Tanker contract battle plays out on House floor - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

Tanker contract battle plays out on House floor

WASHINGTON — A fierce battle over who should build the next Air Force refueling tanker spilled onto the House floor Tuesday, with advocates of the two competing companies passionately making their case.

Boeing Co. and the European Aerospace Defence and Space Co. are competing for a $35 billion contract to build the tanker, the subject of years of disputes and challenges.

The House voted 325-23 vote to approve legislation that would require Defense Secretary Robert Gates to consider any “unfair competitive advantage” that one company might possess. The bill doesn’t name either company, but its sponsors said during debate that it targets EADS. The World Trade Organization has found that both companies have received illegal subsidies.

Tuesday’s vote was largely symbolic because there’s little chance Senate will take up the bill it in the closing hours of the session. But the vote demonstrates the clout that lawmakers from Washington, Kansas and Missouri wield in representing Boeing’s interests.

“We’re not going to allow tens of thousands of jobs to be lost because of illegal subsidies in Europe,” said Rep. Jay Inslee, a Democrat from Washington state.

Inslee called the battle “a hometown issue” because his uncles and cousins have worked on Boeing planes.

Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Chumuckla, raced out of breath to the House floor to complain the bill was called up without giving him or other members of the Armed Services Committee advance notice.

“This was brought up at the last minute without anybody’s knowledge,” Miller said. “I would urge my colleagues to vote against this particular piece of legislation.”

The EADS bid is important to the Gulf Coast because it would be built in Mobile, Ala., with thousands of support jobs at stake in the region.

If Boeing gets the contract, 7,500 jobs could come to Wichita, according to Rep. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican.

“The Pentagon must not be working against millions of Americans who are looking for work,” Moran said .

The Air Force hasn’t announced when it will award the contract, but a decision is expected within weeks. The contract has been the focus of nine years of bids, revised bids and challenges.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said in October the process could take several more months because the military wants to make the selection “right rather than fast.”