| February 2, 2004 |
I am pleased that President Bush’s proposed 2005 budget places importance on two areas of concern that I know are of vital concern to Americans: a strong defense to effectively fight the war on terrorism and a strong program to further our homeland protection. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I am pleased with the President’s continuing commitment to fiscal discipline. I believe we can balance this fiscal discipline with necessary defense spending.
The President’s budget is a blueprint. Congress now must roll up its sleeves and add the details that go into the building of every federal budget.
Fort Worth will continue to support our national defense needs by producing the best military aircraft in the world for the men and women in our military. The money in the President’s proposed budget supports three important military projects at Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopter Textron, and I will continue to fight for these programs and the jobs they bring. These projects are:
1. F/A 22 Raptor
2. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
3. V-22
$1.3 billion for purchase of 11 V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. $4.5 billion for continued development of the all-service fighter. $4.2 billion for the Air Force fighter program to purchase 24 new aircraft. More than 2,000 of Lockheed Martin’s workforce in Fort Worth manufacture the F/A 22 midsection fuselage.