Wed, Aug 12, 2009
But DoD Must Make The Decision, Murtha Says
If the Department of Defense tell him to cut money for as many
as 7 Gulfstream C-37's and a Boeing 737 used primarily for VIP
travel, Representative John Murtha (D-PA) says he will strike the
funding from the House version of the defense appropriations
bill.
The chair of the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee said
Monday “These aircraft will not increase the overall
passenger aircraft fleet, but instead will replace older aircraft
that have both safety and maintenance issues. In addition, these
newer model aircraft cost significantly less to operate than the
current aircraft.”
Politico reports that Murtha made the statement amid growing
criticism for purchasing the aircraft. Congress and the Obama
administration were very disparaging of the CEO's of Ford, GM, and
Chrysler arriving in Washington on corporate jets for hearings
related to a government bailout of their industry.
The Pentagon had originally requested $220 million for 4 of the
Gulfstream C-37's to replace older aircraft in its fleet of
airplanes used for travel military officials, administration
personnel, and sometimes members of Congress. Politico
reports that the House Defense Appropriations Committee added three
additional C-37's, the military version of a Gulfstream 550, and a
Boeing 737 to the list, bringing the price tag to $550 million. The
language for the purchase was not hidden in the bill, and Pentagon
officials said the aircraft it requested were replacements, not
additional capacity. The Pentagon says the committee funded the
additional airplanes of its own accord, not at the request of
DoD.
John Murtha (D-PA)
A House committee spokesman says the money for the additional
jets is an acceleration of an Air Force program that is already in
place to replace the aircraft. Murtha also said members of congress
account for only about 15 percent of the travel on the jets.
The full Senate has yet to consider its version of the Defense
appropriations bill. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and John McCain
(R-AZ), both senior members of the Senate Defense Appropriations
committee, are leading an effort to kill funding for the new
aircraft.
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