A $1M Price
Cabinet’s jet-setter will repay a pittance
HIGH-FLYING Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price’s travel tab is over $1 million.
Price — who’s been chided by President Trump for spending over $400,000 in taxpayer cash by using private jets — flew military aircraft around the world this summer, costing over $500,000, Politico reported Thursday.
The report came hours after Price issued a statement saying he’ll no longer use private jets on the taxpayers’ dime — and he’ll repay some of the over $400,000 his charter flights have cost the public.
“I regret the concerns this has raised regarding the use of taxpayer dollars,” Price said. “All of my political career I’ve fought for the taxpayers. It is clear to me that in this case, I was not sensitive enough to my concern for the taxpayer.”
Price, a longtime critic of government waste who’s called for cuts in his agency’s travel budget, took two dozen of the pricey trips since May. One of the jaunts was the short distance between Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.
Price, whose estimated net worth is over $22 million, said he’d write a personal check covering his travel costs.
“The taxpayers won’t pay a dime for my seat on those planes,” he said — but he did not address the costs of those traveling with him.
CNN reported that he will pay the Treasury Department a total of $51,887.31 — about one-eighth the overall cost.
Additionally, Price and his wife were cleared by the White House to fly military aircraft to Africa, Asia and Europe over the summer, at a cost of over $500,000, Politico reported.
An HHS spokeswoman told the site Price has reimbursed his wife’s travel expenses, but declined to comment on when he did or how much he paid.
The House Oversight Committee has launched a probe examining Price’s use of taxpayer-funded private planes, and the White House is looking into the flights as well.
“We’re going to conduct a full review and we’ll see what happens,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters.
Price’s statement came a day after President Trump chided health chief publicly.
“I will tell you personally I’m not happy about it,” Trump responded when asked about Price’s travel. “I’m going to look at it. I’m not happy about it and I let him know it.”
Asked if he planned on firing Price — who was deeply involved in the failed attempts to repeal Obamacare — Trump said, “We’ll see.”
Cabinet members are allowed to take government or chartered planes if it’s a necessity and there are no cheaper viable options, but it doesn’t appear Price sought out more affordable options.
He’s not the only cabinet member with travel travails — the House Oversight Committee has sent requests for travel records to the White House and 24 departments and agencies.
Besides Price, the panel is believed to be closely looking into the travels of Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Pruitt reportedly racked up a $58,000 tab on four trips on chartered and government planes. Mnuchin is being scrutinized for a trip to Kentucky with his wife during the solar eclipse.
Politico reported Thursday that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and his aides have taken several private or military flights including a $12,000 charter flight.