More than just “Junkets”: The Value of Congressional ...



Isaac SchlagerJohn Brademas Center Summer Internship ProgramAugust 2020More than just “Junkets”: The Value of Congressional Delegations (Codels) AbroadWhen people envision the responsibilities of their local representative or senator, they picture Members on the Hill drafting legislation, voting on bills, and meeting with constituents. However, we tend to ignore Congress’s significant power, influence, and responsibility in regards to foreign policy. Congress has the ability to make decisions on foreign aid, military spending, and whether to enter into armed conflict with other nations. Consequently, members of Congress will often travel outside of the United States at the expense of public funds, foreign countries, or private entities in order to meet with dignitaries and evaluate developments overseas. Multiple former Members of Congress interviewed by the Brademas Center attest to the importance of these Codels and the positive impact that they have on participants.However, it is not uncommon for the media to target members of Congress for their incurred travel expenses, sometimes decrying these trips as unnecessary spending while calling for stricter regulations and reform. Some have even gone as far as to label Codels as, “the dark money of foreign travel.” A 1978 provision allows for the establishment of a “permanent appropriation,” where the U.S. Treasury covers the cost of all expenses for members during official visits abroad. In recent years, annual congressional travel costs have spiked, peaking at 19 million dollars in 2016 and fueling public concern. Members of Congress have the privilege of taking trips abroad that are funded by the government and taxpayer money. As a result, increases in travel spending sometimes leads the media to discredit these exchanges as “junkets” or “boondoggles.”Nevertheless, when the media and public focus their attention solely on the travel expenses accumulated by members, they overlook the numerous benefits of fact-finding missions. I argue that the advantages which members of Congress receive while traveling on Codels overshadow the negative imagery of these trips in the media. Codels abroad bolster members’ legislative capabilities and information gathering, further Congress’s oversight powers of the executive branch, and foster bipartisan cooperation. Therefore, it is imperative that we do not restrict the number of Codels approved by Congress in our attempts to prevent the misallocation of Congressional funds and expenses.Codels are at the forefront of incentivizing cooperation between Democrats and Republicans in Congress. Members have often used these trips to escape from the polarizing environment on the Hill and get to know one another. In reference to the limited amount of spaces where Congress members can socialize, Senator Christopher Coons describes Codels as one of three places where senators can “actually talk,” claiming that the trips provided him and his colleagues with “the opportunity to know each other and trust each other.” Testimony from President Jason Grumet of the Bipartisan Policy Center during a hearing with the House Select Committee on Modernization, describes Codels as “one of the most effective and practical opportunities to build shared knowledge and trust among members.” Limiting the availability of Codels to Members restricts the bipartisan cooperation necessary for Congress to run efficiently and effectively.Personal anecdotes of bipartisan encounters on these trips from senators and representatives alike refute the idea that Republicans and Democrats cannot have amicable relationships or civil discourse with one another. Then Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-NJ) and Rep. Sheila Jackson (D-TX) forged a relationship during an overseas delegation to Southeast Asia which otherwise would not have occurred within the Capitol. The late Senator Richard Lugar in his interview with the Brademas Center spoke of the bipartisan friendships and cooperation which took place during two Codels he attended. Lugar cites a delegation to Geneva as what sparked his relationship with then Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA), allowing them to establish the Nunn-Lugar program, which de-escalated nuclear tensions with Russia at the time. Lugar also spoke on how a Codel decades later with then Senator Obama (D-IL) to Russia and Ukraine led to the extension of the Nunn-Lugar program with their cooperation Lugar-Obama Act. Foreign delegations break down partisan barriers and allow for members with similar agenda to collaborate with one another on significant pieces of legislation. Congressional delegations abroad also enable Congress to further exercise its oversight powers and fill in diplomatic gaps left by the executive branch. In 2017, a Codel to West Africa took place amidst the Trump administration’s reluctance to make Africa-related appointments. At that time, there was no Secretary of State to Africa, nor an Ambassador to South Africa. As budget cuts to the State Department and USAID were being approved by the President, this bipartisan group of senators, led by Sen. Christopher Coons (D-DE), met with Nigeria’s Vice President, Senate President, and Speaker of the House to assist the country in its efforts to fight Boko Haram. The Council on Foreign Relations deemed these trips as “important to long term U.S. interests,” particularly during the absence of the executive branch on these issues under the Trump administration.Congressional delegations also provide members of Congress with invaluable first-hand knowledge regarding key global initiatives, such as U.S. foreign aid and military presence overseas. In his response to media criticism on Member travel, then Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) discussed the importance of visiting “front-line nations in the Middle East and Asia,” as they provide a lens into “where and how billions of dollars of U.S. aid are being spent”. The late Rep. Tillie Fowler (R-FL) echoed this sentiment while elaborating on her experience during two bipartisan Codels to Kosovo and China in 2000. Fowler stresses the responsibility of Members to exercise “due diligence” on behalf of their constituents, while including the personal interaction between Members and foreign contacts as an integral part of the legislative process. Fowler claims that the information she received during these exchanges persuaded her to change her stance on crucial foreign policy issues of the time, such as the normalization of trade with China.Furthermore, the knowledge provided to members of Congress on these trips alleviates dependence on the executive branch. During a Brademas Center interview, then Rep. Mickey Edwards (R-OK) distinguishes a link between Codel travel and an increasing independence during congressional information gathering. He makes a point of Members not to take “the executive branch’s word” and challenges them to conduct their own research, claiming that “Congress is the one who’s supposed to be making these decisions” under the Constitution. Thus, Codel travel can be seen as a source of Congressional authority in foreign policy.Whether it is creating more spaces for bipartisan cooperation, increasing the general expertise of lawmakers, or ensuring congressional oversight, Codels remain an integral factor in the legislative process. Where the media and election opponents portray these initiatives as luxury vacations, those who participate in them paint a completely different picture. If the United States wants to successfully continue its foreign policy initiatives, then it must recognize the role of Codels in bolstering the influence and authority of Congress.Works CitedBaker, Ross K. "Why Members of Congress should Fly Away ; Trips Remove Washington's Aisle between Left and Right -- Albeit Briefly. that, and a Global Awareness, are Reason enough to Encourage Travel (Sans Lobbyists, of Course).: [FINAL Edition]." Usa Today, Jun 08, 2005. ProQuest, , John. “Codel to West Africa.” Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, August 31, 2017. , Shane. "Flight Risks." National journal, Sep 13, 2014. ProQuest, , Jason. Letter to Before the United States House of Representatives Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. “Promoting Civility, Collaboration, and Bipartisanship in Congress.” Washington, DC, District of Columbia: 1225 I St NW #1000, Washington, DC, September 26, 2019.Interview with Marvin Henry “Mickey” Edwards conducted for the Reflections Project of the John Brademas Center of New York University forthcoming.Interview with Richard Green Lugar conducted for the Reflections Project of the John Brademas Center of New York University forthcoming.MacGillivray, Graham. “The Three Places Where Senators Can 'Actually' Talk.” Roll Call. Heard on the Hill, October 3, 2019. , Paul. "Members Fly Free Abroad: Congress Doesn't Pay for Overseas Delegations." Roll Call, Apr 13, 2010. ProQuest, , Paul. “Taxpayers Fund a First-Class Congressional Foreign Travel Boom.” USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, February 27, 2017. , Rep R. "Overseas Travel Educates Members, Boosts U.S. Interests." Roll Call, Mar 31, 2003, pp. 1. ProQuest, . ................
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