Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, the second engine is all about fiscal responsibility and saving the taxpayers money. The Pentagon themselves funded this program for 10 years, and they funded it because they knew that competition mattered. One thing has already been said in this debate that simply isn't true: The first engine was not competitively bid. It was the engine that Lockheed had when they won the bid. There was no competition. They didn't win that. That is why the Pentagon originally created the second engine program, to make sure that over the 30- to 40-year lifecycle of a $100 billion program, they had options. A GAO study on the competitive engine program for the F-16 from the early 1980s showed savings of almost 20 percent over the lifetime of that program. Those of us who for years have supported this second engine program, have support it precisely because we want to save the taxpayers money. The simple argument is competition works, and being penny-wise and pound-foolish doesn't. We have already spent $3 billion. To save $2 billion on the front end, we risk a $100 billion program. Please oppose this amendment. Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee.”