It looks like the administration is pushing back hard in the face of Congressional efforts to maintain the F-22 production line despite a veto threat from the White House. Both House and Senate subcommittees put money back into the defense authorization for as many as 12 F-22s, seven of which would be purchased next year. Congress wants to keep the production line running, and if Congress is successful, expect a new fight to repeal the Obey Amendment that prevents the aircraft from being sold to allies like Japan, Australia, and Israel, who might buy hundreds more and pour billions of dollars into the U.S. defense industry if given the chance. The legislative defeats dealt to the White House over the past month have set up a major confrontation on the floor of the Senate next week, where Senator McCain has promised to fight tooth and nail on behalf of the administration to have F-22 funds struck from the Senate bill. It may be the administration’s last best chance to put down this defense spending rebellion. So what does the White House do? It goes on offense. A story in today’s Washington Post grants a DoD staffer anonymity to toe the White House line: