[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12499]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   FLYING FIRST CLASS AT THE PENTAGON

  (Mr. DUNCAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, almost every Member of this body is pro-
military. But we also should be pro-taxpayer too. So all of us should 
be shocked that the Defense Department lost $100 million on unused 
airplane tickets over the 6 years between 1997 and 2003. In addition, 
the Pentagon bought 68,000 first class or business class tickets over 
this same period.
  Members of Congress fly coach class unless they use frequent flier 
miles to upgrade. Public officials, including those in the military, 
are supposed to be public servants, not rulers or some elite, special, 
privileged class.
  The Defense Department gets almost everything it asks for, so it just 
does not seem to care about wasteful spending. But if any high-level 
officials at the Pentagon have even the slightest concern for the 
taxpayer, they should immediately eliminate this unused ticket business 
so we do not lose $100 million or more over the next 6 years.
  Also, all members of the military should fly coach, like almost all 
Members of Congress and almost all our constituents do, instead of 
buying 11,000 or more first class tickets each year.

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