Quarterly House expense reports now posted online

The House this afternoon posted -- for the first time -- quarterly expense reports for House offices on the Internet at http://disbursements.house.gov/.

House Speaker Pelosi June 3 ordered the quarterly Statements of Disbursements, previously available only in unwieldy books, to be published online as a move toward transparency and accountability in government. The reports posted today reflect activity from July through September. Pelosi made the decision to post the reports after published stories this summer raised questions about how some House members are using their office allowances, which cannot be used for personal benefit. While most spending by lawmakers goes to staff salaries and office expenses, the reports documented how some has gone toward items such as luxury cars and high-end electronics.