.jpg)
Posted on 08/05/2009 3:51:40 PM PDT by Libloather
House Pencils in Millions for Jets the Air Force Did Not Request
House lawmakers approved millions for military jets the Air Force did not request. But an aide says the decision was made to speed up the replacement of an aging fleet.
FOXNews.com
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Congress is supposed to be taking a knife to the federal budget.
But when it comes to new military equipment, they've traded their knife for a spoon -- tossing in scoops of cash that the Pentagon hasn't even requested.
The latest example comes with the House approving more than $500 million for eight passenger jets, when the Air Force only asked for four.
In the 2010 defense spending bill, the Air Force originally requested money for one C-37 and three C-40s as part of its effort to replace its aging fleet. But the House Appropriations Committee added an extra $132 million for two more C-37s and $200 million for two more C-40s, according to an aide to the panel.
The aide, who asked not to be identified, said the decision was made in order to speed up the replacement process which was already underway, and that the move could save money in the long run.
"You've got an aging fleet," the aide said. "It costs more to fly aging planes that are unreliable. It's the same reason you update anything."
Though Roll Call reported Wednesday that two of the C-37s are to be assigned to units that routinely transport government officials and members of Congress, the aide disputed the notion that Congress was just awarding itself an upgrade, saying both types of jets can be used for "many purposes" including transport of military personnel and officials -- not just elected officials.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Oh? Now THAT'S news!
Pelosi is tired of asking the air force for theirs..they are a bunch of scum, they could fly coach on major airlines, they need money too..
Pelosi needs to be removed as Speaker asap. This vile witch is completely out of control.
Congressional money-wasting is one of the most reliable bipartisan efforts you’re likely to see in Congress. And wasteful military spending is an absolute favorite way to push pork into local districts, because it’s tougher to argue against such allocations without seeming like you’re not supportive of our troops.
Not only did members of Congress pillory the auto executives for flying in their private jets, but give the rest of us grief about carbon footprints etc. This is total hypocrisy and I do not care who voted for this funding, they should all be thrown out of office.
C-37B’s if anyone is wondering ......They are Gulfstream 550’s with an increased range over the Gulfstream 500’s.......now nancy can get home without refueling.
C-40 is just a Boeing 737-700C ............
I hate to say this but the earmarks are from GA republicans who want these built in their state planes. I don’t know what they may be getting from Nancy but if this is a new/old kind of jobs program it shows the republicans are out of touch as the democRATS.
Is it just me or were the dems wailing only a few years ago about deficits?????
And that was when they were a measly $500 Billion.
They saved 100 million on office supplies early in the year so I guess that will go in part towards these jets ....
But executive Bizjet transports are a LOT more useful to our government than F-22s. Cut F-22 one week, buy Gulfstreams the next,,,B@stards.
I guess no one bothered to tell Congress that there is a glut of jets on the market right now and the price has dropped 30 - 40%.
Has anyone ever seen a photo or video clip of Nancy Pelosi boarding or disembarking from her “personal” 757?
Even when she flew to Rome nothing ever made the ‘net. It seems there’s a complete media blackout around her biggest (and most wasteful) perk.
They don’t give one crap about you...just keep sending in the money...SUCKER!!!
Congress just loves mass transit, to hear them talk, and they already own a typical government transportation enterprise — it’s called AMTRAK!
Congress ought to be required to stay off planes altogether and take mass transit like they want us to. Let’s start a movement: Congress Takes AMTRAK or Else!
Let them keep their own health care program, but they have to take AMTRAC for all travel.
From what I heard on Tom Sullivan's radio show today, the airport operators in San Fran aren't exactly her biggest fans. She had a special fence erected so no one can take a photo. And there was also some alteration to an access road near there - but I didn't hear that part of the info.
I looked up Pelosi, airport, San Fran. Nothing.
The American people need to take a knife to Congress so that they remember that they work for us and not the other way around.
Wall Street Journal
* AUGUST 6, 2009, 6:38 P.M. ET
Notable and Quotable
John Fund on Congress’ spending spree.
John Fund writing in the Journal’s daily Political Diary e-newsletter:
The country is in tough economic straits, but you wouldn’t know it by how much Congress is spending on itself. . . .
The spending spree is so big that the House Appropriations Committee has just authorized $195 million for the Pentagon to buy three Gulfstream jets. All three planes will be used to ferry government officials and members of Congress around the country on “official business.” The jets are well appointed and feature what Gulfstream calls an “impeccably equipped cabin” with “best-in-class comforts.”
“This just makes no sense. Talk about the wrong message at the wrong time,” Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri told reporters after vowing to block the funding in the Senate. She noted the Air Force itself had only requested funding for one additional plane, but the House is tripling the size of the order.
You’d think the House leadership would have thought twice about such poor symbolism. . . .
No one begrudges Ms. Pelosi access to a government jet from time to time. But the watchdog group Judicial Watch documented last March just how difficult it’s been for the Pentagon to accommodate Speaker Pelosi’s demanding schedules. Judicial Watch obtained internal Pentagon correspondence that expressed frustration with the Speaker’s office. One Defense Department official wrote in response to the numerous requests from her office for transportation, “Any chance of politely querying [Pelosi’s team] if they really intend to do all of these or are they just picking every weekend? . . . [T]here’s no need to block every weekend ‘just in case’. . . .”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204908604574334643041600348.html
That's right, WE DO!
So it would be safe to say that when I get ready to jet over to Europe for a little vacation I should be able to use it, right?
FRIGGIN BASTARDS!!
This is a damn disgrace.
G*d this crap is infuriating.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.