the actual versus the per diem.

Posted by Minnesota Central | December 26, 2011 9:21 AM

With all of the cutting, at the very least our senators should avoid the appearance of getting a family vacation at public expense. If this trip is really valid... No wives, excessive support staff, press, or other extraneous personel need go. We should see a detailed accounting of EXACTlY the isssues that could not be discussed by phone or video. If the point is for these countries to lobby our reps for their national interests, their should be no trip. Why do we have a State Dept.?

Posted by Someone | December 27, 2011 1:48 PM

With all of the cutting, at the very least our senators should avoid the appearance of getting a family vacation at public expense. If this trip is really valid... No wives, excessive support staff, press, or other extraneous personel need go. We should see a detailed accounting of EXACTlY the isssues that could not be discussed by phone or video. If the point is for these countries to lobby our reps for their national interests, their should be no trip. Why do we have a State Dept.? Divide the jet fuel by the number of passengers, and they can reimburse that too....

Posted by Someone | December 27, 2011 1:49 PM

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