[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 30, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S1351]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. COLEMAN (for himself and Ms. Klobuchar):
  S. 437. A bill to provide for the conveyance of an A-12 Blackbird 
aircraft to the Minnesota Air National Guard Historical Foundation; to 
the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill to transfer 
ownership of a 1960s A-12 Blackbird spy plane to the Minnesota Air 
National Guard Historical Foundation.
  The legislation will allow the A-12 to stay in the Minnesota Air 
National Guard Museum and to be displayed for educational and other 
appropriate public purposes.
  The A-12 Blackbird planes were in many ways the apex of jet design. 
No known jet is believed to have flown faster--three times the speed of 
sound, or higher--above 90,000 feet. It is a landmark in the history of 
aviation that will never be repeated again.
  The Minnesota A-12, retired in 1968 and rescued by Minnesota 
volunteers from a California scrap heap more than a decade ago, is 
housed at the 133rd Airlift Wing of the Minneapolis-St. Paul 
International Airport. Almost fifteen thousand Minnesotans contributed 
to the restoration of the A-12 and the creation of the Blackbird 
program. Ever since, it has been the centerpiece of the Minnesota Air 
National Guard Museum. The aircraft is the only A-12 currently used as 
a hands-on educational resource with a group of highly trained 
instructors who provide meaningful insight for the general public into 
the aircraft's history and meaning.
  This aircraft is of great significance not only to the volunteers who 
sacrificed time and resources to restore a great remnant of American 
history, but also to the citizens of Minnesota and around the country 
who have benefited greatly from this knowledge of our military history.
  Unfortunately, the A-12 is considered to be ``on loan'' from the U.S. 
Air Force, which recently has decided to transfer the plane to the CIA 
Headquarters as part of the agency's 60th anniversary celebration. If 
this plan goes ahead, the plane will no longer be available for public 
viewing.
  Over the years, volunteers throughout Minnesota have generously 
devoted their time and resources to maintaining this plane. To transfer 
the plane away from the very people whose hard work has made the 
aircraft what it is today is simply unfair. It is necessary that we 
retain this piece of Minnesota history, and keep the Blackbird in a 
place where it will always be accessible to the public. I hope the 
Senate will be able to act on this legislation and help to save a 
significant piece of history.
  I ask unanimous consent that the bill I introduce today, to provide 
for the conveyance of an A-12 Blackbird aircraft to the Minnesota Air 
National Guard Historical Foundation, be printed in the record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 437

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

     SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF A-12 BLACKBIRD AIRCRAFT TO THE 
                   MINNESOTA AIR NATIONAL GUARD HISTORICAL 
                   FOUNDATION.

       (a) Conveyance Required.--The Secretary of the Air Force 
     shall convey, without consideration, to the Minnesota Air 
     National Guard Historical Foundation, Inc. (in this section 
     referred to as the ``Foundation''), a non-profit entity 
     located in the State of Minnesota, A-12 Blackbird aircraft 
     with tail number 60-6931 that is under the jurisdiction of 
     the National Museum of the United States Air Force and, as of 
     January 1, 2007, was on loan to the Foundation and display 
     with the 133rd Airlift Wing at Minneapolis-St. Paul 
     International Airport, Minnesota.
       (b) Condition.--The conveyance required by subsection (a) 
     shall be subject to the requirement that Foundation utilize 
     and display the aircraft described in that subsection for 
     educational and other appropriate public purposes as jointly 
     agreed upon by the Secretary and the Foundation before the 
     conveyance.
       (c) Relocation of Aircraft.--As part of the conveyance 
     required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall relocate the 
     aircraft described in that subsection to Minneapolis-St. Paul 
     International Airport and undertake any reassembly of the 
     aircraft required as part of the conveyance and relocation. 
     Any costs of the Secretary under this subsection shall be 
     borne by the Secretary.
       (d) Maintenance Support.--The Secretary may authorize the 
     133rd Airlift Wing to provide support to the Foundation for 
     the maintenance of the aircraft relocated under subsection 
     (a) after its relocation under that subsection.
       (e) Reversion of Aircraft.--
       (1) Reversion.--In the event the Foundation ceases to 
     exist, all right, title, and interest in and to the aircraft 
     conveyed under subsection (a) shall revert to the United 
     States, and the United States shall have immediate right of 
     possession of the aircraft.
       (2) Assumption of possession.--Possession under paragraph 
     (1) of the aircraft conveyed under subsection (a) shall be 
     assumed by the 133rd Airlift Wing.
       (f) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may 
     require such additional terms and conditions in connection 
     with the conveyance required by subsection (a) as the 
     Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of 
     the United States.
                                 ______