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- NATION, Page 35American NotesCONGRESSThe Crash of Air Force Three
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- Even as the House was promising last week to cut down on
- perks in exchange for a pay raise, old habits were asserting
- themselves. Speaker Thomas Foley was embarrassed to learn about
- an amendment slipped into the defense-spending bill that
- required an Air Force C-20 jet be made available to him at all
- times. A military version of the Gulfstream III, the C-20
- carries just eight passengers and is serviced by a crew of five.
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- But Foley had not asked for an Air Force Three (the
- President and Vice President have much larger jets).
- Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha had inserted the provision.
- He enjoys luxurious travel and undoubtedly figured he could
- borrow Foley's jet. The Speaker quickly shot down his own plane.
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