February 16, 2011

CARSON STATEMENT ON FUNDING CUT FOR SECOND ENGINE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman André Carson released the following statement on today's vote in the House to halt funding for the Joint Strike Fighter's alternate engine program. The engine, developed by Rolls Royce and their partner General Electric, is produced at the Rolls Royce plant in Indianapolis.

"I am disappointed by today's vote to remove funding for the second engine and concerned for the hundreds of hard-working Hoosiers at the Indianapolis Rolls-Royce plant who may lose their jobs as a result of this funding cut.

"Today's vote will award a $100 billion contract to a single company and remove competition that would have saved taxpayers more than $20 billion over the life of the program. Innovation and competition are vital when it comes to our nation's defense and that's why I've been a strong supporter of the F136 engine program.

"Ninety-five percent of the American fighter force will be replaced by the Joint Strike Fighter which makes it unwise to only have one engine. Any malfunction or delay could ground the whole fleet and essentially our entire air combat capability.

"Despite today's vote, I will continue to work with my colleagues in both the House and Senate to see that funding for this critical program is added at a later stage."

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