Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following statement today on the Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) final report on former Secretary Tom Price’s extraordinary use of taxpayer funds to charter private jets to accommodate his travel:
“Today’s independent Inspector General report sheds new light on Trump Administration officials’ use of taxpayer funds as their own personal slush funds. Former Secretary Price and other top HHS officials did not follow federal regulations in chartering expensive private jets at the taxpayers’ expense between commercially serviced routes such as Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia. These flights cost over $1 million, and the IG found that HHS officials broke federal regulations for all but one of the jet-setting trips. The IG concluded that the Administration’s actions ‘resulted in waste of Federal funds totaling at least $341,000.’
“Although Secretary Price resigned because of these actions, the Trump Administration continues to be plagued by mismanagement and waste of taxpayer dollars. My colleagues and I will continue to hold these officials accountable for obeying the law and upholding their responsibility to be responsible stewards of taxpayer funds and the public’s trust."
Pallone and other Democratic health leaders requested the OIG investigation into Secretary Price’s abuse of taxpayer funds to book private jets in September.
