Apr 22, 2005 1:13 pm US/Eastern
House Sends Delegation For Pope's Mass
Senate Not Sending Delegation
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
Twenty-one House members left Friday to attend Pope Benedict XVI's inaugural mass, the second House delegation this month to travel to Rome to witness the transition of leadership in the Catholic Church.
The House also dispatched 27 lawmakers to attend the April 8 funeral of Pope John Paul II. Separately, 14 senators attended the funeral as did an official delegation led by President Bush, his father and former President Clinton.
The White House said Friday that the president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, would lead a five-member delegation representing the president.
The Senate is not sending a delegation to the inaugural mass, but in the House there was strong interest among lawmakers who didn't make the list for the funeral delegation, aides said.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who is heading the delegation for the inaugural mass, is the only member to attend both events. While the funeral trip featured House leaders such as Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, Friday's trip includes five freshmen and other newer members.
The delegation is made up of 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats. At least 18 are Catholics.
David Williams, vice president for policy at the taxpayer watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste, estimated that the trip would cost about $2,200 per member, or about $46,000, for transportation and lodging. The group is traveling by military transport, and is to return on Sunday.
Williams said that's not a lot of money and it was understandable that people wanted to pay respects to the new pope, but taxpayers shouldn't bear the costs. "It's the whole culture of privilege in the House and Senate," he said.
(© 2005 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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