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Senator Swoops In To Save Frivolous Travel, Christmas

Has the junket become an endangered species? Not if Harry Reid has anything to do with it! The U.S. Senate Majority Leader (D-NV) has unveiled the Protecting Resort Cities from Discrimination Act to keep destinations unfairly tagged by the recession from those sweet, sweet tourist dollars.

Reid is a travel busybody; he was criticized earlier this year for making sure the stimulus plan involved an allocation for a high-speed train from Las Vegas to Anaheim, but this time he means business.

The act, co-sponsored by Florida senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez, would prevent federal employees from writing off certain destinations in their convention plans. Which certain destinations, do you think? Probably places like Florida and Vegas. Rahm Emanuel even rolled up his shirtsleeves and got into the fray on this one, declaring in a letter that government agencies should strive for "reasonable" costs, rather than avoiding expenditures by how they might look.

If this bill not only goes through but is acted upon, Las Vegas will once again make out like those pirates on the Amazon this week. Good show, Harry Reid! Your suitcase full of cash is in the Presidential Suite at the MGM Grand.

Related Stories:
· Sen. Reid offering government travel bill [UPI]
· How Does The President's Economic Recovery Plan Affect Travel? [Jaunted]
· Pirates Pop Up In The Amazon To Rob Luxury River Cruise [Jaunted]
· What Recession coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of the Las Vegas Airport: Bjørn Giesenbauer]