Congressional leaders to restore F-22 funding

Congressional leaders have told appropriators to restore money the House had slashed for building the Air Force's F-22 stealth fighters, the Associated Press reported.

Aides said they expected that a compromise House-Senate measure financing the Pentagon next year would contain much, if not all, of the money.

The overall fiscal 2000 Defense appropriations bill could be ready for final approval by the end of this week.

The House deleted the $1.8 billion for the program after House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., argued that the aircraft is too expensive.

But the Senate provided the $1.8 billion, which is also supported by the Clinton administration. In a letter to House leaders dated last Wednesday, OMB Director Lew wrote that the F-22 "is optimized to perform a crucial role-achieving air superiority early in any future conflict."