This bill would restrict the Secretary of Transportation and their executive staff from using Department of Transportation (DOT) aircraft for travel unless it is at least 5% cheaper than commercial flights. It also requires more transparency around the costs of these flights and prohibits the use of DOT planes for personal or political purposes.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill would restrict the Secretary of Transportation and their executive staff from using Department of Transportation (DOT) aircraft for travel unless it is at least 5% cheaper than commercial flights. It also requires more transparency around the costs of these flights and prohibits the use of DOT planes for personal or political purposes.
Last updated: 12/30/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Justification and Examination of Transportation Staff's Executive Travel Costs Act of 2023 or the JETSET Costs Act of 2023</strong></p><p data-flite-block-id="1">This bill restricts the use of Department of Transportation (DOT) aircraft by the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary's executive staff.</p><p>Specifically, the bill prohibits the Secretary and the Secretary's executive staff from traveling on a DOT aircraft unless it is determined that the cost of the flight is at least 5% less than the cost of a flight on a commercial airline. A DOT aircraft is any aircraft owned, operated, or maintained by DOT.</p><p>This restriction does not apply when emergency travel is required and commercial service is unavailable. The DOT Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Congress must be notified in writing within seven days after such emergency travel is completed.</p><p>Further, the Federal Aviation Administration must revise Order 2500.36N (<em>Application of Flight Hour Rates</em>) to reflect the true cost of flight operations. When calculating per-seat costs of a flight, DOT (1) may not charge different rates to non-DOT officials, and (2) must use the actual and full cost of a flight on a DOT aircraft when comparing such flight to any commercial alternative.</p><p>DOT's OIG must submit an annual report to Congress that includes an itemization and justification of each trip and flight in which the Secretary or the Secretary's executive staff traveled on a DOT aircraft.</p><p>The bill also prohibits the Secretary or the Secretary's executive staff from traveling on a DOT aircraft for any trip that involves personal or political activities. </p><!--tinycomments|2.1|data:application/json;base64,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-->
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
The bill prohibits the Secretary of Transportation and their executive staff from using DOT aircraft for travel unless it is at least 5% cheaper than a commercial flight, with exceptions for emergency travel.
The bill requires the DOT to revise its policies to accurately reflect the true cost of operating DOT aircraft, and to use those full costs when comparing to commercial alternatives.
The bill mandates annual reporting to Congress on each trip taken by the Secretary and staff on DOT aircraft, including justification for the travel.
The bill bans the use of DOT aircraft for any personal or political activities by the Secretary and their staff.
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
If this bill becomes law, it would impact the Secretary of Transportation and their executive staff, who would face new restrictions and reporting requirements when using DOT aircraft for official travel. Taxpayers may benefit from increased transparency and cost savings, though the overall impact would depend on how often DOT aircraft are used and the cost differences compared to commercial flights.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Transportation and Public Works
Related Subjects
Aviation and airports
Congressional oversight
Department of Transportation
Federal officials
Transportation costs
Travel and tourism
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
4962, 119th Congress (2025). "Toll of Tariffs Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-4962
