A new Republican bill in the Senate aims to stop top Department of Transportation (DOT) officials including Secretary Pete Buttigieg from using private government planes on taxpayers’ dime.
"Secretary Buttigieg seems averse to traveling on the very commercial airlines that his department oversees. It’s far past time that Secretary Buttigieg travel commercially instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on private jet flights," Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital.
"It will also fix a loophole to bring more transparency in reporting the costs of these flights," Schmitt added. The "loophole" Schmitt is referring to is a cost-calculating policy the department uses which he said had been used to make travel cost for officials appear cheaper than it was, his office said.
The legislation would also stop Buttigieg and other DOT officials from using private flights except for in times of emergency or if such a flight is projected to cost at least 5% less than a commercial alternative.
Schmitt said he hopes the bill will "make Secretary Buttigieg consider the most fiscally responsible option when flying on official business."
It comes after Fox News Digital reported late last year that Buttigieg had flown aboard taxpayer-funded jets at least 18 times while in office. --->READ MORE HERE
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A Republican senator has introduced legislation meant to stop Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and other top DOT officials from flying on government-owned private planes with taxpayers footing the bill.
The bill by Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri was sent to the Democrat-run Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, where it will likely languish.
Mr. Schmitt said taxpayers deserve protection from frivolous government travel expenses.
“Secretary Buttigieg seems averse to traveling on the very commercial airlines that his Department oversees,” Mr. Schmitt said. “It’s far past time that Secretary Buttigieg and senior officials travel commercially instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on private jet flights.”
Mr. Buttigieg flew 18 times on taxpayer-funded private planes managed by the Federal Aviation Administration late last year, according to records obtained by the government watchdog group Americans for Public Trust and first reported by Fox News.
Mr. Buttigieg is not the first high-level government official to come under scrutiny for using private flights in recent years.
Former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao used the same planes during the Trump administration, racking up $94,000 in flight costs. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price was forced to resign from the Trump administration for $1.2 million in taxpayer-funded private flights. --->READ MORE HERE
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