Senate Dems target Boehner's F-35 engine earmark

A defense contract important to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is among the $6.5 billion in spending cuts proposed by the White House and Senate Democrats.

All funding for an alternative F-35 engine, which is opposed by the Pentagon but favored by Boehner, would be killed under the measure drawn up Friday by the Senate Appropriations Committee. It would save $450 million.

The cut was also included in the spending bill approved by the House in January, which cut spending for the rest of the year by $61 billion. That cut was approved through an amendment offered by Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.).

The passage of the amendment was a defeat for Boehner, who days before expressed support for the second engine and said it would save the Pentagon money in the long run.

Pentagon officials — and two administrations — have for several years tried to end funding for the alternate engine, being built by Rolls-Royce and General Electric in Boehner’s district.

Military officials say it is too expensive and unnecessary because the engine being produced by Pratt & Whitney are sufficient.

The Democrats have dubbed funding for the engine “the Boehner earmark.”