WASHINGTON The Government Watchdog Agency, the general accounting office, said on Tuesday that three overseas trips by President Bill Clinton cost taxpayers $72.1 million -- triggering protests from some Republicans. A draft GAO report said Clinton's trip to Africa cost $42.8 million, a visit to Chile cost $10.5 million and his trip to China cost $18.8 million. All the trips occurred in 1998. Of particular notice to the three Republican senators who commissioned the study -- Larry Craig of Idaho, Jeff Sessions of Alabama and Craig Thomas of Wyoming -- was the number of travelers that either worked on the advance team for the African trip or went along with the president on it.

The GAO report said that federal agencies represented in the trip paid for about 1,300 people to travel to Africa as either part of the advance team, part of the president's delegation or to provide other support. Clinton visited six African countries. The dollar figures did not include the cost of secret service expenses, which are classified. (Reuter)