[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 5, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H1225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   THE ADMINISTRATION'S DECISION TO YANK A CONTRACT FROM AN AMERICAN 
        COMPANY AND GIVE IT TO A CONSORTIUM DOMINATED BY EUROPE

  (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, Americans across the country are infuriated 
today that the administration yanked a contract away from Boeing, an 
American company, for our air tankers and gave it to a consortium 
dominated by Europe, and they're infuriated for several good reasons:
  Number one, why are we giving a $40 billion stimulus plan to France? 
It is our economy that is in danger.
  Second, why, when we are suing this consortium for violation of 
international trade laws because of illegal subsidies, do we turn 
around and award them with a $40 billion contract? One agency says 
they're illegal; the other agency's giving them $40 billion of our 
taxpayer money.
  Number three, and this was an insulting thing when I heard this 
award, the person making the award says, well, this is an American 
airplane. It's got an American flag on the tail. Well, you can't just 
go out and buy a one nickel sticker, slap it on an Airbus airplane and 
call it ``America.''
  We have got to have a policy of procurement that's good for our 
economy and our security. We need to fix this disastrous administration 
decision.

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