Members of the House and Senate receive an annual expense allowance for office, travel and other expenses associated with the position. The allowances vary from $1,300,000 to $4,500,000 per year and must be used up in the year or the politician loses it. As with the expense account of many organizations, some misuse it. One representative leased a Lexus for $24,720 a year. Another bought a $1,435 digital camera. A third bought two large screen Sony televisions. And some don't spend it all; Pelosi returned $57,000, Boehner $228,000.
It is not easy to get this information, as it is only printed on paper and there's a lot of paper: 3,000 pages each quarter for the House. There are no plans to produce the data electronically; I think they're waiting until the 22nd century.
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