Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 13, 1993 TAG: 9306140070
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
One of the more frequent travelers, 9th District Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, took 10 trips in 1992.
Among the trips, Boucher traveled to Indian Wells, Calif., as a guest of the Tobacco Institute; to Palm Beach, Fla., as a guest of the National Coal Association; to Key West, Fla., courtesy of the U.S. Telephone Association; and to Bermuda as a guest of the National Broadcasting Corp.
The Leaf Tobacco Exporters Association paid Boucher's way to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., and he returned there as a guest of the Virginia Bankers Association.
Boucher, who reported 17 trips in 1991, said his less-frequent travel in 1992 was "purely circumstantial."
With a rare exception, "the only time I go is when I have a need to have that organization do something to help pass one of my bills or advance an item on my agenda," he said.
Rep. Thomas J. Bliley Jr., R-Richmond, said he and his wife went on a 10-day fact-finding trip to Israel that was paid for by the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond. They also attended a Boca Raton charity tennis tournament sponsored by the U.S. Tobacco Co.
The Blileys also went to Palm Springs, Calif., for a speech, paid for by the Tobacco Institute. Philip Morris Cos. Inc. sponsored a trip to New York for a seminar and pro-amateur tennis tournament.
The couple also spent several days in White Sulphur Springs in March and again in May as guests of the Congressional Charity Tennis Tournament and of CSX Corp., respectively. Bliley participated in a panel at the latter event. Their travel expenses were not covered.
Travel destinations and sponsors were listed in the reports released Friday. In addition to trips, the reports document income, real estate and stock holdings, liabilities and other financial details about the nation's senators and representatives.
Republican Sen. John Warner visited Marbella, Spain, for a five-day meeting on the "Future of Europe" paid for by the Chicago-based Atlantic Conference.
He also went to Scottsdale, Ariz., for a hospice benefit and a public-policy seminar at Montego Bay, Jamaica, sponsored by the Washington, D.C.-based Aspen Institute.
The Urban Institute flew Democratic Sen. Charles Robb to West Palm Beach, Fla., for a conference, and the Disabled American Veterans covered his travel expenses for a speech in Reno, Nev.
Rep. Herbert H. Bateman, R-Newport News, reported the Tobacco Institute paid room and board for him and his wife at a legislative conference in Palm Springs, Calif., and paid for their flight back to Washington. The group also paid a $2,000 fee, which went to charity, for Bateman's attendance.
Bateman was a subject this year of a network news program's undercover investigation about congressmen and lobbyists living it up at a conference at a resort.
Rep. L.F. Payne, D-Nelson County, and his wife traveled to Jackson, Wyo., for a policy conference with expenses paid by the Association of American Railroads.
Travel for Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, was not listed.
by CNB