[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 21 (Tuesday, March 1, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1875-S1876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LIEBERMAN (for himself and Mr. Dodd):
  S. 486. A bill to require the Secretary of the Navy to procure 
helicopters under the VH-3D presidential helicopter fleet replacement 
program that are wholly manufactured in the United States; to the 
Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
with my colleague Senator Dodd that requires that the helicopter fleet 
built for the President of the United States be made entirely in the 
United States by American workers using American parts.
  This is how it has always been. And this is the way it should stay.
  Since President Eisenhower first flew in 1957, American Presidents 
have logged more than a quarter of a million hours in American 
helicopters designated Marine One with an unblemished record of safety 
and performance.
  But recently, the Navy chose a new helicopter to replace the current 
Presidential fleet that was designed overseas and will have substantial 
portions built overseas.

[[Page S1876]]

  This model was chosen over another model that would have been wholly 
built in the United States. This decision is a blow to the pride of the 
American aviation industry and blows a hole in the wallet of American 
workers and taxpayers.
  Let me make clear that with this bill we are not asking the Navy to 
pick a helicopter solely because it is American. The Presidential fleet 
must be made up of helicopters that offer superb performance and safety 
standards.
  But when an American model meets those standards, as was the case 
with the bids for Marine One, common sense dictates that we ``Buy 
American.''
  With this contract we are putting the American aviation industry at a 
long-term competitive disadvantage. The Marine One contract comes with 
millions of dollars in research money to develop new helicopter 
technologies. With the Navy's selection of a foreign competitor, these 
research dollars will now go overseas.
  By subsidizing foreign aviation research--mostly in Europe, which 
already heavily subsidizes its aviation industry--we will be using 
American taxpayer dollars to make it harder for U.S. companies to stay 
competitive and compete in domestic and world markets.
  With these kinds of disadvantages, we run the risk that we will 
become increasingly reliant on overseas suppliers of important military 
equipment, jeopardizing our national security.
  Insisting that the American President fly in an American-made 
helicopter is not a unique or unusual consideration for a national 
leader.
  The Prime Minister of Great Britain doesn't fly in an American 
helicopter, nor does the Prime Minister of Italy. They both fly in 
European helicopters. That's fine. They are supporting their workers, 
helping to sustain their industrial base, and sending a clear signal of 
national pride to their people.
  We should do no less.
  Let me stress, I am not seeking to exclude overseas companies from 
competing in U.S. markets or to exclude them from all military 
contracts. The United States has a long history of open markets and 
free and fair competition, and we should not back away from that.
  But this is a unique case. We are talking about the most famous 
helicopter in the world. What message do we send when we outsource such 
a visible symbol of national pride to others? We send a message that 
``Built in America'' is second-best.
  This is just wrong.
  American workers have been building and maintaining Presidential 
helicopters for over half a century. Their performance has been 
outstanding. We should not punish this service and dedication by using 
taxpayer dollars to send their jobs to someone else.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 486

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. VH-3D PRESIDENTIAL HELICOPTER FLEET REPLACEMENT 
                   PROGRAM PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENT.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Navy may not enter 
     into a contract for the procurement of a helicopter under the 
     VH-3D presidential helicopter fleet replacement program 
     unless the contract requires the helicopter to be wholly 
     manufactured in the United States from parts wholly 
     manufactured in the United States.
       (b) Existing Contracts.--If a contract entered into after 
     December 31, 2004, and before the date of the enactment of 
     this section does not meet the requirements described in 
     subsection (a), the Secretary of the Navy shall terminate 
     such contract.
                                 ______