	Introduction

The VH-71 program is intended to provide 23 new presidential helicopters to replace the current fleet of 19 aging presidential helicopters. As part of its proposed FY2010 Department of Defense (DOD) budget, the Administration proposed terminating the VH-71 program in response to substantial cost growth and schedule delays in the program. As a successor to the VH-71 program, the Administration proposed beginning a new presidential helicopter program in FY2010 called the VXX Presidential Helicopter Program. The issue for Congress is whether to approve the Administration's proposal to terminate the VH-71 program and initiate a successor VXX program, or pursue another course, such as continuing the VH-71 program in some restructured form. Congress's decision on the issue could affect DOD funding requirements, the schedule for replacing the 19 older helicopters, and the helicopter industrial base. Of this total, $55.2 million is for Increment I, for use in terminating the program, none is for Increment II, and $30 million is for initial studies on the proposed successor VXX program. FY2010 Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 111-84)

			Conference

The conference report ( H.Rept. 111-288 of October 7, 2009) on H.R. 2647 / P.L. 111-84 of October 28, 2009, approves the Administration's FY2010 funding request for the VH-71 program (page 1003). Therefore, given that level of possible investment, the conferees strongly encourage the Department of Defense and the Executive Branch to consider a complete range of alternatives for meeting requirements. The conferees believe that such consideration must include evaluating both single- and multi-platform solutions to meet the complete transportation requirements of the President, and [in] evaluating costs, consider the investment already made in the VH–71 program for possible use for some portion of the mission within a multi-platform solution. 2647 , recommends approving the Administration's request for $85.2 million in FY2010 RDT&E funding for the VH-71 program (page 167). FY2010 DOD Appropriations Bill (H.R. 3326)

			Final Version

In lieu of a conference report, the House Appropriations Committee on December 15, 2009, released an explanatory statement on a final version of H.R. This version was passed by the House on December 16, 2009, and by the Senate on December 19, 2009, and signed into law on December 19, 2009, as P.L. 111-118 . The explanatory statement provided $130.0 million for VHXX Executive Helo Development, an increase of $44.8 million from the Administration's request. This includes a $100.0 million increase for technology capture and a decrease of $55.2 million for "termination costs funded ahead of estimate."
The VH-71 program is intended to provide 23 new presidential helicopters to replace the current fleet of 19 aging presidential helicopters. As part of its proposed FY2010 Department of Defense (DOD) budget, the Administration proposed terminating the VH-71 program in response to substantial cost growth and schedule delays in the program. As a successor to the VH-71 program, the Administration proposed beginning a new presidential helicopter program in FY2010 called the VXX Presidential Helicopter Program.
The Administration's proposed FY2010 budget requested $85.2 million in Navy research and development funding for the VH-71 program. Of this total, $55.2 million is for terminating the VH-71 program and $30 million is for initial studies on the proposed successor VXX program.
The issue for Congress is whether to approve the Administration's proposal to terminate the VH-71 program and initiate a successor VXX program, or pursue another course, such as continuing the VH-71 program in some restructured form. Congress's decision on the issue could affect DOD funding requirements, the schedule for replacing the 19 older helicopters, and the helicopter industrial base. This report will be updated as events warrant.
FY2010 defense authorization act: The conference report (H.Rept. 111-288 of October 7, 2009) on the FY2010 defense authorization act (H.R. 2647/P.L. 111-84 of October 28, 2009) approves the Administration's FY2010 funding request for the VH-71 program. The conference report states that "the conferees strongly encourage the Department of Defense and the Executive Branch to consider a complete range of alternatives for meeting requirements. The conferees believe that such consideration must include evaluating both single- and multi-platform solutions to meet the complete transportation requirements of the President, and [in] evaluating costs, consider the investment already made in the VH–71 program for possible use for some portion of the mission within a multi-platform solution."
FY2010 DOD appropriations bill: In lieu of a conference report, the House Appropriations Committee on December 15, 2009, released an explanatory statement on a final version of H.R. 3326. This version was passed by the House on December 16, 2009, and by the Senate on December 19, 2009, and signed into law on December 19, 2009, as P.L. 111-118.
The explanatory statement includes $130.0 million for VHXX Executive Helo Development in 2010, an increase of $44.8 million from the Administration's request. This includes a $100.0 million increase for technology capture and a decrease of $55.2 million for "termination costs funded ahead of estimate."