Taxpayers to Foot Bill for Legislative Trip to China

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Legislative leaders are rushing to organize a trip to China in May or June. They say the visit will foster trade and government relations, and yesterday the Legislative Management Committee assigned Republican majority leaders from the House and Senate to lead the delegation.

"Much of the time would be either meeting with government officials or business entities," says Michael Christensen, staff director for the Legislative Management Committee. "Trade is very high on their list - greater trade relations with entities in the U.S. And they've chosen Utah."

At least ten lawmakers - both Republicans and Democrats - and several legislative staff will spend a week in the Laioning Province in northeastern China, on the border of North Korea. Taxpayers will foot the entire $18,000 bill. Lawmakers say they need to make the trip to reciprocate a visit from a Liaoning Province delegation that came to Utah last year. Legislative leaders will choose lawmakers to make the trip and those legislators will have to pay for any spouse or family member they bring along.

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