What They Did on Their Summer Vacation (Updated)

U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-1st, earned a mention in the lead paragraph of a Wall Street Journal article regarding " a dozen taxpayer-funded trips by lawmakers during Congress's monthlong summer recess."

Rahall is "leading about a half-dozen lawmakers on a 10-day trip to the Pacific. They are reviewing how immigration laws are applied in the Northern Marianas, a U.S. territory," the newspaper reported. "The lawmakers plan to visit American Samoa, Hawaii, Palau, the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam."

The trip so far has earned Rahall mention on Guam's KUAM as well as Pacific Daily News, the Saipan Tribune and the Pacific News Center (video; reference corrected).

U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., is meanwhile co-hosting a forum on health care with AARP's West Virginia chapter, Public Broadcasting reports.

"Conservative protesters are planning greet" those at the University of Charleston event, the report said. "The event is closed to the public, after already filling up the available space. The AARP and other sponsors invited people to the event, which required an RSVP and was full as of Monday morning."

The piece (audio here) also notes that "Other such events across the country have been disrupted by people opposed to overhauling the nation’s health care system. Officials at the University of Charleston say they’re prepared for any protests, and had already stepped up security because of Rockfeller’s visit."

(Update: AP has coverage from the Tuesday forum.)

The office of Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, has issued a press release regarding her August recess whereabouts, "Capito Returns from Trip to Israel, Palestine."

Update II: Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, is holding a Town Hall meeting Friday at Wheeling Jesuit University to discuss health care, The Intelligencer reports.