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Jul
22
11:10AM | July 22, 2009 | comments: 0
Lockheed Martin workers left wondering after Senate vote
F-22 worker Dave Power saw the news all over workers' faces on Tuesday afternoon.
The Senate had voted to cut financing for seven additional F-22 warplanes from the defense spending bill Tuesday. The move left man workers wondering what the Senate's decision could mean for their own jobs.
"I don't have a crystal ball or something to tell them exactly what's going to happen," F-22 worker Dave Power said. "It certainly does take the hope away that they will have a job later on the future to rely on."
Critics of the F-22 project said the warplanes was unnecessary and overpriced.
President Barack Obama had vowed to veto any defense spending bill with financing for the F-22 planes.
"At a time when we're fighting two wars and facing a serious deficit, this would have been an inexcusable waste of money," he said. "Our budget is a zero sum game, and if more money goes to F-22s, it's our troops and our citizens who lose."
Several Texas politicians spoke up Tuesday offering support of the F-22 project.
"Terminating the production of these world-class fighters would be a profound mistake for several reason, but thankfully today's vote is not the final word on that issue," Sen. John Cornyn said.
Cornyn said he would continue to fight for additional funding of the F-22 project.
Union members fear that the Senate's decision could be spawn layoffs in the next six months, and the effect would spread throughout the Fort Worth community.
"Ending this program -- the F-22 -- will not only are we going to take away the best fighter there is out there, but we are also going to take away a lot of jobs," he said. "Not just from the people overhear at Lockheed but from this whole community as well."
The Senate had voted to cut financing for seven additional F-22 warplanes from the defense spending bill Tuesday. The move left man workers wondering what the Senate's decision could mean for their own jobs.
"I don't have a crystal ball or something to tell them exactly what's going to happen," F-22 worker Dave Power said. "It certainly does take the hope away that they will have a job later on the future to rely on."
Critics of the F-22 project said the warplanes was unnecessary and overpriced.
President Barack Obama had vowed to veto any defense spending bill with financing for the F-22 planes.
"At a time when we're fighting two wars and facing a serious deficit, this would have been an inexcusable waste of money," he said. "Our budget is a zero sum game, and if more money goes to F-22s, it's our troops and our citizens who lose."
Several Texas politicians spoke up Tuesday offering support of the F-22 project.
"Terminating the production of these world-class fighters would be a profound mistake for several reason, but thankfully today's vote is not the final word on that issue," Sen. John Cornyn said.
Cornyn said he would continue to fight for additional funding of the F-22 project.
Union members fear that the Senate's decision could be spawn layoffs in the next six months, and the effect would spread throughout the Fort Worth community.
"Ending this program -- the F-22 -- will not only are we going to take away the best fighter there is out there, but we are also going to take away a lot of jobs," he said. "Not just from the people overhear at Lockheed but from this whole community as well."
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