12.07.01

Murray and Cantwell Announce Win for Boeing in Senate Defense Bill

Bill includes provision for U.S. Government lease of 100 Boeing 767s

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) today announced good news for Boeing and for Washington state residents in the Senate Defense Appropriations bill. The bill, which passed the Senate by voice vote, includes a provision for the U.S. Government to lease 100 Boeing 767s over a ten-year period. The Defense Appropriations will now be sent to a House-Senate Conference Committee for revision.

"For months, Senator Cantwell and I have worked with the Air Force and other Northwest delegation members to convince our Senate colleagues to approve this measure," said Murray. "It is critically important for our men and women in uniform who deserve the best equipment we can provide them, as they carry out their dangerous missions."

"I applaud Senator Murray's leadership in working with Senators Inouye and Stevens to guide this proposal through the appropriations process. This is a huge economic win for our state," Cantwell said. "This contract will put Boeing workers on the production line at a time when the state's economy needs it most. At the contract's peak, the production of 767s would increase by 50 percent from current levels. According to Boeing, it will employ 2,400 directly and result in 5,500 additional indirect jobs."

The new Boeing 767s would replace the K-135s that are currently used to refuel U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine aircraft. The K-135 tankers are the oldest planes in the Air Force fleet. The average tanker is 41 years old, expensive to maintain and is frequently grounded for repairs.

"This is good news for Boeing, for its workers, and for Washington state's economy. This lease will provide a tremendous boost to the workers and the economy in the Puget Sound and will provide our military with the resources they need to do their jobs," said Murray.