Providing for Consideration of H.R. 5136, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the $485 million earmark included in the Defense Authorization Bill for an extra engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. This extra engine is a prime example of government waste: $3 billion already spent. This would require a further investment of $2.9 billion, according to the Pentagon. Secretary of Defense Gates put it aptly: We have reached a critical point in this debate where spending more money on a second engine for the JSF, the Joint Strike Fighter, is unnecessary, wasteful. It simply diverts precious modernization funds from other more-pressing priorities.

Only two U.S. aircraft models, the F-16C and D, use multiple engine types. We have 114 U.S. aircraft models that use a single-source engine, the type the Pentagon would like to use with the F-35, yet we are making an exception for the F-35. Why? This isn't competition. Competition doesn't mean you buy two of everything.

Both the Bush and the Obama administrations have opposed this wasteful spending. Secretary Gates is strongly recommending a veto of the Defense Authorization bill if it contains funding for the extra engine.

I urge my colleagues to support an amendment to strip this wasteful spending from the bill. The Marines don't want it. The Air Force doesn't want it. The Navy doesn't want it. Why are we moving ahead with it?

If you are opposed to wasteful spending--as so many of my colleagues stand up on this floor and talk about--then this is your chance to prove it. Strip this $485 million earmark out of the Defense Authorization Bill.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source