Providing for Consideration of H.R. 5136, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011
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Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly urge my colleagues to reject the amendment proposing the elimination of funds to the Joint Strike Fighter Alternative Engine program, a amendment being lobbied by Pratt Whitney to eliminate their competition.
The Joint Strike Fighter is the Department of Defense's largest procurement program. Plans currently call for acquiring nearly 2,500 Joint Strike Fighters. Hundreds of additional F-35s are expected to be purchased by U.S. allies. This is a major acquisition.
The gen tle lady from Maine is in error when she says that there was competition, because, in fact, in testimony just last week, both the Department of Defense and the GAO testified that this engine was never actually subject to competition.
The fact is, providing funds for competitive alternate engines will ultimately drive down costs, improve product quality and contractor responsiveness, drive technological innovation, and ensures that taxpayer dollars are not wasted.
History shows that competing engines can result in significant long-term savings. The ``Great Engine War'' saved the F-16 program 21 percent in overall costs, according to a 2007 GAO report. This represents $20 billion in savings for the lifetime of the Joint Strike Fighter.
Just last year, the House and Senate unanimously voted on the Weapons Systems Acquisition Act, mandating competition on large military procurement. This is a large military procurement. Now some want to circumvent this law with an amendment.
Fully funding the alternate engine is not only prudent risk management, but an acknowledgment of the fundamental responsibility that Congress has to protect and provide the most reliable equipment to our men and women in uniform.
This is the right thing to do. It will save money for us in the long run, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment that will be offered later today.
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