By BRODY MULLINS and T.W. FARNAM

The blending of business and pleasure on the trip to Scotland was typical, aides and lawmakers say. In August, two Republican senators, Richard Shelby of Alabama and John Cornyn of Texas, went to Europe with their wives and aides to meet with banking regulators and industry executives. Military officials picked up Mr. Shelby’s luggage at his office. A separate government car drove him and his wife to the airport. “That is typically how the military handles departures on congressional delegations,” said a spokesman for the senator.

His spokesman, Jonathan Graffeo, said the trip’s chief purpose was to discuss with foreign officials the global financial crisis and regulatory reform. The senators spent the first five days in Germany, where they had three meetings with banking officials, according to an itinerary and Mr. Graffeo. They also were briefed on port security and had dinner with industry and government officials. Among side trips they took were two tours in vans driven by U.S. Embassy staff, including one along the Rhine, where they stopped at a heavy-metal festival. The trip cost about $70,000, according to a travel disclosure form filled out by the senators.

With the country $12trillion in debt - What will it take for Republicans to throw Porkmeister Shelby out and nominate a conservative in the primary?