Contractors donate more to Joint Strike Fighter Caucus members, reports says
A new report finds the House caucus for the much delayed Joint Strike Fighter program receives notably more contributions from the program's prime contractors.
House representatives on the Joint Strike Fighter Caucus received almost double the contributions from the prime contractors for the long-delayed program, reports Government Executive.
A new report by the Project on Government Oversight and the Center for Responsive Politics states JSF Caucus members received $326,400 during the first 2012 election cycle from political action committees and individuals who work for Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and Pratt & Whitney. Caucus members states' also received larger shares of JSF program dollars and jobs.
Co-chairs Kay Granger (R-Texas) and Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) announced Nov. 9 that 48 members had joined the caucus to provide members of Congress with program updates. Despite program delays and cost overruns, the caucus stance on the program's future is clear: "When countries such as Russia and China are testing their next-generation fighters, the Joint Strike Fighter program is an absolute necessity."