The House Rules Committee will meet today at 3:00 to consider amendments to the National Defense Appropriations Act for 2010, including two amendments proposed by Defense Appropriations Chairman John Murtha (D-PA) to strike funding for the F-22:
Murtha (PA) #601 - Would redirect funds otherwise available for advance procurement of additional F-22 aircraft, and provide for spare and repair parts including engines for the F-22 and C-17, aircraft defensive systems, and aircraft weapon systems.
Murtha (PA) #602 - Would (1) redirect funds otherwise available for advance procurement of additional F-22 aircraft, and provide for spare and repair parts including engines for the F-22 and C-17, aircraft defensive systems, and aircraft weapon systems; (2) include a technical revision in the Defense Health Program and shift $26,000,000 from operation and maintenance funding to research, development, test and evaluation; and (3) prohibit further outsourcing of utility functions at the US Military Academy at West Point.
It appears that continued procurement of the F-22 may be a more partisan issue on the House side than it was in the Senate: Defense Appropriations Ranking Member C.W. Bill Young's (R-FL) amendment asks for the money for the F-22 to stay in. POGO hopes that the Rules Committee supports the decision of two secretaries of Defense, two Presidents, three chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the current secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force--and most recently the Senate in a 58-40 decision--to stop buying F-22s.
-- Mandy Smithberger
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