GOP senator proposes bill to limit Buttigieg’s taxpayer-funded private jet usage.

Senator Targets Transportation Secretary’s Private Jet Use

Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) has introduced a bill in the Senate aimed at Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, urging him to opt for commercial flights instead of private jets. The legislation seeks to increase transparency within the Transportation Department and close a loophole that makes private jet flights appear cheaper than they actually are.

Demands for Accountability

“Secretary Buttigieg seems averse to traveling on the very commercial airlines that his department oversees,” Schmitt told Fox News. “It’s far past time that Secretary Buttigieg travel commercially instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on private jet flights.”

The bill does allow for the use of private jets in emergency situations or if the cost is at least 5% lower than a commercial flight to the same destination for the secretary and other high-ranking transportation officials.

Past Controversies

According to a report from Fox last December, Buttigieg has used private jets operated by the Federal Aviation Administration at least 18 times since taking office in 2020. These flights were funded by taxpayers and were for official business, including trips to Florida, New Hampshire, and Ohio.

Previous transportation secretaries and high-ranking officials have also faced criticism for their use of private jets. Former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, during the Trump administration, faced backlash for using private jets seven times in 2017. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned after using a private jet 26 times in the same year.

Buttigieg has defended his use of private jets, stating that he mostly flies economy class on commercial flights and only uses agency aircraft when it saves taxpayer money.

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