Senate Passes Measure That Would End F-35 Backup Motor Program
The Senate, in passing the funding bill 93 to 7 yesterday, agreed with the Pentagons request to cancel the VH-71 helicopter program, which has more than doubled in cost, and open a new competition for the building of presidential helicopters.
The bill also would end funding for an alternate engine for the F-35, the militarys next-generation fighter plane and its most expensive program. Contractors for the engine are Fairfield, Connecticut-based General Electric Co. and Rolls- Royce Group Plc.
The Senate vote sets up potentially tense negotiations with the House, which included funds for the VH-71 program and the backup F-35 engine in the $636.3 billion defense appropriations budget it passed on July 30.
Congressional negotiators working on the separate bill that authorizes defense spending for the 2010 fiscal year have agreed that the backup engine should be funded, two congressional aides said yesterday. The actual money for such projects, though, is provided through spending bills such as the one approved in yesterdays Senate vote. The Senate spending bill now must be reconciled with the Houses version.
An area of agreement between the chambers in their respective spending bills is support for building more Boeing Co. C-17 transports than the 205 on contract. The Senate approved adding $2.5 billion to buy 10 more C-17s; the House added $674 million for three more of the transports.
McCain Thwarted
The Senate voted Sept. 30 to retain the C-17 money in its bill, rejecting on a tally of 64-34 an amendment by Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican, to spend the money instead on equipment maintenance. Another effort yesterday by McCain to cut spending for the C-17s was rebuffed.
Those pushing to end the funding for the presidential helicopter and the backup F-35 engine include Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has pressed to cancel or cut back on weapons systems plagued by cost overruns or scheduling delays.
White House officials have said President Barack Obama would veto any defense spending measure that includes money for the helicopter or the second engine to back up the power plant developed by United Technologies Corp.s Pratt & Whitney unit. While Obama opposes the money for the additional C-17s, he hasnt issued a veto threat over it.
The Senate bill totals $3.9 billion less than the administrations request and includes $128.2 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.