October 12, 2009
A Southern Tier Congressman is getting the word out about a proposal to replace Lockheed Martin's VH-71 presidential helicopter program.
He says the alternative will cost Americans billions of dollars.
Congressman Maurice Hinchey says the pentagon's replacement program is loaded with waste.
House and Senate defense leaders are meeting next week to decide whether or not to include the program in the final defense appropriations bill.
The House included it in its version of the defense appropriations bill - but the Senate did not.
Now, it's down to the wire.
Hinchey is concerned about a plan the Pentagon proposed that he says is way more expensive and would take a lot longer.
He's also worried the project might get nixed all together.
It's been a shaky ride for the VH-71 helicopter program.
Lockheed Martin in Owego has already cut hundreds of jobs in anticipation of losing the project.
Now it's time for house and senate leaders to hash out their differences and make a final decision.
Congressman Maurice Hinchey sits on the defense appropriations subcommittee.
He says he wants the project to continue as the house initially proposed.
“If it is rejected then the security of this and future administrations are going to be put into jeopardy and the costs are going to be accelerated dramatically,” said Democratic Congressman Maurice Hinchey.
The cost of increment one of the current VH-71 project is just short of $7 billion dollars.
Compared to that - Hinchey says the Pentagon's proposal is too pricey in this economy.
“It would cost the taxpayers of this country an additional several billion dollars, as much as $22 billion dollars and it would take an awful long time for that helicopter program to come into use,” Hinchey added.
Not until 2024: a long time compared to the current projects end-date of 2012.
The helicopter fleet the President is using now is more than 30 years old and Hinchey says is falling apart.
The joint committee meets next week to decide funding for the helicopter project.
