Senate sides with Obama, removes F-22 money

WASHINGTON - The Senate has sided with the Obama administration in agreeing to cut off new spending for the Marietta-built F-22.

The 58-40 vote removes $1.75 billion set aside in a defense policy bill to build seven more F-22 Raptors, adding to the 187 stealth technology fighters already in the pipeline.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said that the Pentagon has enough of the $140 million jets to meet operational needs and President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the defense bill if Congress ignores the request that the program be terminated.

But for many lawmakers from not just Georgia, the F-22 means thousands of jobs for their state or district, and resistance to ending the program has been fierce.