Traveling Man

[July 18th, 2007]

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer's privately funded travel probably doesn't much resemble that for many of his constituents in Oregon's Third Congressional District.

While they might be saving for trips this summer to the beach or Disneyland, Blumenauer finds himself near the top of the list of legislators who accept travel dollars from private groups.

According to Congressional Quarterly Political Moneyline's list of members receiving the most gifts of travel in the past 5 1/4 years, Blumenauer ranks 38th among the 647 people who've served in Congress over that period.

The recently updated list (fecinfo.com/cgi-win/x_PrivateDetail.exe?DoFn=BiggestSpenders) puts the East Portland Democrat in the top 6 percent of federal lawmakers, coincidentally just above disgraced former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) at No. 39 and indicted Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), who ranks 40th. Tops on the list is Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.).

CQ reports that Blumenauer and his staff have gotten a total of $110,717 in travel over the past five-plus years, including to destinations such as Italy, Mexico, Switzerland and Hawaii. According to CQ's Moneyline private travel database, the nonprofit bipartisan think tank Aspen Institute gave Blumenauer and his staff the most travel money—a total of $63,293 worth of trips.

Blumenauer's most expensive Aspen Institute-funded trip was an $18,788 nine-day trip to China to "participate in a conference on US-China relations."

Asked about Blumenauer's privately funded globetrotting, spokeswoman Erin Allweiss says the trips "help him make good decisions for Oregon and the nation." Allweiss also noted that much of the privately funded travel is pertinent to Blumenauer's assignments on the House International Relations Committee.

Blumenauer's counterparts from Oregon are not such road warriors. In fact, the other Oregonian on the House International Relations Committee, Rep. David Wu (D-Portland), ranks No. 252 ($30,078).

The other members of the Oregon delegation and their rankings: Republican Sen. Gordon Smith, No. 189 ($39,886); Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), No. 225 ($33,632); Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Springfield); No. 263 ($28,216); and Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, No. 288 ($24,665). Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-West Linn) is ranked No. 562 ($2679), or in the bottom 11 percent.

For Hooley, home is where the heart is.

"We have a limited time to be in Oregon now that we're in session five days a week," says Hooley spokeswoman Joan Mooney-Evans. "Congresswoman Hooley's priority goes to our proactive agenda in the district."