Some Days, Defense Reform Is About the Rules

As I write this, the House Rules Committee is helping to determine the fate of real defense reform. Members of Congress submitted many amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, including amendments from Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA) and John Tierney (D-MA) that would remove the F-22 funding added into the bill at 2:30 a.m. Procurement of additional F-22s is not only something that Defense Secretary Gates has said that he doesn't want--calling the addition a big problem--it is also something that the all of the committee and subcommittee chairs of the House Armed Services Committee voted against. The case against the F-22 is unimpeachable and Congress needs to say goodbye.

-- Mandy Smithberger

UPDATE: The amendment to remove funding for advanced procurement of the F-22 did not make it through the Rules Committee.

UPDATE 2: OMB says that if the final defense authorization bill contains advanced procurement of the F-22, the President's advisers will recommend a veto.