Defense bill breathes new life into canceled programs

[The Straight Story]

Defense bill breathes new life into canceled programs

House and Senate negotiators on the fiscal 2010 Defense Appropriations bill have rejected some of President Obama's biggest military spending cuts, agreeing to a $636.3 billion measure that continues an unwanted second engine program for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and buys 10 unrequested C-17 cargo planes, an appropriations aide said on Monday.

The bill also includes $130 million for the troubled VH-71 presidential helicopter program, most of which would pay to continue some work on the aircraft at Lockheed Martin Corp.'s facility in Owego, N.Y., despite the Obama administration's decision to cancel the contract.

The spending was added in defiance of a White House that sought to slash defense expenditures it deemed wasteful or unnecessary to pay for priorities within the Defense Department and elsewhere in government.


Appropriators reached an agreement on the Defense bill on Friday, with a week to spare before the continuing resolution expires on Friday. But Democrats said Monday that Congress would likely pass another short-term funding extension as negotiations continued over what other items to attach to the Defense bill.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said another CR is "a possibility, but not a long one." House Democratic leaders are considering a Saturday session to finish the package.

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1209/121509cdam1.htm?oref=todaysnews

[Skidmore]

1. Why am I not surprised by this one?

Let's preserve the right to kill and war endlessly because we don't have a collective vision about being creative or productive.

[The Straight Story]

2. In defense we get more than we asked for or wanted, with health care reform.... (nt)

[sinkingfeeling]

3. And any Rep. or Senator that spoke against HCR due to fears about the rising debt, should be made to

vote against this.

[Arctic Dave]

4. Fuck the military, I want my money back.

[Mari333]

5. plenty of money for war mongering

none for health care.