Cheney wants more travel money
''The president
and vice president need to realize they are public officials
at a time of war, not a pair of playboys who can jet-set
around every night doing cocktail party fundraisers on the
public's dime.''
usatoday.com
By Laurence McQuillan
USA TODAY
WASHINGTON -- Vice President Cheney, whose travel this
year has been mainly trips to ''secure undisclosed
locations'' and Republican fundraisers, has exceeded his
travel budget and is asking Congress to approve shifting
$100,000 from other White House accounts to cover the
tab.
Congress approved $386,000 for travel by the vice
president this year and authorized the White House to
spend an additional $50,000 if necessary -- a total of
$436,000. So far, Cheney's travel costs for the year total
$432,000, but the figure is expected to go higher because
of lag time in processing bills.
Lawmakers have yet to act on the request to shift
$100,000.
Last year, Cheney spent $287,000 on travel.
The White House says Cheney exceeded the budget
because of ''unexpected'' travel, including trips to secret
locations that have become a standard security procedure
since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The White House also
blamed bad cost estimates.
After the Sept. 11 attacks, Cheney and President Bush
sharply curtailed travel for three months. Most of the vice
president's travel since January has involved fundraising
events for Republican candidates. The party or candidate
pays part of the cost of political trips, but travel by the vice
president involves staff, security and other trappings
covered by the taxpayer. Today, Cheney is in Memphis to
attend a luncheon for GOP Senate candidate Lamar
Alexander and in Dallas for a dinner for congressional
candidate Jeb Hensarling.
Jennifer Millerwise, a spokeswoman for Cheney,
emphasized that ''no extra funds are being requested.''
David Sirota, a spokesman for Democrats on the House
Appropriations Committee, complained, ''The president
and vice president need to realize they are public officials
at a time of war, not a pair of playboys who can jet-set
around every night doing cocktail party fundraisers on the
public's dime.''
Millerwise dismissed the complaint as politically motivated.
''We are officially in the silly season,'' she said.
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