President Obama is wrapping up a week-long trip to Asia & Australia, which by all accounts seems to be the last time he'll be abroad this year. In this week's edition of The Taxpayer's Tab, NTU Foundation offers an update to our ongoing analysis of presidential travel to show how Mr. Obama's travel compares to that of other Chief Executives.
By our count, the President has been abroad for 147 days over the course of 37 trips at this point in his Presidency. That is slightly more than the 143 days that President George W. Bush had logged in the same time, and less than President Clinton's 158. If he continues traveling at his current pace, President Obama will have been abroad for 196 days over the course of his time in office, which would come in behind President Bush's 215 days and Clinton's 233.
The latest Tab also includes a list of the countries President Obama has visited most, as well as detailed travel figures for other two-term presidents for more context.
Also featured is a rundown of each newly-elected Senator's stance on balancing the federal budget, a policy proposal that was mentioned many times during the campaign season and in some cases supported in the form of a Constitutional amendment.