Domestic and foreign travel at taxpayer expense should be under tight control at all times – but especially during “Lame Duck” periods. This is evident in a General Accounting Office (GAO) study showing “excessive travel” by outgoing administration employees during the November 1980 through January 1981 Lame Duck period. Sen. Charles H. Percy, R-lll., who requested the study and announced the results, said: “It appears that the taxpayer may have financed last minute trips for some Lame Duck officials, many of which were of questionable value to the govemment and the taxThe GA0 study surveyed domestic and foreign travel by outgoing administration political employees in seven departments of the executive branch. Among reasons given for taking trips were attending seminars, participating in award ceremonies, taking training courses, and giving speeches. For 23 percent of the trips, no reason was given, and 26 travelers flew first class without offering justification. The lllinois senator requested the study in January after reports of junketeering by administration officials in the waning days of the last administration. One trip was a Housing and Urban Development officials journey to Paris to deliver a paper to the “French-American Colloquiem on the Methods and Procedures of Governmental Workingsf The Lame Duck official billed the taxpayers $1498 for this trip. Another was taken by a Health and Human Services official who flew to New York to attend the Heisman Trophy Award dinner. He billed Uncle Sam $249. Percy wrote David Stockman, director of the Office of Management and Budget, suggesting new restrictions on travel to prevent Lame Duck abuses in the future. In the legislative branch. Congress already has imposed controls. By statute. the House prohibits overseas travel by defeated members. and the Senate has adopted rules barring Lame Duck colleagues from traveling abroad at government expense unless authorized by the full Senate or the President. There’s a crying need to cut govemment spending. This message comes through loud and clear in the Reagan Administrati0n’s effort to balance the budget. Unnecessary travel by federal employees is one appropriate place to wield the economy ax.