[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 100 (Tuesday, June 17, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H5416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      EXPRESSING CONCERN ABOUT THE AIR FORCE TANKER CONTRACT AWARD

  (Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express concern about the Air 
Force's award of a $35 billion contract to a foreign consortium which 
received over $5 billion in foreign government subsidies.
  Of concern is the Air Force defying its own ranking system, which 
awarded the Boeing Corporation 98 positive discriminators and Northrop 
Grumman-EADS only 30, yet the tanker contract went to EADS.
  Boeing's 767 tanker had a positive survivability rating. EADS' 
aircraft had a negative rating. Yet the tanker contract went to EADS.
  Boeing has manufactured over 2,000 tankers with advanced fly-by-wire 
booms; EADS, zero. Yet the tanker contract went to EADS.
  The lifecycle cost of the EADS tanker is going to be billions and 
billions more than that of the Boeing aircraft, yet the tanker contract 
went to EADS.
  We continue to face record fuel prices, and it is critical that the 
Air Force's next refueling tanker meet or exceed their requirements and 
be as efficient as possible. An independent study has determined that 
the Boeing KC-767 fleet burns 24 percent less fuel than the EADS A-
330s.
  For the sake of the American workers, the American economy and our 
national security, it is time to revisit this contract.

                          ____________________