[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 52 (Thursday, April 3, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H1993]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           BOEING VS. AIRBUS

  (Mr. REICHERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong 
opposition to the decision made by the United States Air Force to 
choose a foreign company for their new refueling tanker. The recent Air 
Force decision to give the KC-X tanker contract to Airbus jeopardizes 
our national security. We should not send a contract that could 
potentially be worth more than $40 billion to a foreign company when we 
have a viable American option.
  Additionally, Airbus is a company that receives European government 
subsidies. Boeing, with the support of the government, is currently 
fighting Airbus at the World Trade Organization on the basis that they 
have an unfair advantage from these subsidies. What message does this 
send when our own government is fighting these subsidies on one hand 
and rewarding them with a $40 billion contract on the other?
  The Tacoma News Tribune recently said, ``The Air Force's job was to 
make a business decision. Now Congress has to make a policy decision, 
and there's room for legitimate debate.'' Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly 
agree.

                          ____________________