[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 110 (Monday, July 7, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S6365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 609--RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR RAPID RECAPITALIZATION 
  OF THE KC-135 AERIAL REFUELING FLEET THROUGH RE-COMPETITION OF THE 
              UNITED STATES AIR FORCE'S KC-X SOLICITATION

  Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Mr. Bond, Mr. Roberts, and Mrs. McCaskill) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 609

       Whereas aerial refueling tankers are the backbone of the 
     worldwide airpower capability of the United States;
       Whereas the United States Air Force fleet of KC-135 aerial 
     refueling tankers is aging and needs to be recapitalized; and
       Whereas recapitalization of the KC-135 medium-sized aerial 
     refueling tanker is the top acquisition priority of the 
     United States Air Force: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) encourages the United States Air Force to quickly re-
     compete the KC-X solicitation on the terms the Government 
     Accountability Office (GAO) recommended in its June 18, 2008, 
     decision;
       (2) recognizes that a rapid, thorough, and fair re-
     competition under the terms of the original KC-X request for 
     proposals is the best way to provide the United States Air 
     Force with next-generation aerial refueling tanker capability 
     in a timely manner;
       (3) recognizes that the KC-X solicitation is the first 
     phase of a three-phased strategy for recapitalizing the 
     tanker fleet, and that the KC-X solicitation should be based 
     on a full and transparent competition to select a single 
     aircraft design; and
       (4) supports the recommendation of the Government 
     Accountability Office that ``the Air Force reopen discussions 
     with the offerors, obtain revised proposals, re-evaluate the 
     revised proposals, and make a new source selection decision, 
     consistent with this decision.''

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