02.24.11

Cantwell: 'Boeing Was the Clear Winner'

SEATTLE, WA – Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chairwoman of the Aviation Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee, issued the following statement today in response to the Air Force's decision to award Boeing the contract for its new fleet of aerial refueling tankers, amounting to a $35 billion 179-aircraft order and generating 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in the United States.
 
“Everybody here has worked so hard to make sure that today came out with a win. The President in his State of the Union said it was time for America to out-build, out-innovate and out-educate to win the future. Well that’s exactly what Boeing workers have done in winning this bid.
 
“At two o’clock or a little after that today, the Department of Defense (DOD) called to say that Boeing was a clear winner, and that means huge economic gains for us in Puget Sound. Nearly $693 million annual regional economic impact, 11,000 jobs, and it means that for a long time in coming that the Northwest will continue its excellence in aviation manufacturing.
 
“Not only did Boeing win on the best warfighter and fuel burn and MILCON, it was a decisive decision that they were the best plane, and the best product. This means that the Puget Sound region will continue its efforts to show that we, not just at Boeing but all the supply chain, which is over 100,000 people in Puget Sound, will continue to build the parts and services that go along with those defense contracts, continuing America’s, America’s industrial base in aviation and the importance of that industrial base to us and our national security.
 
“So today, the Puget Sound, the Boeing Company, but specifically Boeing workers, were victorious in a great effort in what is American competition. I know that the Department of Defense plans in the very near future to let a $3.5 billion R&D contract to start this system once we go forward in the process. And we’ll be so excited to see those dollars finally coming to Puget Sound.”
 
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