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Written by Lisa Neff, Staff writer
Jun 30, 2010
The controversial fighter jet that has the Obama administration and some members of Congress fighting. – Photo: Courtesy Department of Defense
Defense Secretary Robert Gates confirmed in late June that this year’s congressional drive to repeal the military’s gay ban might end with a veto from the White House, but not a veto over “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
The controversy is over funding for a fighter jet engine program that the president wants to eliminate and some in Congress support.
The House earlier this year approved the defense authorization act, which includes funding for military programs but also an amendment to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the Clinton-era policy that prohibits gays from serving openly in the Armed Forces.
A Senate committee has signed off on a spending bill that also would provide for a repeal. A full vote in the Senate is ahead, which would then trigger a House-Senate review to craft compromise legislation.
Gates last week testified that if the final bill contains what President Barack Obama considers wasteful spending, he will veto the measure despite his desire to repeal DADT.
Gates too said he would lobby for a veto if he finds wasteful spending.
“Let me be very clear, I will continue to strongly recommend that the president veto any legislation that sustains the continuations of the C-17 or the F-35 extra engines,” Gates told a Senate defense appropriations subcommittee.
Gates said Obama would not sign legislation that contains spending he opposes because it “includes provisions important to him and this administration.”
The president himself vowed to veto any legislation that included funding for a second engine program for the multinational F-35 fighter or more Boeing Co C-17 cargo planes.
“Our military does not want or need these programs being pushed by the Congress, and should Congress ignore this fact, I will veto any such legislation so that it can be returned to me without those provisions,” Obama said in late May.
