Williams Warns of Planned Defense Cuts, Loss of Jobs in Region By Obama, Democrat-Led Congress

Press Release

Williams Warns of Planned Defense Cuts, Loss of Jobs in Region By Obama, Democrat-Led Congress

Obama says Boeing's V-22 is "poster child" of a weapons program he will consider canceling; Barney Frank advocates slashing defense budget by 25 percent.

Republican Congressional candidate Craig Williams warned of sharp cuts in defense spending and new weapons systems under a possible Barack Obama Administration with the support of a Democrat-controlled Congress. Williams said those cuts could mean the loss of thousands of defense industry jobs in the region, including union jobs at Boeing if the V-22 and other programs are cut.

Williams raised the alarm after comments by Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) -- the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee -- called for a 25 percent cut in military spending. In the same interview, Frank stated "we don't need all these fancy new weapons." (Source: Standard Times, 10/24/08).

On the campaign trail, Senator Barack Obama made similar comments, stating. "I will slow our development of future combat systems." Obama also said the "Osprey is a poster child" of a "big ticket weapon system" that he will review for possible cancellation. Obama made the statement to Caucus 4 Priorities a lobbying group and leading advocate of eliminating the V-22 program. The cancellation of the Osprey program falls under the organization's mission of "eliminating funding for unneeded Cold War-era weapons systems." Obama also offered praise to that group and its efforts to cut spending for defense programs. "Thanks so much to the Caucus4Priorities for the great work you've been doing." (Source: Investors Business Daily, 10/27/08; Caucus4Priorities website; Audio of Obama Statement).

Williams expressed alarm about Democrats' plans to slash defense spending, including cuts to weapons programs and the V-22. The defense industry dominates the region's manufacturing industry with major employers such as Boeing, Lockheed-Martin and Alloy Surfaces employing more than 10,000 employees in defense-related industries in the 7th District.

"The Democrats have the wrong approach for a number of reasons," said Williams. "First, the Democrats' planned cuts will compromise our national security and our ability to defend democracy and freedom throughout the world. Second, the Democrats' proposals will devastate the local industrial base, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs for working families in the Delaware Valley. By investing in defense, we are investing in our national security and our working men and women. Democrats want to cut tangible projects that result in manufacturing jobs to fund more handouts. That is bad public policy and it will hurt our economy."

"Congressman Sestak may talk a good game on these issues but in reality he has voted with Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership in Congress 97 percent of the time," said Williams. "Joe Sestak has shown no independence from the leadership of his party and given that record, I have no confidence that he will do so in the future. If elected, I will fight these proposed cuts tooth and nail."

Craig Williams is running for Congress in the 7th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, comprising most of Delaware County and parts of Montgomery and Chester Counties. Williams is a former federal prosecutor, Marine combat veteran, and former active duty Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He lives in Concord Township, Delaware County, with his wife Jennifer, daughter and two step-children. The 7th District is his home - where he lives, where his kids go to school, where he pays taxes, where he attends church, and where he intends to spend the rest of his life.

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