Kansas House delegation’s incomes, travel disclosed

? Kansans in Congress traveled near and far in 2003, to cities as close as Springfield, Mo., and to countries as far away as China.

Disclosure forms released Wednesday reveal trips paid for by special interests as well as outside income sources, assets, debts, gifts and speaking fees. The reports must be filed annually by all 535 members of Congress.

Democratic Rep. Dennis Moore traveled the farthest, going to China for six days in October courtesy of the U.S. Asia Foundation. He also traveled to Redmond, Wash., California’s Napa Valley and New York City.

Republican Rep. Jerry Moran traveled the most among House members, reporting eight mostly agriculture-related trips.

GOP Rep. Todd Tiahrt took the fewest trips — two — but he was just behind Moore in the number of miles traveled. Tiahrt traveled to the Czech Republic city of Prague; Vienna, Austria; and Budapest, Hungary from Aug. 13-21 on a trip paid for by the Center for First Principles. He also went to West Virgina in February.

Republican Rep. Jim Ryun took five expenses-paid trips, two of them to sign autographs and speak to participants in a marathon sponsored by Second Baptist Church in Springfield, Mo., and in the National Cross Country Championships, sponsored by Foot Locker, in San Diego.

The forms don’t specify how much the trips cost. They also don’t include official travel funded through Congress, which is reported on different forms.

Reports are even less specific when it comes to lawmakers’ personal finances, because lawmakers are required only to check boxes indicating their worth and income in broad ranges.

For example:

Tiahrt’s investments could be worth as little as $119,021 or as much as $560,000. Moran’s investments were worth between $218,019 and $624,000. Moore’s could be worth as little as $313,011 or as much as $795,000. Ryun’s could be worth as little as $380,004 or as much as $850,000.

Senators’ reports were released Monday.

However, while Sen. Sam Brownback’s was released, Sen. Pat Roberts was granted an extension to complete the document.