“Our relationship with China represents one of our nation’s greatest challenges going forward, and Senator Alexander was fortunate to attend the China seminar hosted by the nonprofit Aspen Institute, which regularly hosts such conferences for policymakers,” said Jim Jeffries, the senator’s spokesman. But like Cooper, Alexander’s office said such trips are essential. Lamar Alexander took only one trip - in February 2012, to San Diego for a conference on Chinese economic growth and the trade repercussions of it. They cost a combined $25,918, the next highest total after Cooper’s.
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Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, accepted in 2012 to Sao Paulo, Brazil San Diego and Brussels, Belgium plus one in February 2013 to Bangalore, India. The institute paid for all of the trips that Rep. And the meetings were approved in advance by the (House) Ethics Committee.”
“As the only Tennessean on the Armed Services Committee, it’s my job to know the world’s danger spots. “I try to learn as much about America’s role in the world as I can,” Cooper said in a statement. Cooper went to Madison, Wis., for a discussion of clean air policy, and to Istanbul, Turkey, for discussions about foreign policy that Cooper says related to his seat on the House Armed Services Committee.
They say they’re traveling to valuable policy conferences, benefiting their work in Congress.
The two-year total for the state delegation was $102,728.īut Cooper and other Tennessee members say the trips are anything but play. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, led other Tennessee members in accepting such trips during those years, taking seven that were worth a combined $50,108.
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Also includes a Chinese Newspapers Collection (1832-1953) and a collection of American and British Communist papers (1917-2013).WASHINGTON – Private groups often provide members of the Tennessee congressional delegation with free trips to far-off destinations, travel records for 20 show.Ī compilation of records by Political MoneyLine shows Rep.