Dear Representative:

This week the House Armed Services Committee will meet at the subcommittee level to mark up the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015. Next Wednesday, May 7th, the full committee will take up the legislation and shortly after that it will be on the House floor for consideration.

At Taxpayers for Common Sense, we have analyzed the budget history of the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35 program. On track to be the most expensive weapon system in history, at close to $400 billion, we believe the program warrants a second look. Just in FY15 the Pentagon is asking for more than $8 billion for this single aircraft system. That is seven percent of the total Pentagon weapons procurement request. To put it in context, the entire Army Reserve (personnel, O&M, military construction and procurement excluding the National Guard and Reserve Equipment account) costs $8 billion. So, ask yourself, which is a better use of that much of the taxpayers’ money?

Our report is “The Unaffordable F-35: Budget History and Alternatives” and it can be found at our website: www.taxpayer.netHere is a link directly to the full report.  And here is a link to the Executive Summary.

Please contact us directly if you have any questions or would like more information.

Very Best Regards,
Wendy J. Jordan
Senior Policy Analyst
Taxpayers for Common Sense
wendy@taxpayer.net