Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Congress Relents, Slashes Unwanted Jet Order

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 11, 2009 7:16 AM CDT

(Newser) – House leaders are slashing their $550 million order for eight new executive jets for use by senior government officials, caving to pressure from fellow lawmakers and the Pentagon, Politico reports. John Murtha’s Defense Appropriations Subcommittee had more than doubled the Pentagon’s original request for $220 million to buy four new jets. Now, Murtha says he’ll nix that extra spending if the Pentagon agrees.

“If the Department of Defense does not want these aircraft, they will be eliminated from the bill,” Murtha said last night, though he pointed out that the planes would have only replaced aging members of the executive fleet, and would cost less to operate. Nancy Pelosi says she supports Murtha’s decision to slash the order, which became an embarrassment to the House after several senators jumped on it, including Armed Services honchos Jack Reed and John McCain.

A gulfstream jet is seen in this file photo. (Photo: Business Wire)

In this Feb. 6, 2007 file photo, a visitor walks past Gulfstream business jets at the Asia Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

In this April 23, 2008 file photo, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 departs Chicago's Midway Airport. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Panetta Plans to Shrink Size of Army, Marines

Defense chief outlines cuts for Pentagon

(AP) - The Pentagon outlined a plan today for slowing the growth of military spending, including cutting the size of the Army and Marine Corps, retiring older planes, and trimming war costs. It drew quick criticism from Republicans, signaling the difficulty of scaling back defense budgets in an election year. The changes Defense Secretary Leon Panetta described at a news conference are numerous but hardly dramatic. They aim to save money by delaying some big-ticket weapons like a next-generation nuclear-armed submarine, but the basic shape and structure of the military remains the same. More»

We Can Overhaul Our Military-Industrial Complex

Smaller budgets can lead to leaner procurement process: Arthur Herman

(NEWSER) - Arthur Herman hopes the move toward smaller defense budgets will end at long last the Pentagon's bloated, wasteful, and outdated method of buying weapons and equipment. The system dates back to the days of "vacuum tubes and hi-fi sets" and it's precisely why an F-18 costs $90 million instead of $18 million, writes the American Enterprise Institute scholar at the Wall Street Journal . More»

Obama Unveils 'Leaner,' 'Agile' Military

He wants to shift focus from ground troops to 'irregular warfare'

(NEWSER) - President Obama officially unveiled his plan for a slimmed-down military with a speech at the Pentagon today, promising that budget cuts and a reduction in conventional ground forces wouldn't harm the nation's security. "Our military will be leaner, but the world must know—the United States is going to maintain our military superiority with Armed Forces that are agile, flexible, and ready for the full range of contingencies," Obama said, according to NPR . More»

Obama Cutting Thousands of Ground Troops

Military no longer expected to be able to fight two wars at once

(NEWSER) - The US military is going to end up with a lot fewer boots on the ground as a results of cuts included in the debt ceiling deal. As part of the Obama administration's military overhaul , to be unveiled today, air and sea forces will be boosted, but Army and Marine Corps numbers will be cut by up to 15% over the next decade to a pre-9/11 level, Reuters reports. Officials say no final number has been set, but tens of thousands of troops will certainly go. More»

US Price Tag for Week 1 of Libya Mission: $600M

But money has all come from Pentagon's existing budget

(NEWSER) - Week one of the United States' intervention in Libya has cost us at least $600 million, according to new data from the Pentagon. That figure includes $268.8 million worth of Tomahawk cruise missiles, tens of thousands of dollars worth of precision guided bombs, and more than $60 million to replace the downed F-15E fighter jet . “Each sortie, even if it drops no munitions, is very pricey,” a member of one defense think tank tells ABC News . More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Congress Relents, Slashes Unwanted Jet Order

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Nancy Pelosi • Pentagon • House Appropriations Committee • John Murtha • planes • defense spending

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Panetta Plans to Shrink Size of Army, Marines

Defense chief outlines cuts for Pentagon

We Can Overhaul Our Military-Industrial Complex

Smaller budgets can lead to leaner procurement process: Arthur Herman

Obama Unveils 'Leaner,' 'Agile' Military

He wants to shift focus from ground troops to 'irregular warfare'

Obama Cutting Thousands of Ground Troops

Military no longer expected to be able to fight two wars at once

US Price Tag for Week 1 of Libya Mission: $600M

But money has all come from Pentagon's existing budget

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

Congress Relents, Slashes Unwanted Jet Order

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Nancy Pelosi • Pentagon • House Appropriations Committee • John Murtha • planes • defense spending

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Panetta Plans to Shrink Size of Army, Marines

Defense chief outlines cuts for Pentagon

We Can Overhaul Our Military-Industrial Complex

Smaller budgets can lead to leaner procurement process: Arthur Herman

Obama Unveils 'Leaner,' 'Agile' Military

He wants to shift focus from ground troops to 'irregular warfare'

Obama Cutting Thousands of Ground Troops

Military no longer expected to be able to fight two wars at once

US Price Tag for Week 1 of Libya Mission: $600M

But money has all come from Pentagon's existing budget

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?