Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetsblog

98 House Members — Mostly Dems — Cruising in Taxpayer-Funded Cars

9:25 PM EST on November 18, 2009

Long before the Obama administration began, congressional Democrats have made
limiting U.S. oil dependence a centerpiece of their agenda. But being a
lawmaker also comes with perks that can compromise one's political
priorities -- and some party leaders have made unflattering headlines
with their willingness to spend taxpayer funds on leasing lavish,
fuel-chugging cars.

amd_rangel_car.jpgRep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee (Photo: NYDN)

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D) recently got rid of his publicly financed Cadillac DeVille, which he likened
to "an airplane" and was big enough to fit an entire desk inside. Rep.
Alcee Hastings (D-FL) got some tough questions back home after his
hybrid Lexus (with an annual lease cost of $24,730) made the Wall
Street Journal.

So when Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) today made good
on her promise to let voters look at how House members spend their
quarterly office allowances, Streetsblog Capitol Hill checked to see
which lawmakers are spending taxpayer funds to lease cars ...
occasionally to travel very walkable distances.

In the third quarter of 2009, the time period covered by today's
records release, 99 House members spent office allowances on autos. The
majority of the group (63 lawmakers) were Democrats, and all
congressional cars were subject to fuel-efficiency limits shepherded into law by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO).

The list of leasers runs the gamut from progressive transportation policymakers -- Rep. Pete DeFazio (D-OR) Rep. Diana DeGette
(D-CO) paid $765.57 per month for a Toyota -- to stalwart auto industry
backers such as Michigan Reps. Candice Miller (R) and Dave Camp (R).

Several New York City area lawmakers maintain auto leases, including
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D), who appears to have held onto the $998 monthly
Lexus that the Daily News found him sporting in March, and Rep. Anthony Weiner (D), whose $219 monthly lease fell on the lower end of the spectrum.

(ed. note. This post was corrected to
report an erroneous attribution of DeGette's office auto lease to
DeFazio, who does not lease a car. An earlier version of this post also erroneously reported that Representative John Olver leases a car with taxpayer funds. Olver does not lease a car with taxpayer funds. Streetsblog Capitol Hill regrets the
errors.)

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday’s Headlines Are Tired Out

Whether it's from degradation or the dust resulting from wear and tear, it's becoming increasingly clear that tire and brake emissions are harmful, perhaps even exceeding tailpipe emissions.

September 22, 2023

Study: What Road Diets Mean For Older Drivers

"After a road diet, all motorists seem to drive at a rate that feels comfortable to a mildly-impaired older adult."

September 22, 2023

Op-Ed: Why Is Fare Evasion Punished More Severely than Speeding?

A.B. 819 offers California the opportunity to decriminalize fare evasion and replace punitive measures with more equitable approaches.

September 21, 2023

Talking Headways Podcast: Local Culture and Development

We chat with Tim Sprague from Phoenix about supporting local culture through development projects and the importance of sustainable development and transportation.

September 21, 2023

City of Yes Yes Yes! Adams Calls for Elimination of Parking Mandates on ALL New Housing

Mayor Adams today announced the historic end to one of the city’s most antiquated — and despised — zoning laws requiring the construction of parking with every new development.

September 21, 2023
See all posts