NATION IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : VIPs Lose Cut-Rate Lodging at Parks

The Interior Department shut down a longstanding perk for members of Congress and other senior government officials, saying they no longer will get cut-rate VIP lodging at some of the most scenic national parks. The order affects retreats at the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina and the Virgin Islands National Park in the Caribbean. In recent years, the VIP visitors, including numerous members of Congress, senior White House officials, Cabinet members and at least one Supreme Court justice, paid rental fees ranging from $40 to $109 a night, well below commercial rates for comparable lodging. The rental income historically has fallen short of covering expenses, U.S. Park Service officials said.