[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 172 (Thursday, November 19, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H13272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           WINNERS AND LOSERS

  (Mr. LARSEN of Washington asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my 
concern about the illegal subsidies that have been given to Airbus by 
the European governments. It's been widely reported that the World 
Trade Organization found the EU guilty of providing Airbus with 
billions of dollars in illegal and improper subsidies. These subsidies 
gave Airbus an unfair advantage for years, costing good-paying American 
jobs. At the same time we're fighting Europeans over their illegal 
subsidies, our Nation is considering buying $35 billion worth of Airbus 
aerial refueling tankers.
  Now who wins if we ignore these subsidies? European taxpayers will 
get a huge return on their illegal investment in subsidies for Airbus 
and European workers who are designing and building the Airbus 
airplanes.
  Who loses? U.S. workers, who will lose their jobs, and I think our 
men and women in uniform, who might get an illegally subsidized tanker 
instead of the best tanker for their mission.
  Airbus' history of subsidies should not be ignored in this tanker 
competition.

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