In a letter, two Democratic lawmakers are requesting that the Treasury’s Office of Inspector General launch a probe into how airlines used federal COVID funding.
requested a review, including whether any of the money was used for buyouts or staff reductions.
"We are concerned that some airlines have used federal funds obtained during the pandemic to provide buyouts and early retirement packages for pilots, which may be exacerbating a shortage of commercial pilots," the pair wrote. "As a result of pilot shortages, thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled, wreaking havoc on travel plans for millions of American taxpayers."
Maloney and Clyburn noted that more than $60 billion in taxpayer money was disbursed through the CARES Act of 2020 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney speaks during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing, Oct. 7, 2021.for the airlines to "preserve aviation jobs and compensate air carrier industry workers" and that, as a condition of accepting the money, air carriers were prohibited from conducting involuntary furloughs or reducing pay rates and employee benefits.
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