READ: Presidential Veto Threat Over F-35 in Defense Authorization Act

The House of Representatives passed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal as an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act. As reported on Friday, lawmakers defied the threat of a presidential veto by voting to fund a second engine for the controversial F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Over the weekend, the White House Press Office emailed the formal veto threat.

"As the Congress continues its work on funding bills for the Department of Defense, I want to reiterate my strong support for the reforms Secretary Gates is advancing at the Pentagon. He has kept me fully apprised of his efforts to reform how our military operates and bring needed efficiencies to the Department of Defense. I stand squarely behind Secretary Gates' position on the JSF second engine and C-17 programs. As the Statement of Administration Policy made clear, our military does not want or need these programs being pushed by the Congress, and should Congress ignore this fact, I will veto any such legislation so that it can be returned to me without those provisions."

The Office of Management and Budget first issued the veto threat on Thursday over the F-35, reports The Hill.

Last summer you will recall the Matthew Shepard Act was attached to the NDAA and a similar showdown over the F-22. That  funding was eventually stripped from the NDAA.

Comments

[Ravenback]

As Winston Churchill once said, "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried."

Congress is always trying to sneak pet projects into authorization bills and other pieces of legislation. Hopefully, the F35 funding will be removed. I hate all the games that this country has to play in order to get things done.