WASHINGTON -- Bipartisan opposition is emerging in the Senate to a plan by House lawmakers to spend $550 million for additional passenger jets for senior government officials.
The resistance to buying eight Gulfstream and Boeing planes comes as members of both chambers of Congress embark on the busiest month of the year for official overseas travel. The plan to upgrade the fleet of government jets, which was included in a broader defense-funding bill, has also sparked criticism from the Pentagon, which has said it doesn't need half of the new jets...
The Obama administration had sought $220 million to buy four passenger jets, including two that are currently being leased by the Air Force, to replace a fleet of older planes. Before leaving town for the August break, House lawmakers doubled the aircraft order to eight, at a total cost of $550 million.
Lawmakers who support funding for the planes say the move would save the government money down the road because the new planes are less expensive to operate than the older planes, some of which are now grounded.
"The key here is not whether or not planes will be bought, it's when planes will be bought," said Ellis Brachman, a spokesman for the House Appropriations Committee, the panel that approved the spending. He has said the planes are predominately used by the military, with roughly 15% of the Air Force's passenger flights dedicated to congressional travel...
The day after the House began its summer holiday, Mr. Boehner, the House Republican leader, and five other lawmakers departed for a two-week trip around the globe... The goal of the trip, which will include stops in Germany, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China, was to discuss issues surrounding the global economic crisis and national security with government and private-sector officials in those countries. At least some of the lawmakers took their spouses, which they are allowed to do under House rules for "protocol" purposes.
Erm, House leaders have backed off the whole idea; it's dead. Won't be any new jets.
ReplyDeleteI thought they just halved the order back to the original?
ReplyDeleteAnyway why is it that they can't fly regular airlines? Its not like anyone knows more than 4 of the 5 hundred whatever citizens we elect each couple years to the congress.
What about the multimillion dollar costs of each new Raptor? Not only are they designed for the wars of yesteryear- their radar reflective skin has be repaired for days after only a few hours flying time. And they are so prone to jamming, we have yet to use them in theatre.
ReplyDeletePresident Eisenhower actually wanted to say, "Beware the military Congressional industrial complex."
Awesome photo for the subject.
ReplyDeleteIt is exactly how I feel.