Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter and Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee Chairman Curt Weldon praised Rep. Phil Gingrey’s efforts to preserve funding for the F/A-22 program Tuesday during the House Armed Services Committee’s mark-up the defense authorization bill.

“The Air Force and the contractor [Lockheed Martin] owe Mr. Gingrey a debt of gratitude,” Chairman Weldon (R-Pa.) said. “You’ve done a great job.

“Without his work, we would have cut two aircraft.”

Gingrey offered an amendment to the bill Tuesday that would have restored $161 million to the F/A-22 program. Gingrey withdrew the amendment after committee Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) voiced his opposition.

“The F/A-22 is the Air Force’s No. 1 priority. It’s a high priority of President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld,” Gingrey said. “If they say we need these planes, I believe them. I’m going to continue to work on behalf of this program because it represents the future of the Air Force and it will bolster U.S. air dominance.

“I greatly appreciate the leadership of Chairman Hunter and subcommittee Chairman Weldon to purchase the full 22 planes requested in the president’s 2004 budget.”

Lockheed Martin assembles the F/A-22 at its Marietta facility.

Gingrey is vice chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee.}