Congress Gets an Upgrade – WSJ.com — Free spending Democrats are out to prove they can be worse than the Republicans.
Congress plans to spend $550 million to buy eight jets, a substantial upgrade to the fleet used by federal officials at a time when lawmakers have criticized the use of corporate jets by companies receiving taxpayer funds.The purchases will help accommodate growing travel demand by congressional officials. The planes augment a fleet of about two dozen passenger jets maintained by the Air Force for lawmakers, administration officials and military chiefs to fly on government trips in the U.S. and abroad.The congressional shopping list goes beyond what the Air Force had initially requested as part of its annual appropriations
Found by Guilherme Cherman.
#29 Ever since 9/11 the Speaker of the House flies military since that person is the third in line to the Presidency. They want there to be the secure communications that the planes provide.
But I do agree with your wish that Pelosi go thru TSA screening and the myriad of other indignities we peons have to endure.
I spent most of the day working with a great bunch of young Americans. When I think about the those kids and the addle pated nincompoops now running our country…
This is so typical. Congress are a bunch of hypocrites; after, having criticize Auto Executives’ Corporate Jet Travel …
And the public just keeps on reelecting them. How do you blame?
#11, turk,
Actually Nancy Pelosi spends the most taxpayer money.
Actually you’re wrong. She spends most weekends in Washington while Haskert flew home almost every weekend.
While the headline is obviously inflammatory, why does the military need luxury jets? And these are luxury jets.
As for the 14% by Congressmen, they may catch a ride ONLY if there is a free jet or another jet going in that direction. The Clerk of the House makes the arrangements with the DoD whenever a Congressman asks to fly military. If the process were easier, I’m sure more would be doing it.
As the third in line for the Presidency, the Speaker of the House deserves the protection afforded by flying a personal plane. So did Haskert when he was Speaker. Besides herself, she is accompanied by a Secret Service detail that doesn’t like crowded airports so this is usually someone else’s call.
#34 Actually Judicial Watch disagrees with you. From what they have been able to get from the AF thru FOIA requests “Overall, Speaker Pelosi had flown more than her predecessor Dennis Hastert, but the records did have gaps (for both Pelosi and Hastert). (A statistical analysis showed that despite the gaps in information over a two year period Pelosi used military aircraft more than Hastert did in a three year period; and on a sample monthly comparison Pelosi also took military flights more than Hastert.)
This is a good way to deflect from the fact we gave $750 billion dollars to rich wall street executives who were too incompetent to make any real money.
#36,
The House Clerk’s Office disagrees with you.