CSX Foots Bill for Lott Speaking Engagement

WASHINGTON -- Congressional financial disclosure forms for 2000, which were released Thursday, show outside sources of income, assets, liabilities, speech honoraria donated to charity and travel paid by private interests for all 535 members of Congress.

The financial disclosure forms are required annually, according to an article published in the Washington Post.

Rank-and-file House and Senate members were paid salaries of $141,300 in 2000, which rose as of Jan. 1 to $145,100. The House speaker's salary was $181,400 last year and is now $186,300. The House and Senate majority and minority leaders were paid $157,000 in 2000 and are getting $161,200 this year.

Republican Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, now the minority leader, reported a capital gain of more than $192,000 from timber sales on a 161-acre tract in Carroll County, Miss., and rental income of between $1,001-$2,500 from properties in Hattiesburg. Lott reported checking and savings accounts worth $100,001-$250,000 combined and was active in the stock market, with holdings in such companies as AT&T, America Online and Intel Corp.

Lott reported two trips paid for by others: the CSX Corp. railroad paid travel and lodging bills for he and his wife for a speech in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., and the Rebel Chapter of the Young President's Organization, based in Atlanta, paid for Lott and his wife to visit Telluride, Colo., for another speech.