House Cuts F-35 Engine From Spending Bill

Feb. 16, 2011 -- Congress voted to strip federal funding for a jet engine the President doesn't want and the Pentagon says it doesn't need. The second engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has long been viewed by good-government groups as the prime example of government spending and pork barrel politics run amok.

But members of the House of Representatives voted to strip funding for the spare engine Wednesday despite high-profile support from House Speaker John Boehner and other leading Congressmen.

Lawmakers are considering a stopgap bill to fund the government through the end of the year. Republicans, newly in control of the House, have laid out a slate of painful spending cuts to appease new members who align themselves with Tea Party and helped Republicans take majority control of the House in November.

The vote to strip funding was bipartisan. Republicans and Democrats voted 233-198 to amend the GOP's spending package and cut the F-35 extra-engine program. A hundred and ten House Republicans -- the majority of whom were Tea Party-affiliated freshmen -- joined 123 Democrats in defeating the bill.

A vote on final passage of the spending bill is expected Thursday evening in the House. The Senate must also approve the spending measure before funding runs out March 4. And the future of the full funding bill is far from certain. President Obama has threatened to veto the spending bill because it cuts other programs he's called important. But the vote by the House demonstrates an important step against the powerful defense lobby.

Funding for the spare F-35 engine has drawn heavy criticism from some lawmakers in Congress and the Defense Department, but enjoyed the support of the House GOP leadership. Plants that produce local jobs are located in or near the districts of the two top Republicans in the House.