F-22: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Here at FCNL we don't often find ourselves agreeing with the Pentagon. But when Secretary of Defense Robert Gates proposed ending production of the F-22 fighter jet, we took it as a small but important first step toward cutting wasteful military spending.

Now the hard work begins. The high-paid lobbyists for large, private military corporations have been working overtime to restore funding for their weapons systems. Last week, defense lobbyists scored a small victory when a key House Committee approved $369 million for twelve new F-22s in the military authorization bill. This vote, which occurred in the wee hours of the morning, rejected the Pentagon's efforts to close down production of this Cold War-era aircraft, which has never been used in combat.

The full House could vote as soon as tomorrow on the military authorization bill. We anticipate that your representative will have the opportunity to vote on an amendment to cut the funding for these new weapons. Urge your representative to support amendments that would remove funding for new F-22s from the military authorization bill: http://capwiz.com/fconl/callalert/index.tt?alertid=13604456.

Take Action

Call your representative now: http://capwiz.com/fconl/callalert/index.tt?alertid=13604456, and urge him or her to support amendments that would cut funding for new F-22 fighter jets in the military authorization bill. Find talking points and a direct number to call your representative on our website: http://capwiz.com/fconl/callalert/index.tt?alertid=13604456.

Background

Learn more and stay up to date on military budget issues at http://www.fcnl.org/budget/.

Read a New York Times editorial about why we don't need more F-22s: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/20/opinion/20sat2.html?_r=1&emc=eta1.

Contacting Legislators

Contact your members of Congress through FCNL's web site: http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/.

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Sen. ________
U.S. Senate

Washington, DC 20510

Rep. ________
U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515