Gowdy, Cummings Investigate Federal Agency Travel

Letter seeks information on use of private aircrafts for official travel

WASHINGTON – Today, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) and Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) sent letters to the White House and 24 federal agencies requesting information related to senior officials’ use of government-owned aircraft or private non-commercial aircraft for official and personal travel.

The letter states:

“Under 5 U.S.C. § 5733, official travel on the part of federal employees must be ‘by the most expeditious means of transportation practicable’ and ‘commensurate with the nature and purpose of the [employee’s] duties,’ and by no means should include personal use.“

The letter requests the following information:

• Usage of a government-owned aircraft by any senior official since January 20, 2017, including the aircraft manifest, all passenger names, destinations, dates of use, purpose and cost of each trip.
   
• Produce policies relating to the use of government-owned aircraft or private non-commercial aircraft by senior officials.
   
• Usage of private, non-commercial aircraft by any senior official including but not limited to charter service, lease, or other arrangement through Commercial Aviation Services (CAS) providers since January 20, 2017.

Full text of the letters can be viewed here and here.

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