Congress Gets an Upgrade - 8 More Gulfstreams $550 Million

[Lamarr]

The height of Arrogance!

WASHINGTON -- 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. The Pentagon sought to buy one Gulfstream V and one business-class equivalent of a Boeing 737 to replace aging planes. The Defense Department also asked to buy two additional 737s that were being leased.

Lawmakers in the House last week added funds to buy those planes, and plus funds to buy an additional two 737s and two Gulfstream V planes. The purchases must still be approved by the Senate. The Air Force version of the Gulfstream V each costs $66 million, according to the Department of Defense, and the 737s cost about $70 million.

Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary, said the Department of Defense didn't request the additional planes and doesn't need them. "We ask for what we need and only what we need," he told reporters Wednesday. "We've always frowned upon earmarks and additives that are above and beyond what we ask for."

Congress turned harshly critical of companies that fly executives on private jets in the weeks following the government bailout of banks and auto makers last year. General Motors, Chrysler LLC and Citigroup Inc. were among those caught in the cross hairs of angry lawmakers.

Read the rest here

 

[Zmaniac723]

dude come on Congress totally needs all those jets. Once universal healthcare passes our healthcare system will turn to shit...Congress is just preparing. They'll need those planes to jet off to other countries with better healthcare, just like Italy's prime minister. Just to the mighty One as he shoves it down our throats.


but seriously this shit is fucked up

 

[Cruise]

The Collapse of Empires

The politicians are US royalty, so they get to appropriate all manner of luxuries from the realm.

They are above the law, answer to no one (except each other), and impose their will on everyone.

The only politicians who ever go to jail are those who violate imperial conduct (either by exposing this sham of a government to the public or by harming/bothering a more powerful member of the political royalty).

The United States is essentially a monarchy where the political parties take turns as king.

The funny thing is, if people stopped accepting this BS behavior, it would end. But, too many use this excuse of...

"what can you do, it's inevitable."

 

[thoughtone]

This month, for example, 11 separate congressional delegations will swing through Germany. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R. conveniently left out) of Ohio is leading five other lawmakers on a trip around the world. Sen. Richard Shelby (R., Ala.) is taking a group of senators and their spouses to Europe for three weeks.

 

[gonzo8402]

the R. is implied cause he's the minority leader

 

[thoughtone]

the R. is implied cause he's the minority leader

Not everyone would catch that.

 

[Spectrum]

Saw this earlier..disgusting

 

[Acur]

Where is the outrage from more people? 95% of bgol cried foul when the American Auto execs' went to D.C. in private jets. Where is the rest of bgol?

 

[Acur]

Gulfstream 550s' maybe? This is a major issue.

 

[Acur]

 

[Lamarr]

source

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.

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John Boehner
Associated Press

House Minority Leader John Boehner opposes the jet purchase.

Two Missouri senators, Democrat Claire McCaskill and Republican Christopher Bond, said they would oppose funding for the jets when the legislation is taken up by the Senate in September.

"The whole thing kind of makes me sick to my stomach," said Mrs. McCaskill in an interview Sunday. "It is evidence that some of the cynicism about Washington is well placed -- that people get out of touch and they spend money likes it's Monopoly money."

Sen. John Thune (R., S.D.) says the planned purchase "is a classic example of Congress being out of touch with the realities of deficit spending."

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.

Mrs. McCaskill said she was lobbying members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to oppose funding for the planes. She said she has spoken to several senators on the panel who oppose the funding, including Mr. Bond. A spokesman for Mr. Bond confirmed that he "opposed the funds for the jets."

Several House Republicans Sunday said they are against the purchase, including Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio. Tennessee Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn, the senior member of a group of House conservatives, also voiced opposition to the House plan.

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.

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Christopher Bond
Getty Images

Sen. Christopher Bond (R., Mo.) also opposes the jet purchase.

The tension over the jets is erupting just as lawmakers embark on the high season for government travel. Traditionally, August is the busiest travel period of the year, since Congress usually recesses for a month. Since 1995, House lawmakers have disclosed a total of $6.2 million in travel expenses for all the months of August, according to a Wall Street Journal computer-assisted analysis of 60,000 travel records. While some legislators take issue with the pricey new aircraft that would ferry officials around, they still see value in the trips themselves.

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. They were Reps. David Camp of Michigan, the senior Republican on the Ways and Means Committee; Dan Boren (D., Okla.); Jo Bonner (R., Ala.); Tom Latham (R., Iowa); and Greg Walden (R., Ore.), according to a travel document reviewed by the Journal and an aide to one member.

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 at no costs to themselves for "protocol" purposes.

The group -- which also included four aides to Mr. Boehner, a congressional physician, a diplomatic security officer and three military liaisons, who coordinate the trip -- departed Andrews Air Force Base just outside of Washington bound for Switzerland. After visiting Asia, the delegation is scheduled to fly to Vancouver before returning to Washington in mid-August, according to the travel document and the aide.

This month, Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican, is scheduled to leave with a group of senators for a week-long trip to Libya, Kuwait, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Iceland. A spokeswoman for Sen. McCain didn't respond to calls or emails for comment.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, Sen. Judd Gregg (R., N.H.) and other Senators and their spouses are planning to travel to the U.K. for the week before the Senate reconvenes after Labor Day. The purpose of the trip, according to a spokeswoman for Sen. Gregg, is an annual meeting with members of the British Parliament.

 

[cthomas0964]

You can say what you want to but if Obama doesn't get re-elected one of the main reasons will be Pelosi and Reid. Those 2 are so far out there. They both feel like they should have a plane like the president and vice president. As much as I didn't care for some congressional leaders they never pull the entitlement shit that these 2 do. I have a friend in the air force that tells me how she gets pissed whenever a plane isn't available for her and her husband to fly. Maybe those fuckers should fly commercial like the rest of us. Funny how when republicans do this we want to raise hell and when dems do it you barely hear a peep.

 

[thoughtone]

source: Reuters


Congress drops plan to spend $550 million on new jets

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House leaders have dropped plans to spend $550 million in the Air Force budget on passenger jets used by lawmakers and senior government officials, officials said on Monday.
The House of Representatives reversed the move to upgrade the executive jet fleet after public criticism, opposition from other lawmakers and the Defense Department had said it did not need more planes that it had requested.

"If the Department of Defense does not want these aircraft, they will be eliminated from the bill," Representative John Murtha, chairman of a House panel on defense appropriations, said in a statement.

A spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she supports the decision.

Before leaving for the August congressional recess, the House approved a Defense Appropriation bill for fiscal year 2010 that included $550 million for three Gulfstream jets and five military versions of a Boeing 737.

The Pentagon's original request was $220 million to purchase one Gulfstream plane and three Boeing Co. aircraft.

Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat, said the four additional planes his subcommittee ordered would have replaced older aircraft that have safety and maintenance issues