Washington, DC - U.S. Reps. Maurice Hinchey (NY-22) and Michael A. Arcuri (NY-24) were successful today in stopping an amendment from being offered to the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill (Defense Bill) aimed at cutting $200 million for Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego to continue development of a new presidential helicopter fleet. The Defense Bill includes $485.2 million secured by Hinchey, as a member of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, to continue the research, development and testing of Increment 1 of the program.  Arcuri, a member of the House Rules Committee, which is responsible for determining what amendments are allowed for debate on legislation, worked with Hinchey to lead the opposition and protect funding for the program. 

"Blocking this proposed amendment was a critical success that now clears the way for a clean vote in the House tomorrow on the defense spending bill that includes $485.2 million for Lockheed Martin's presidential helicopter program," Hinchey said. "I am grateful for Congressman Arcuri's work on the Rules Committee and the role he played in helping to defeat this amendment.  We are just one day away from hopefully securing the full House of Representative's approval of funding to continue this much-needed presidential helicopter program."

“I applaud Congressman Hinchey for his efforts to keep the new presidential helicopter program going and protect local jobs,” Arcuri said. “As a member of the Rules Committee, I could not stand by and allow this vital program to be jeopardized.  Lockheed Martin and its employees are a valuable part of the Southern Tier economy, and I will continue to fight along side Congressman Hinchey on their behalf.”

The amendment blocked by Hinchey and Arcuri, which was offered by U.S. Reps. Randy Forbes (R-VA), Solomon Ortiz (D-TX), Glenn Nye (D-VA) and Susan Davis (D-CA), aimed to cut $200 million from the presidential helicopter program and transfer those funds to the Navy for “Ship Depot Maintenance.” The $485.2 million included in the Defense Bill will be used to continue the research, development, and testing of Lockheed Martin’s Increment 1 helicopter, VH-71A.  Upon learning of the proposed amendment, Hinchey and Arcuri reached out to House Rules Chairwoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY) to gain her support in their effort to defeat the amendment. 

Hinchey and Arcuri have spent the last several months aggressively working to refute false claims about the cost of the presidential helicopter.  Some have called for the current Lockheed Martin program to be scratched because of budget concerns and for a new program to be bid, which Hinchey and Arcuri have repeatedly noted would be far more costly than continuing the project that is already well underway.  According to the Congressional Research Service, internal Navy documents estimate that a new presidential helicopter program would cost $14-21 billion when factoring in the $4 billion that would have been wasted on the canceled VH-71 program. 

The House of Representatives is expected to debate and pass the FY 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill this week. The Senate is expected to consider its version of the legislation in the coming weeks.  Final approval of the funding would result in the restoration of most, if not all, of the recently announced job cuts associated with the development of the presidential helicopter.