Red Senate Restaurants

Roll Call

Deadbeat politicians are contributingto a six-figure loss for United StatesSenate Restaurants, which has been tryingto cut back on the red ink. In fiscalyear 2003, according to , almosthalf of the $189,545 tab run up bypatrons of the restaurant was 60 days ormore overdue. Although the $678,000loss last year is a lot lower than the$1.2-million loss the previous year, it isstill almost double the loss figures forfiscal 2000 and 2001. On the plus side,the restaurants' catering and vendingmachine services racked up profits totalingalmost $700,000 for fiscal 2003. Thenation's taxpayers get to make up anyshortfall in the restaurant's budget, to thetune of $1.1 million in appropriatedfunds in fiscal 2003 and $1.2 million theprevious year. US senators earn $158,100annually, about $10,000 more than theaverage primary care physician.