Texas Insider

10:05 am CST - June 25, 2009

White House Threatens Veto if Military Budget has Money for More F-22s

By Richard Lardner

Preparing for a possible showdown with Congress, the White House on Wednesday threatened to veto legislation authorizing a $680 billion military budget if it contains money for more F-22 jet fighters than the Pentagon says it wants.

The White House Office of Management and Budget said the $369 million that a House committee added to the bill as a down payment for 12 additional F-22 R aptor s runs counter to the “collective judgment” of the military’s top leaders.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates wants to end production of Lockheed Martin’s radar-evading F-22 after 187 aircraft have been built. Last week, in a preview of the White House’s veto threat, Gates called the funding boost a “big problem.”

Gates has pointed to the F-22, which has not been used in Iraq and Afghanistan, as an example of a Cold War-era weapon that doesn’t fit well into 21st-century warfare against terrorist groups and other elusive threats.

But the F-22 has broad support on Capitol Hill. About 1,800 employees at Lockheed’s west Fort Worth plant work on the F-22, building its midfuselage. Other key parts are made in California, and final assembly is in Marietta, Ga.

The House Armed Services Committee narrowly approved the funding June 17. Republicans largely backed the measure introduced by Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, and were joined by a handful of Democrats in a 31-30 vote.

The extra funding was adopted as part of the 2010 Defense Department spending bill markup. The bill still needs to make its way through the full House and Senate.

Read more HERE

*This story is from www.Star-Telegram.com

8 Comments

Winston
12:19 pm CST
June 25, 2009

Why not just detonate our own nukes and put us out of our misery right now. This suicide Obama’s putting this country through is going too slow for me. Our country is being de-balled on a daily basis while our enemies increase their military spending. What’s next? Is Obama going to replace our soldiers weapons with pellet guns and white flags?

I don’t trust Gates. I think he went the way of Arlen Specter after drinking Obama’s cool-aid.

Winston
Houston, Texas

CWJensen
1:53 pm CST
June 25, 2009

REMIND ANYONE OF BILL CLINTON GUTTING OUR MILITARY……………………NEXT THING WE KNOW HE WILL BE GIVING THE TECHHNOLOGY TO IRAN AND NORTH KOREA.

Anna Sentari
2:04 pm CST
June 25, 2009

If you read the article, he is going to veto if the bill has MORE planes than they have asked for – not less. I have to say this one I’m siding with him on. Why are they overstuffing the contractor-coffers with stuff they have not requested. That is basic stupidity.

SJK
4:49 pm CST
June 25, 2009

I do believe this is the most Anti-American President and administration we have ever had! We need to be militarily strong! In my opinion, you can never have enough military power to defend your country! It’s insanity and madness——should I say treachery—–harsh word, but that is what seems to be going on in D.C.

Mike
9:45 pm CST
June 25, 2009

CW, even if Bill Clinton may have “gutted” our military, I didn’t see Shrub…I mean Bush Jr. beef it back up. BRAC started under the first Bush.
SJK, we can’t defend our country militarily if the troops are deployed half a world away

John V. Ahern
9:58 pm CST
June 25, 2009

Gates has said that the Pentagon only wants the 187 F-22s already build because that’s what it takes to keep his job in the Obama administration, not because that’s what we really need. The F-22 does cost much more that an F-35, but it is a far superior airplane. Our side should have the very best of everything.

I guess it’s time to VETO Obama…and Gates.

Carol Leonard
8:26 am CST
June 25, 2009

I dont’ care what it costs to defend our country. We need the best and the most.

Korea just said yesterday that they intend to wipe American off the face of the earth. Now go ahead and reduce our nuckes, put some BB’s in our guns and give the boys a 2-seater Cessna – that’ll show them….oh, I forget let’s sit down first with no pre-conditions and talk it out. I’m sure they wll be nice to us.

Sharon
10:06 am CST
June 25, 2009

Obama should be impeached and Gates, obviously wants to keep his job! He has converted from a strong warrior fo defense to one of Obama’s sheep who follow him and do his every wish! It’s an outrage!