Lawmakers Quietly Float Plan to Get Jet for Foley

A House-Senate conference committee is quietly trying to give House Speaker Thomas S. Foley (D-Wash.) full-time access to a $19-million military executive jet at the same time that Foley is pushing a controversial pay raise and ethics package for House members.

Sources said that a handful of lawmakers inserted the provision into a compromise defense appropriations bill that is scheduled for final House action today.

On Thursday, lawmakers will vote on whether to give themselves a 33% pay raise while also banning honorariums and tightening restrictions on corporate-paid travel.

Foley’s press secretary, Jeff Biggs, said Tuesday night that the Speaker knew nothing about the effort to provide him a plane--an effort which sources said was spearheaded by Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), a behind-the-scenes operator with close ties to the House Democratic leadership.

Rep. Charles Wilson (D-Tex.), a member of the conference committee, said, “I understand the Speaker wanted it.”

He contended that the plane, a military version of the Gulfstream 3 executive jet, was needed to protect the Speaker against terrorists, and help him avoid conflict-of-interest problems.

“The idea is that the Speaker is the second biggest target in the country, and it is hard to ensure his security when he is riding on a commercial plane,” Wilson said. “And this (military plane) would make it unnecessary for him to have to use private planes which create a plausible conflict of interest.”

Wilson said it was intended that Foley would give permission to any other House member who wanted use of the plane, which seats 13 passengers and a crew of five.

“I hope I get to fly on it to Acapulco,” Wilson said with a laugh.

An aide said that House Republican leader Robert H. Michel (R-Ill.) was unaware of the provision in the bill.

“At this point, everyone’s mouth is hanging open,” she said.

Biggs said that he was trying to obtain an explanation from Murtha, who told a reporter that he was “too busy” to discuss it. Biggs speculated that it was merely an attempt to “regularize” the sometimes cumbersome practice of obtaining military aircraft when members of Congress request them for official trips.

“I don’t think having this plane would make much difference in reality,” Biggs said. “But if it became a stumbling block for other issues and created an appearance problem, the Speaker may move to take it out.”

A member of the conference committee, who requested anonymity, expressed surprise at the provision.

“This was a secret deal,” he said. “It may be appropriate because the Speaker of the House is third in line to the presidency. But I don’t think it will fly politically.”

A source said that Sen. Malcolm Wallop (R-Wyo.) is “lying in the weeds, waiting to take a shot” at the provision if it reaches the Senate floor later this week.

An Air Force spokesman said that the plane, known as a C-20, costs $2,149 an hour to operate, including maintenance, fuel and crew. Operating out of Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, it has a range of more than 4,000 miles.

Several of the aircraft are used by Cabinet members and other senior government officials.