House Rejects Plan to Kill Funding for Second Joint Strike Fighter Engine

The House of Representatives voted against eliminating the construction of a second engine for the Joint Strike Fighter.

Pratt and Whitney makes the original engine. But some lawmakers argued it was wasteful to fund a second, back-up engine.

Rolls-Royce and General Electric make the auxillary engine.

Pratt and Whitney launched a public campaign this week that implored lawmakers to strip funding for the second engine.

Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, authored the plan to eliminate the Rolls-Royce and GE program. But lawmakers rejected her amendment, 231 to 193.

Three lawmakers voted "present."

The vote now sets up a potential conflict with the White House. President Obama has threatened to veto a major bill to run Pentagon programs if Congress elected to fund the second engine. The House plans to approve that legislation Friday.