federal bureaucrats, frequent fliers?

[Declan McCullagh]

Somehow this just seems really wrong...

3. Frequent flier legislation passes Senate committee By Tanya N. Ballard 
An amendment to the Defense authorization bill (S. 1155) allowing military 
personnel and federal workers to keep the frequent flier miles they earn 
while traveling on the government's dime, was approved by the Senate Armed 
Services Committee Friday. Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman 
Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., sponsored the amendment along with Sen. John 
Warner, R-Va. In August Warner introduced S. 1369, a Senate bill that would 
have extended the benefit to federal employees. The Defense authorization 
amendment would allow military personnel, foreign service members, their 
families and others who travel on official government business to keep 
their frequent flier miles. "Soldiers, sailors, pilots, and Marines are on 
call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, prepared to go into harm's way," 
Lieberman explained. "Letting them take advantage of frequent flier 
programs--which cost the taxpayer absolutely nothing--is a small gesture, 
but one that can mean a lot for morale." The Federal Acquisition 
Streamlining Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-355) prohibits federal employees 
from accepting promotional items they receive while traveling at government 
expense. Those items included frequent flier miles, upgrades and access to 
carrier clubs or facilities. Full story: 
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0901/091001t1.htm