But the Soviet Union no longer exists. This program at this point in time is at least several billion dollars beyond what anybody could have anticipated it to be. So clearly that would suggest it's time to review. California Republican Jerry Lewis heads the House subcommittee that oversees defense spending. Throughout his career Lewis has been a steadfast advocate for a strong military, but he's concerned the F-22 may have become too expensive to build.
Appropriated dollars are taxpayer dollars.
We have to make sure they are being used in a sensible way and not automatically reflecting the wish list of one of our forces. Despite mounting criticism on Capitol Hill, the Air Force was confident funding for the F-22's production line was secure for years to come. But the House, following Lewis' recommendation, eliminated production funding for the F-22, setting up a showdown this week between negotiators from both chambers. That plan included arming the contractors with persuasive arguments and unleashing them on members of Congress. One of those arguments was the simple reminder that work on the F-22 takes place in 46 states, supplying jobs for 21,000 workers.