Not sure why you're surprised. That's just how business/networking/capitalism works everywhere on earth and it's been like that since the dawn of civilization. And why would Congress stop is since they're all getting the same benefits and don't even hide it?
I guess I thought integrity was still at least considered an ideal to strive for in the West.
That imaginary integrity never existed. If anything, favors for favors are now less common than they used to be.
Well, nothing specific to capitalism here.