A February 3 article in The Hill, headlined "$500K spent on Dem caucus retreats" and promoted by the Drudge Report the following day, reported that “The House Democratic Caucus spent more than $500,000 in taxpayer money over the past five years for its annual retreats at resorts in Pennsylvania and Virginia.” The article reported that "[t]he Congressional Institute, a nonprofit that pays for activities at least in part through dues from lobbyists, subsidizes the GOP retreat," but failed to note that House Republican leadership committees, including the Republican Steering Committee, the Republican Conference, and the Republican Policy Committee, are appropriated amounts of “taxpayer money” for salaries and expenses that are comparable to the amount given to their House Democratic counterparts. Further, The Hill article did not discuss how the House Republican leadership committees spend their “taxpayer money.”

Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, the Republican Steering Committee received $943,000, the Republican Conference, $1,631,000, and the Republican Policy Committee, $325,000 -- for a total of $2,899,000 for fiscal year 2008. The Democratic Steering and Policy Committee and the Democratic Caucus also received a total of $2,899,000, with $1,295,000 going to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee and $1,604,000 going to the Democratic Caucus. (No appropriations bill for legislative branch operations has been passed for fiscal year 2009; the legislative branch is being funded pursuant to a continuing resolution until March 3, 2009.)

From the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008:

HOUSE LEADERSHIP OFFICES

For salaries and expenses, as authorized by law, $24,048,000, including: Office of the Speaker, $4,761,000, including $25,000 for official expenses of the Speaker; Office of the Majority Floor Leader, $2,388,000, including $10,000 for official expenses of the Majority Leader; Office of the Minority Floor Leader, $4,290,000, including $10,000 for official expenses of the Minority Leader; Office of the Majority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Majority Whip, $1,894,000, including $5,000 for official expenses of the Majority Whip; Office of the Minority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Minority Whip, $1,420,000, including $5,000 for official expenses of the Minority Whip; Speaker's Office for Legislative Floor Activities, $499,000; Republican Steering Committee, $943,000; Republican Conference, $1,631,000; Republican Policy Committee, $325,000; Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, $1,295,000; Democratic Caucus, $1,604,000; nine minority employees, $1,498,000; training and program development--majority, $290,000; training and program development--minority, $290,000; Cloakroom Personnel--majority, $460,000; and Cloakroom Personnel--minority, $460,000.