Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg can breathe a sigh of relief because nine Republicans joined over 200 Democrats on Wednesday to vote against requiring the secretary to reveal where he travels on taxpayer-funded planes.
Such a requirement was included in an amendment to legislation directing funds to the Federal Aviation Administration, the New York Post reported.
Republican Illinois Rep. Mary Miller introduced the amendment and called on the FAA’s administrator to “submit to Congress a report containing the flight records of the Secretary of Transportation for any flight on an aircraft owned by the Federal Aviation Administration” within the last three years.
“Secretary Buttigieg and President Biden’s policies have created chaos within the FAA,” Miller said on the House floor, according to the Post.
“Under the Biden administration, we saw the first full ground stoppage of all flights since Sept. 11,” she added. “Taxpayers deserve to know where Secretary Pete was jetting off to on a private jet while our constituents were dealing with canceled and delayed flights.”
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Democrats argued that requiring Buttigieg to disclose information about his travels would be a waste of time and resources, the Post reported.
“There is no basis as to why this report should be needed,” Democratic Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen said. “There are many pressing issues the FAA should dedicate its attention toward … and [Miller’s] amendment would detract from those efforts.”
The amendment failed by a vote of 219-216, with nine Republicans siding with Democrats in opposing it.
Should Buttigieg be required to disclose his flight records?
Yes: 100% (3 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
Those nine Republicans were Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Brandon Williams and Marcus Molinaro of New York, David Joyce and Troy Balderson of Ohio, Garret Graves of Louisiana, Jack Bergman of Michigan, Jennifer Kiggans of Virginia, and Sam Graves of Missouri.
It was later revealed that Balderson had “inadvertently” voted against the amendment and submitted paperwork to change his vote.
During a busy vote series late Wednesday night, Rep. Balderson inadvertently voted against Rep. Miller’s amendment to shed light on Secretary Buttigieg’s superfluous taxpayer-funded travel. (1/2)
— Congressman Troy Balderson (@RepBalderson) July 20, 2023
Three Democrats supported Miller’s amendment: Yadira Caraveo of Colorado and Katie Porter and Ted Lieu of California.
In December, Fox News reported that Buttigieg had taken 18 flights on taxpayer-funded private jets since taking office.
When one of former President Donald Trump’s Cabinet officials came under that kind of scrutiny, he was forced to step down.
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned in 2017 amid investigations into his use of private taxpayer-funded planes.
The legislation to reauthorize the FAA for five years, dubbed the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, passed the House on Thursday by a vote of 351-69.
