Kennedy aims to restrict federal money for federal workers’ flights

U.S. Senator John Kennedy has attached an amendment to an appropriations bill to keep taxpayer money from going towards first-class airline tickets for federal employees. Kennedy says there’s only two reasons why a federal worker should receive a taxpayer funded first-class ticket.

"If there’s a medical reason or number two for security. It’s the security exception that’s been abused.”

The Senator says a federal audit found that federal employees have been misusing allowable upgrades to ride first class in 56% of cases. He says in a recent three-year period an extra one-million dollars in taxpayer money went to unnecessary first class tickets.

“There’s been abuse of first-class travel. We’re going to stop the abuse and that’s what my amendment will do.”

In a report released last March, EPA Secretary Scott Pruitt allegedly spent 105,000 dollars on first class flights in his first year on the job. Kennedy says if his amendment makes it through Congress, even agency heads will not be able to fly first class unless there’s a legitimate medical or security reason.