Cabinet secretary used CDC jet for routine travel

[Scriptor Ignotus]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/06/14/cdc.jet.ap/index.html


Wednesday, June 14, 2006; Posted: 1:50 p.m. EDT (17:50 GMT)

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- A jet leased by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use in emergencies has instead been used to shuttle the secretary of Health and Human Services to appearances and meetings, a newspaper reported Wednesday.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt's use of the plane has cost more than $700,000 since January.

The newspaper analyzed the Gulfstream III's flight log and found that the 14-seat aircraft has been used primarily by Leavitt to attend news conferences promoting the new Medicare prescription drug plan and meetings with state officials over their flu pandemic plans.

Since January, Leavitt has taken the jet on 19 trips to visit more than 90 cities, his spokeswoman told the newspaper. During the same period, CDC officials said they had used the aircraft to respond to three emergencies and conduct three training exercises.

/snip

[Scriptor Ignotus]

1. another important point from the article

Last fall, Congress inserted language in the HHS budget mandating that the CDC share its aircraft with Leavitt. The intent was to make sure the plane was available to Leavitt "in times of emergencies and in the days following such emergencies" because of his role in directing public health responses "to significant events," according to Congress' conference report on the bill.

Also, yes this is the same Mike Leavitt who reneged on his promise to Hillary about deciding on Plan B.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/06/13/national/w181642D42.DTL&type=politics

Last year, Democratic Sens. Patty Murray of Washington state and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York released a hold on Crawford's nomination in exchange for a pledge from Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt that the FDA would decide on Plan B by Sept. 1, 2005. Clinton later said the August delay "rudely surprised" her and Murray.

The two have since pledged to block the nomination of Crawford's successor, Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, until the FDA decides on Plan B.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

2. They will get away with this... they will call the time

training for the pilots to keep them sharp and familiarize them with various airports and airspaces needed in emergencies.