Report: CDC Jet Used Most by HHS Secretary

Report: CDC Jet Used Most by HHS Secretary


Wednesday June 14, 2006 4:01 PM

ATLANTA (AP) - A jet leased by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use in emergencies
has instead been used to shuttle the secretary of Health and Human Services to appearances and meetings
at a cost of more than $700,000 since January, a newspaper reported Wednesday.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution analyzed the Gulfstream III's flight log and found that the 14-seat
aircraft has been used primarily by HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt to attend news conferences promoting
the new Medicare prescription drug plan and meetings with state officials over their flu pandemic plans.

Since January, Leavitt has taken the jet on 19 trips to visit more than 90 cities, his spokeswoman
told the newspaper. During the same period, CDC officials said they had used the aircraft to respond
to three emergencies and conduct three training exercises.

The Journal-Constitution reported that during two emergencies, the CDC was forced to use another plane
because Leavitt was using the Gulfstream.