Boehner Nixes "Speaker Shuttle" Perk
Today, incoming House Speaker John Boehner effectively put a bullet in the so-called Speaker Shuttle perk.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, the Speakers of the House have been offered military flights to and from their home districts. Then-Speaker Dennis Hastert used military jets to go back and forth from the capitol to Illinois. Most recently, Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted the Speaker Shuttle is a security measure that she can't do without.
But it's costly to taxpayers. A one-way flight from Washington, D.C. to Pelosi's home state of California costs $28,210. Under Pelosi's watch, the perk of the Speaker Shuttle was often extended to include her family members and Democratic colleagues (who reimbursed at a Pentagon-approved commercial rate).
Today, Boehner indicated he doesn't see the same security risk as does Pelosi. He told reporters he intends to fly commercially when he travels between Washington, D.C. and his home state of Ohio, as he's always done. Like other members of Congress, Boehner's office says he may use military aircraft if he visits troops in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Pelosi's Speaker Shuttle: The Inside Story
