Dépêches

CAGW Declares Victory on Alternate Engine

Dépèche transmise le 25 avril 2011 par Business Wire

CAGW Declares Victory on Alternate Engine

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) expressed its gratitude on behalf of taxpayers over the Defense Department’s (DOD) decision to terminate its contract with the General Electric/Rolls Royce Fighter Engine Team for the production of the F136 alternate engine for the Joint Strike Fighter. CAGW has led the opposition to the engine since it was first disclosed as an earmark in 2004. On March 24, 2011 the DOD issued a stop-work order on the $1 million per day project, but the GE/Rolls Royce contract remained intact until it was ended today. Pulling the plug on the alternate engine will save taxpayers $3 billion.

“While this termination should be the final nail in the coffin for the alternate engine, members of Congress are already talking about restoring funding in the FY 2012 defense authorization and appropriations bills”

Despite being repeatedly designated as wasteful and unnecessary by both the Bush and Obama administrations and top military officials, the engine received $1.2 billion in earmarks from fiscal year (FY) 2004 through FY 2010. CAGW has often remarked that the only general that supported the program was General Electric, which partners with Rolls Royce on the engine.

On January 6, 2011, Defense Secretary Robert Gates put the misuse of resources into perspective, stating that “every dollar spent on excess overhead or unneeded programs – such as the extra engine for the JSF – is a dollar not available to support our troops and prepare for threats on the horizon.” On February 16, 2011, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen told the House Armed Services Committee, “I mean, I’ve been doing money a long time. I cannot make sense out of this second engine. It is two to three years behind. It’s not going to compete, quite frankly.” A month later, the House of Representatives voted 233-198 in favor of amendment to eliminate its funding in H.R. 1, the Full-Year Continuing Resolution (CR) for FY 2011. While that bill was rejected by the Senate, the final full-year CR that passed on April 14, 2011 did not include funding for the alternate engine.

“While this termination should be the final nail in the coffin for the alternate engine, members of Congress are already talking about restoring funding in the FY 2012 defense authorization and appropriations bills,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz. “The House and Senate have both voted to eliminate the program. For lawmakers to weasel more alternate engine funding into future legislation would be a slap in the face to both taxpayers and the DOD. Barring that unfortunate turn of events, it appears taxpayers can finally celebrate the demise of the alternate engine.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.