White House threatens veto over F-22 jet fighters
WASHINGTON — Preparing for a possible showdown with Congress, the White House on Wednesday threatened to veto legislation authorizing a $680 billion military budget if it contains money for jet fighters the Pentagon doesn’t want.
In a statement, the White House Office of Management and Budget said the $369 million that a House committee added to the bill as a downpayment for 12 additional F-22 fighters runs counter to the “collective judgment” of the military’s top leaders.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates wants to end production of the radar-evading F-22 after 187 aircraft have been built. Last week, in a preview of the White House’s veto threat, Gates called the funding boost a “big problem.”
Gates has pointed to the F-22, which has not been used in Iraq and Afghanistan, as an example of a Cold War-era weapon that doesn’t fit well into 21st century warfare against terrorist groups and other elusive threats.
But the F-22, built by Lockheed Martin Corp., has broad support on Capitol Hill. The primary manufacturing plant is in Georgia, but key parts of the plane are also made in Texas and California. Lawmakers have pointed to the instability around the world as a reason for keeping the jet program alive. Continued production also means jobs in areas hit hard by a weak economy.
The F-22 is a twin-engine jet the Air Force would use for air-to-air combat missions. Service officials say the aircraft can dominate wide swaths of airspace, a critical capability in areas that ground forces can’t quickly get to. Each aircraft costs about $140 million.
The White House statement came as the House was scheduled to begin debating the 2010 defense authorization bill approved by its Armed Services Committee. The legislation includes $130 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and a 3.4 percent pay raise for service members.
Another provision in the House bill the White House strongly objects to adds $603 million for a back-up engine intended for another fighter jet in development called the F-35. The committee says the alternative engine is needed in the event the primary propulsion system has problems that might ground the aircraft.
But the White House says the extra engine isn’t needed and will slow the fielding of the F-35, a single-engine aircraft to be used by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.
The House legislation, which sets the Pentagon’s budget for the 2010 fiscal year starting Oct. 1, also provides $9.3 billion to protect the U.S. and its armed forces overseas from ballistic missile attack.
Republicans are pushing to increase the missile defense money by $1.2 billion. The Obama administration and congressional Democrats have shortchanged the account at a time when North Korea poses a serious threat, the GOP argues.
The 2010 defense authorization bill would prohibit the Obama administration from moving terrorist suspects being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the U.S. until 120 days after it delivers to Congress a plan outlining the risks of doing so.
On the Net:
House Armed Services Committee: armedservices.house.gov/
Related News
Senate rebuffs Obama, McCain in bipartisan embrace of additional C-17 cargo jetsSeptember 30th, 2009 Senate rebuffs Obama, McCain in backing cargo jetsWASHINGTON — In a rebuff to both President Barack Obama and his former presidential opponent, Republican Sen. John McCain, the Senate on Wednesday rejected an effort to kill $2.5 billion for 10 new C-17 cargo jets and devote the money to military readiness accounts.
Save for the F-22, Democratic House funds Pentagon programs slated for terminationJuly 30th, 2009 House funds Pentagon programs set for terminationPresident Barack Obama recommended killing several high profile Pentagon programs in his 2010 budget. Here's how he fared in a defense funding bill passed by the House on Thursday:
F-22 fighter jet — After receiving $2.9 billion this year, the F-22 fighter jet was slated for elimination by Obama.
White House issues veto threats as House fights loom on fighter jets, presidential helicoptersJuly 28th, 2009 White House issues veto threats; House fights loomWASHINGTON — The White House threatened Tuesday to veto a $636 billion spending bill for the Pentagon, citing funding for F-22 fighters and a much-criticized replacement presidential helicopter. President Barack Obama wants to terminate both programs.
Jet showdown: Pentagon chief says veto threat is real in squabble with Congress over fundingJuly 17th, 2009 Pentagon, Congress square off over money for jetsWASHINGTON — The Pentagon and Congress all but dared each other Thursday to a showdown over funding for fighter jets in a multimillion-dollar squabble that each side said they were fighting in the interests of U.S. security. The Democratic chairman of a key House Appropriations panel said he's confident that plans to add $369 million to the Pentagon's budget for a dozen more F-22 jets will survive a White House veto threat.
Murtha says White House veto threat on F-22 fighter jet funding won't derail spending billJuly 16th, 2009 Dems at odds with White House on F-22 fundingWASHINGTON — Despite adding money for two programs that the White House has said will result in a veto of the defense spending bill, a key House Democrat said Thursday he's confident the legislation will avoid that fate. "We'll work it out," John Murtha, head of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, told reporters following a markup of the bill.
Vote postponed on Senate bid to remove $1.75 billion in funding for Lockheed F-22 fighter jetsJuly 16th, 2009 Vote postponed on bid to remove F-22 jet fundingWASHINGTON — A bid to cut $1.75 billion recently added to the defense spending bill for more Lockheed Martin fighter jets has stalled in the Senate despite repeated veto threats by the White House. Bowing to pressure from Majority Leader Harry Reid, Sen.
Key Senate vote postponed to eliminate $1.75 billion in funding for Lockheed F-22 fighter jetsJuly 15th, 2009 Levin says vote postponed on F-22 jet fundingWASHINGTON — A key Senate vote that would eliminate $1.75 billion added to the defense spending bill for more fighter jets from Lockheed Martin has been postponed again. Sen. Carl Levin on Wednesday withdrew the F-22 amendment so the Senate can first address a controversial hate crimes bill.
McCain works to remove $1.75 billion from spending bill for Lockheed Martin F-22 fighter jetsJuly 13th, 2009 McCain looks to cut funding for more F-22 jetsWASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain, in an unusual alliance with the Obama administration, moved Monday to eliminate $1.75 billion recently inserted into the proposed 2010 defense budget for more fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.
White House threatens to veto bill expanding congressional notification of covert activitiesJuly 8th, 2009 White House threatens to veto intelligence billWASHINGTON — The White House is threatening to veto a bill that would require the president to dramatically increase the number of lawmakers who must be notified about covert CIA activities. The annual intelligence authorization bill the House will consider Thursday contains a provision that would require the president to inform more than 40 members of Congress — rather than eight members currently — about secret actions taken overseas to influence events in other countries.
White House threatens to veto defense bill if more money for advanced jet fighters is includedJune 26th, 2009 Lawmakers vote to continue production of F-22 jetsWASHINGTON — Congressional supporters of an advanced jet fighter won battles Thursday to build more of the aircraft. But with the Obama administration threatening to veto the move, they're a long way from winning the war.
Senate panel adds $1.75 billion to Pentagon budget for 7 of Lockheed's F-22 fighter jetsJune 25th, 2009 Senators add $1.75B to DOD budget for F-22'sWASHINGTON — Senators on Thursday added $1.75 billion to a Pentagon budget proposal for seven more of Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-22 fighter jets, setting the stage for a battle with the Obama administration. The Senate Armed Services Committee added the funds in its version of the fiscal 2010 defense spending bill.
Key Democrat blasts conservatives for adding money for 12 Lockheed F-22's amid deficit worriesJune 24th, 2009 Key Democrat works to eliminate extra F-22 fundingWASHINGTON — A key House Democrat on Tuesday criticized so-called fiscal conservatives for approving millions of dollars for an outdated weapon system, while complaining about ballooning deficits. "I am of course struck that so many of my colleagues who are so worried about the deficit apparently think the Pentagon is funded with Monopoly money that somehow doesn't count," Rep.
Obama administration objects to $369 million in legislation for more F-22 radar-evading jetsJune 24th, 2009 White House threatens defense spending bill vetoWASHINGTON — Preparing for a possible showdown with Congress, the White House has threatened to veto a $680 billion military spending bill if it contains money for jet fighters the Pentagon doesn't want. In a statement of administration policy, President Barack Obama's Office of Management and Budget said the $369 million a House committee added to the bill for 12 additional F-22 fighters runs counter to the "collective judgment" of the military's top leaders.
House committee adds $369 million for Lockheed's embattled F-22 fighter jetJune 17th, 2009 House committee adds $369M for Lockheed's F-22 jetWASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-22 program got an unexpected lift Wednesday after House lawmakers approved $369 million to continue production of the radar-evading fighter jets. The surprise amendment, likely to reopen a debate over the necessity of the Cold War planes that cost $140 million each, was approved by the House Armed Services Committee.
White House spokesman brushes off questions about jet's photo-op over NYCApril 27th, 2009 White House: No info on Air Force 1 photo-opWASHINGTON — The White House says it doesn't have any information about the Boeing 747's flying photo op over lower Manhattan that sent Manhattan into a panic. The plane is a version of the 747 that's called Air Force One when the president is aboard.
Loading ...