Story highlights The private jets could cost up to $60,000, Politico reported

Price has been a strong critic of government spending

Washington (CNN) Democrats say they are planning to look into a report about Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price taking five work-related trips on private jets last week, costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars more than had he flown commercial.

Price -- who has vowed to cut wasteful spending in his agency -- traveled to a resort in Maine where he was part of a discussion with a health care industry CEO, as well as community health centers in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

The flights were first reported by Politico . Charmaine Yoest, the assistant secretary for public affairs, confirmed to CNN that the money for the trips came out of the HHS's budget.

Price has traveled on taxpayer-funded charter flights at least 24 times since May, Politico also reported Thursday , citing people familiar with his travel plans and a review of HHS documents.

"I would remind Secretary Price that taxpayer funds are not meant to be used as a jet-setting slush fund," Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., the top Democrat on the House energy and commerce panel, said in a statement Wednesday. "There is no reason to be regularly chartering private flights at the taxpayers' expense between commercially serviced routes such Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia."

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