( CNN ) -- Some lawmakers lashed out at the CEOs of the Big Three auto companies Wednesday for flying private jets to Washington to request taxpayer bailout money . `` There is a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into Washington , D.C. , and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hand , saying that they 're going to be trimming down and streamlining their businesses , '' Rep. Gary Ackerman , D-New York , told the chief executive officers of Ford , Chrysler and General Motors at a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee . `` It 's almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in high hat and tuxedo . It kind of makes you a little bit suspicious . '' He added , `` could n't you all have downgraded to first class or jet-pooled or something to get here ? It would have at least sent a message that you do get it . '' The executives -- Alan Mulally of Ford , Robert Nardelli of Chrysler and Richard Wagoner of GM -- were seeking support for a $ 25 billion loan package . Later Wednesday , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reversed plans to hold a test vote on the measure . An aide told CNN that Reid decided to cancel the test vote when it became clear the measure would fall well short of the 60 votes needed . Reid did , however , make a procedural move that could allow a vote on a compromise , which several senators from auto-producing states were feverishly trying to craft . At Wednesday 's hearing , Rep. Brad Sherman , D-California , pressed the private-jet issue , asking the three CEOs to `` raise their hand if they flew here commercial . '' `` Let the record show , no hands went up , '' Sherman said . `` Second , I 'm going to ask you to raise your hand if you are planning to sell your jet in place now and fly back commercial . Let the record show , no hands went up . '' The executives did not specifically respond to those remarks . In their testimony , they said they are streamlining business operations in general . Watch Nardelli ask for help » . When contacted by CNN , the three auto companies defended the CEOs ' travel as standard procedure . Like many other major corporations , all three have policies requiring their CEOs to travel in private jets for safety reasons . `` Making a big to-do about this when issues vital to the jobs of millions of Americans are being discussed in Washington is diverting attention away from a critical debate that will determine the future health of the auto industry and the American economy , '' GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said in a statement . Chrysler spokeswoman Lori McTavish said in a statement , `` while always being mindful of company costs , all business travel requires the highest standard of safety for all employees . '' Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker pointed to the company 's travel policy and did not provide a statement elaborating . But those statements did little to mollify the critics . `` If it is simply the company 's money at stake , then only the shareholders can be upset or feel as it might be excessive , '' said Thomas Schatz , president of the watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste . But in this case , he said , `` it 's outrageous . '' `` They 're coming to Washington to beg the taxpayers to help them . It 's unseemly to be running around on a $ 20,000 flight versus a $ 500 round trip , '' Schatz added . iReport.com : Should the Big Three be bailed out ? The companies did not disclose how much the flights cost . Analysts contacted by CNN noted that the prices vary with the size of the plane and the crew , and whether the aircraft is leased or owned by the company . Analyst Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group said that $ 20,000 is a legitimate ballpark figure for a round trip corporate jet flight between Detroit , Michigan , and Washington . When asked whether they plan to change their travel policies as part of the restructuring needed to shore up their finances , none of the companies answered directly . But they said they have cut back on travel in general as revenues have fallen . CNN 's Emily Anderson , Virginia Nicolaidis and Dana Bash contributed to this report .
NEW : Sen. Reid cancels Thursday 's planned test vote on bailout measure . Lawmaker : Flying jet to hearing like going to `` soup kitchen in high hat and tuxedo '' Rep. Brad Sherman asked CEOs whether they would fly back commercial . Score: 6