Senate Slams House's $550 Million Jets

Who says bipartisanship is dead? Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans have found at least one thing they can unite against -- the House of Representatives, which recently approved $550 million in the defense spending bill for eight jets to be used for government travel. The measure has moved to the Senate and, The Wall Street Journal reports, the clamor is now coming from both sides of the aisle.

"The whole thing kind of makes me sick to my stomach," Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) told the Journal, before accusing House members of spending as though they were using Monopoly money. Her fellow senator from Missouri, Republican Christopher Bond, also went on record in opposition.

The Obama administration's request was for four jets for $220 million, including two currently being leased by the Air Force, to replace older passenger planes being used for government travel by senior officials. That would include members of Congress who often take far-flung trips during their August recess. The House Appropriations Committee doubled that order -- and more than doubled the cost -- under the assumption that the additional jets would be required in the future. Perhaps. But, in the present, no one -- including the Pentagon -- seems particularly pleased with the extra jets and extra costs.

I don't expect diplomatic missions to hop a series of red-eye connector flights every time they have to go abroad. But, I suspect that the four jets the House was asked for are probably sufficient to shuttle officials to and fro. And, who knows -- with the flame of bipartisanship already burning in the Senate -- learning to share a jet or four is probably also within the House's reach.