IL HR0073

Encourages Illinois congressional delegation members to vote against the $465 million appropriation for an alternate GE F136 engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program in the Defense Appropriations Bill.

Cites that the Department of Defense has already contracted the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine with extensive testing and development completed, making an alternate engine unnecessary.

States that developing the alternate engine would cost $2.9 billion over two to three years and require additional spending for duplicate parts, production lines, maintenance, and personnel.

Notes that multiple engine suppliers would reduce the number of Joint Strike Fighter planes produced and that no military aircraft in the past three decades has been procured with multiple engine suppliers.

References President Obama's stated intent to veto the Defense Authorization Bill if the alternate engine appropriation is included, supported by military officials and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.