Fight Over F35 Jet Engine Continues

Press Release

Maine jobs at stake if funding is continued

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today she plans to keep fighting to stop additional funding for a second jet engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

"The House recently authorized half a billion in wasteful spending for an unneeded and unnecessary alternate engine for the F-35," Pingree said. "Pratt & Whitney is building an engine for the F-35 that meets the needs of the program, and funding a second engine program is nothing more than a giveaway to a big defense contractor. The funding should be stopped and the money be used to reduce the deficit."

Pingree introduced legislation last month to end funding for the second jet engine. Although the House narrowly rejected the proposal, Pingree vowed to keep fighting.

"I'm going to urge Congressional leaders to reject this wasteful spending in the final version of the defense bill," she said.

This week the general manager of the Pratt & Whitney facility in North Berwick, which makes the current engine for the F-35, said they hope to hire over 200 workers in the next few years, but continued funding for a second engine program could jeopardize those plans.

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