Dan Burton: “First of all Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman taking the time to try to clarify this. The problem that we have is…”

“First of all Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman taking the time to try to clarify this. The problem that we have is that there were 30 aircraft from 6 bases that were refueled at Andrews Air Force Base and flew overseas, and we estimate 1,000 people went. All we have asked from the White House, as the committee of jurisdiction that has oversight over the executive branch, is who was on those planes, did they reimburse the Federal Government, and if not, how much did it cost the Federal Government and the taxpayers for 30 airplanes, which normally cost $10,000 to $12,000 an hour, to fly over there? We have estimated. Some of those planes were only $3,000 or $4,000 an hour, and others were $15,000 an hour. We are talking about the big transport carriers, the ones that carry the cars and everything. We are not criticizing the President for going over on Air Force One, but he took Air Force One, a backup plane, and 28 other planes, to our knowledge. We just want a report, as the committee that has oversight requirements in this House, we want to know, and we have not been able to get it. When we called the White House, they stonewalled us and said simply, 'We do not think you are entitled to that information.' As far as veterans' groups are concerned, we called the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the AMVETS, Paralyzed Veterans, all of them, and they were asked to attend, but none were asked to go over there and be with the President.”