The recent brouhaha over corporate- and private-sponsored travel for Congressional offices may very well have consequences far beyond that of just another beltway scandal. The danger of this particular “scandal” is that policymakers could overreact in the worst way – by curtailing their travel.

Though AeA does not finance Congressional travel, we believe that such travel serves a critical need for policymakers. These trips provide them with firsthand knowledge of how programs, businesses, and countries operate. In a global environment that is transforming more rapidly than at any time in history, this knowledge is vital to making informed policy decisions. The last thing America needs is for policymakers to become more insular and isolated.

Many trips, funded by such organizations as the Aspen Institute, are designed to educate legislators on policy issues. One such program informed lawmakers of the issues surrounding deactivation of Soviet nuclear warheads, not by issuing a white paper or holding a hearing, but by traveling to Russia.

It is one thing to read or hear about changes happening around the world; it is entirely different to witness them firsthand. This type of experience is invaluable.

Visitors to places like Shenzhen, China see a bustling commercial metropolis and trade port that twenty years ago was farmland and fishing boats. Policymakers visiting Bangalore, India, the world’s new Silicon Valley, will see that multinationals do business here not merely for the lower cost of labor, but also to gain access to a tremendous amount of brainpower. A visit to Seoul, South Korea highlights how this society has transformed itself technologically, offering the majority of its citizens broadband access twelve times faster than that found in the United States. 

It is in the best interest of both lawmakers and the general public to report exactly who is footing the bill and what is taking place on these trips. But as the House ethics committee and other watchdog groups address this issue, they need to craft solutions that do not discourage travel. 

China, India, the former Soviet bloc, and others around the world are integrating into the global marketplace and aggressively positioning themselves to compete for economic and technological preeminence. American policymakers need to inform themselves of these rapid changes by seeing them firsthand. Only in this context can they respond with the robust policy initiatives that will keep the United States competitive in this rapidly changing world.