A provision was added to an annual defense policy bill in an attempt to keep plans for the newly revamped Air Force One within the projected spending target, NPR reported on Sunday.
This includes banning additional paint jobs and other extras that President Donald Trump was reportedly seeking.
Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney said the provision is needed to prevent extra spending over the project's $3.9 billion budget, arguing that the contract includes an "over and under" clause that could permit the project spending to go out of control.
The new Air Force One could be unveiled as early as 2024.
"It will be a well-appointed plane when the new ones roll out," Courtney said. "What we're trying to do is just make sure that the 'over and above' clause provision of the Air Force One contract does not become basically a back door for the program to hemorrhage in terms of additional costs."
The amendment was adopted at a House Armed Services Committee hearing at the end of the week as part of its overall passage of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.
Courtney said he became involved in monitoring the project following reports last year that the Air Force wanted to add a new $25 million refrigeration system to the plane, saying the House needed to exercise more oversight.
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