Skip to main content

Cohen Calls for Secretary Price to Resign

September 29, 2017

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – In the wake of reports that Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tom Price's repeated use of private jets and military aircrafts, costing the taxpayers over $1 million since May, Congressman Steve Cohen called on Secretary Price to resign. Secretary Price has reportedly flown on chartered flights at least 26 times, even when traveling to cities with ample commercial options, and has mixed personal and government business at exorbitantly high taxpayer expense.

"Secretary Price must resign," said Congressman Cohen. "It is unacceptable that Secretary Price has spent more than $1 million of taxpayer money to fly on private and military jets, as he simultaneously sabotages the Affordable Care Act with massive cuts to the outreach and advertising budgets. As a Congressman, Tom Price called the use of private planes by members of Congress ‘fiscal irresponsibility run amok.' Now, as the Secretary of HHS, his priorities have clearly shifted, and Secretary Price has shown that he cannot effectively prioritize the needs of Americans."

According to Politico, Secretary Tom Price took at least 26 flights on private jets over the past several months. Following press reports about the cost to taxpayers, Secretary Price announced plans to pay back $51,887 of these costs, which would only account for 13% of the costs of the private jets. He only plans to cover his seat costs on the flights, despite the fact that it was his choice to book private jets and all other costs related to travelling by private jet remain on the taxpayers.