Biden’s Hotel Tab Tops $1 Million For Two Day Stay In Europe
Traveling around Europe can be expensive. Vice President Joe Biden racked up a hotel tab of more than $1 million during a two night stay in Europe.
But no, Biden’s $1 million hotel tab wasn’t racked up by the VP himself . According to ABC, the money paid for Biden, his staff, and security for two nights in London and Paris.
The Daily Mail reports that the Vice President’s entourage needed over 130 hotel rooms.
The Hyatt Regency London was paid $459,338.65 during the trip and the other $585,000.50 was spent at the Hotel Intercontinental Paris Le Grand.
Biden’s hotel tab may seem excessive but a State Department Official said that the price was inline with past presidential trips.
The official said: “These costs are nothing out of the ordinary. They are in line with high-level travel across multiple administrations … The contract costs cover the entire range of support, including accommodations for military, communications, secret service staff, and other support professionals. Security experts are also required to travel in advance of the president or vice president. Safety and security are not negotiable.”
The cost of Biden’s trip to Europe may fall in line with past presidential trips but that doesn’t mean that people were happy with the cost. The White House has been cutting programs, including White House tours, and some people have called the government hypocritical for spending so much on travel.
Tab for Joe Biden’s one night stay in Paris Hotel: $585,000.50. We gotta keep him out of the mini-bar.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) March 22, 2013
President Obama have not commented directly on Biden’s hotel tab but he has discussed the government’s travel budget in the past. When asked questions about flying on Air Force One, the president said that it was expensive but that it was his only option for travel. Obama said that he doesn’t have the choice to take the bus or to fly on a normal plane.
Obama said: “When we travel, we got to travel through Secret Service, and Air Force One, that’s not my choice. I think most folks understand how hard I work and how hard this administration is working on behalf of the American people.”
Do you think the government spends too much on travel? Are you surprised that Biden’s hotel tab exceeded $1 million during his stay in Europe?
