Report says congressmen got rides from Pentagon

The Pentagon provided members of Congress with more than $2 million in VIP domestic travel service in 1982, U.S. News & World Report said. During the year, 35 senators and 111 House members took trips aboard planes operated by the Air Force's 89th Military Airlift Wing, the magazine reported. It said that military escort officers carry ''walking-around money'' to cover lawmakers' hotel bills and other expenses. The magazine cited regulations saying military planes may not be used ''except when travel is in the national interest and commercial transportation is not available or capable of meeting the movement requirement.