F136 Funding Adopted in House Markup

F136 Funding Adopted in House Markup: House

defense appropriators voted on Tuesday in favor of providing $450 million to keep the F136 engine program alive next fiscal year, striking another blow to the Pentagon's push to stop work on this engine. The F136, being built by General Electric and Rolls Royce, would compete against Pratt & Whitney's F135 to power future F-35 strike fighters, if it survives. Members of the House Appropriation Committee's defense panel approved the F136 funding by a vote of 11-5 during their mark-up of the Obama Administration's Fiscal 2011 defense spending bill, according to industry sources. CongressDaily reported that Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.), the panel's ranking member, introduced the F136 amendment. Panel chair Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) did not support the move, but was outvoted. In late May, the House passed its version of next year's defense authorization bill that included $485 million for the F136. (Dicks statement) (HAC-D earmark list and summary tables)

7/28/2010

On the Record

Mission One
"The health and safety of our pilots—all of our pilots—is our utmost priority. Our operational flight surgeons and our medical staff interact with our pilots on a daily basis."
—Brig. Gen. Daniel Wyman, Air Combat Command command surgeon, speaking to reporters during a teleconference, May 9, 2012. He was emphasizing that the Air Force is doing all it can to ensure the safety of F-22 pilots as service officials continue to home in on the cause of why some Raptor pilots have experienced hypoxia-like symptoms in the cockpit like difficulty concentrating, fatigue, headaches, and nausea.

On the Record

Message to Congress
"If you give us force structure back, give us the money, too. Because the quickest way I know to a hollow force is to give us structure without money. Simple as that. . . . 'Make it work' is not a satisfactory solution."
—Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz articulating his message to lawmakers on the Air Force's Fiscal 2013 budget proposal during a speech at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C., May 1, 2012. The Air Force leadership has proposed reducing force structure and personnel next fiscal year in order to maintain a ready and capable force as the service absorbs significant spending cuts.