Bloomberg.com posted an article yesterday about the fact that the U.S. Senate last month passed a measure limiting “luxury” spending for corporate travel by recipients of federal bailout funds.  Two weeks later members of both parties left for political meetings at posh hotels on the Florida coast.  Leaders of the hotel industry are asking the administration to tone down its condemnation of business travel and conferences at hotels because it is hurting their business.

Even though the restrictions only apply to companies that have received bailout money, other companies are cancelling conferences to avoid any controversy.   Las Vegas has been hit especially hard, losing more than $131 million in non-gambling revenue in recent months. Companies have moved their conferences to city locations, which look less luxiurious, but can cost more.

The article states:

“Hotel executives said their business began to suffer after Obama, 47, warned Feb. 9 during a town-hall meeting in Elkhart, Indiana, that companies receiving bailout money “can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers’ dime.”

Soon after, Northern Trust Corp. was criticized for organizing a conference and golf tournament in Beverly Hills, California. The Chicago-based bank received $1.6 billion in federal bailout money.”

I guess Congress thinks it’s ok for them to spend a lot of money on a luxurious retreat, but it’s not ok for the rest of us.  Meanwhile, they are negatively impacting an industry for no apparent reason!