[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 24 (Thursday, February 8, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1349]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RETURN TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

  (Mr. HENSARLING asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, recently Speaker  Nancy Pelosi said it 
is time for Congress to return to fiscal responsibility. It is often 
said that the best way to lead is by example. But I don't know if 
spending $300,000 of the taxpayer money to fly the Speaker in a 
personal luxury jet to travel back and forth to San Francisco sets much 
of an example, particularly when any American can find a $300 ticket 
for the same route on expedia.com.
  According to CNN, Speaker Pelosi has requested that the military give 
her a jet that would include 42 business class seats, a fully enclosed 
stateroom, an entertainment center, a private bed, state-of-the-art 
communications system and a crew of 16.
  Now, I know there are legitimate security concerns, but somehow the 
previous Speaker managed to use a smaller jet that seated 12 and had 
none of these amenities.
  Why did the Speaker request this jet? According to the Washington 
Times, the Democrat, quote, ``is seeking regular military flights not 
only for herself and her staff, but also for relatives and other 
Members of Congress.''
  If this is the Democrats' idea of fiscal responsibility, working 
families had better hold on to their wallets.

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