Updated Aug 10, 2009 - 5:08 pm

Congressman Baird defends Antarctica trip

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• List of Baird trips, along with itineraries and photos
  

Democratic Rep. Brian Baird of Washington state lashed out at the news media Monday, saying sensationalized coverage of taxpayer-funded trips could jeopardize the ability of Congress to learn firsthand about issues such as climate change and ocean acidification.

"They basically are scaring members away from the water," with the result that "we will have no one in Congress who is knowledgeable and has firsthand experience in the ocean," Baird said, referring to stories that have highlighted visits by him and other members of Congress to the Galapagos Islands and the South Pole.

The television news show "Inside Edition" called the June 2008 Galapagos trip "the trip of a lifetime on your dime."

The Wall Street Journal weighed in this weekend with a front-page story on a trip by Baird and nine other members of Congress to the South Pole around New Year's Day 2008. Lawmakers and some spouses went diving and snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, rode a cable car through the Australian rain forest and visited a penguin breeding ground during the 11-day trip, the newspaper reported. The group also stopped in Hawaii on the way home.

Baird, in his sixth term representing southwestern Washington, said the fallout from the stories has him reconsidering his travel plans. As chairman of the House Science panel's Energy and Environment subcommittee, Baird said he has a responsibility to learn all he can about oceans and climate change.

"I'm in a real bind here," he told The Associated Press. "I think I have a responsibility to know about the oceans, for the good of our country. But if these kinds of articles are going to try to make an impression that I am just going on vacation, then I can't do it anymore. And then a passionate voice on behalf of the world's oceans is effectively going to be silenced."

Besides Baird, the trip leader, others on the 11-day trip were Reps. Frank Lucas, R-Okla.; Mike Ross, D-Ark.; Russ Carnahan, D-Mo.; Charlie Melancon, D-La.; John Tanner, D-Tenn.; Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif.; Bob Inglis, D-S.C.; Adrian Smith, R-Neb.; and Randy Neugebauer, R- Texas.

In its story, the Journal said the South Pole trip cost taxpayers at least $103,000. That figure, however, does not include the actual flying, because the trip used the Air Force planes, not commercial carriers, the newspaper said. Flight costs would lift the total tab to more than $500,000, based on Defense Department figures for aircraft per-hour operating costs.

Baird called that unfair, saying the trip was one of dozens that members of Congress take every year, many on Air Force planes.

"The Wall Street Journal would have you believe it's an expose' of some sort. I've been talking about the trip since the day I got home" 17 months ago, Baird said. "It had a profound influence in my thinking on global warming."

Besides the South Pole and Galapagos trips, Baird said in the past year he also has been to Israel and the Gaza Strip - twice - as well as Iraq, Afghanistan and Davos, Switzerland - the latter for a meeting of the World Economic Forum.

All but the Davos trip are listed on Baird's congressional Web site under the heading, "My Research Trips."

Baird called international travel important for a member of Congress and said it would be a "tragedy" if such trips had to be curtailed because of bad publicity.

Baird told the Journal the South Pole trip was "more valuable than 100 hearings."

"Are there members of Congress who take trips somewhat recreationally?" he added. "Perhaps. Is this what this trip was about? Absolutely not."

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• mnpat wrote...

  You don't represent me but if you did

  I would expect most of your free time is spent talking with the individuals you represent......I'm sorry you have issues with hearings....but let most of the trips be your tragedy...not ours.

  August 10, 2009 4:06 pm

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• kata wrote...

  here's a thought

  crack open a book first. And if you're really going to visit a country - I understand Australia finally came to their collective senses with regards to AGW.

  August 10, 2009 4:06 pm

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• Schmidt wrote...

  Liberals in congress, it's not just a job it's a paid vacation

  Liberals are enjoying their monopoly in congress by getting all they can get for themselves while they neglect their duty to serve the people. As you sow so shall you reap congress dudes. Remember this when you find yourselves looking across the gulf towards Heaven.....which one of your constituents will you request to bring you a glass of water to cool your torment in hell?

  August 10, 2009 5:38 pm

  77363

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• Schmidt wrote...

  The congressman and Lazarus

  There was a certain congressman who was clothed in fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. He went on fine trips paid out of the community purse to exotic locations. There was also one of his constituents named Lazarus, Lazarus had children to feed and no job, he lost his plumbers journeyman certificate when the state forced continuing education, he tried to get a building permit, every one at the county charged to his application every month while they delayed his permit until he was out of money. Eventually it came to pass that Lazarus died and was carried by Angels to Heaven, the congressman also died and was buried. And in Hell being in torment the congressman looked up and saw Lazarus in Heaven. He said, Lazarus get your butt over here with a mineral water, you can put it on my congressional expense account, but Lazarus said, your expense account is empty now, neither are there any congressional planes to fly it over to you. I will look for a liberal to bring it to you.......oh sorry.....all the liberals are on your side of the great gulf which can't be crossed.

  August 10, 2009 5:56 pm

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• Cash wrote...

  It just started to rain...

  It just started to rain after a few weeks, I am guessing Congressman Baird is about to fly out with his family and friends on our dime to do some "Ocean Research in Hawaii. I think we should all run for office so we can all get a free vacation with 1st class status. Does he really think we are stupid enough to believe that taking a trip on our dime makes him an expert on the issues. What a loser...

  August 10, 2009 8:25 pm

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• Captain America wrote...

  I didn't know that our representative was a scientist!

  "sensationalized coverage of taxpayer-funded trips could jeopardize the ability of Congress to learn firsthand about issues such as climate change and ocean acidification." - - - Like Brian Baird is taking exact measurements of ice shelves and carefully testing the acidity of the water off antarctica... RIGGGGHHTTT!!!! - I guess he can't learn about global warming and chemistry of the oceans from reputable scientists. He has to go there and check for himself. Wasteful lying $0B.

  August 10, 2009 10:22 pm

  77410

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• mjlfire wrote...

  Well played Schmidt!!

  Eventually (I say that knowing full well that it won't happen), the people of this country will figure out what a waste of time the members of congress are and will rise against this machine. Mr Baird, you are not a scientist, nor do you play one on TV, you cannot stop global warming, so you need to focus on what you CAN do. How about putting the taxpayers money (that you think is yours) in the "cash for clunkers" program into American automobile companies ONLY, and put these people back to work as opposed to lining the pockets of your "global" friends from Japan. Never mind...I'm leaving to go throw up!

  August 11, 2009 6:39 am

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• Scotty M wrote...

  I don't believe you Congressman Baird because:

  In defending these trips you simply claim that, "I think I have a responsibility to know about the oceans, for the good of our country." Your claim might be believable if you had listed - in detail - what it was you learned and exactly how it benefited the U.S.A. when you: 1) Visited the South Pole 2) Went diving and snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef 3) Rode a cable car through the Australian rain forest 4) Visited a penguin breeding ground 5) Stopped in Hawaii If you feel that you can justify these trips please don't forget to tell us how the knowledge gained could not have been obtained by some other means that would have cost us less the half-million dollars you spent.

  August 11, 2009 7:12 am

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• Common Sense wrote...

  A duck is a duck

  If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, flies like a duck, looks like a duck - then it is a duck. Substitute "liar", "Crook" or "idiot" for the word duck and you just about have described this Democratic Representative. what a pile of @#$%^ Brian Baird.

  August 11, 2009 3:34 pm

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