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Posted: 9:36 PM Nov 18, 2009
Roberts, Brownback Want DOD To Consider WTO Ruling In Tanker Bidding
Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts say the Dept. of Defense must consider a ruling that Airbus received illegal subsidies in developing a new tanker.
Reporter: 13 News |
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1 Comments 
(WIBW) - Kansas Senators Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts are urging the Department of Defense to consider the use of illegal trade subsidies in deciding who'll get the contract for a new Air Force tanker.
The World Trade Organization confirmed the European Union had illegally subsidized development costs of aircraft by Airbus, placing America's Boeing company at a disadvantage.
“The WTO ruling confirms what we have long suspected: Europe illegally subsidizes the development of large aircraft, forcing U.S. competitors out of business and putting Americans out of work,” said Brownback. “DoD should not feign ignorance of the policies defended by our trade representative, especially when the WTO has ruled in our favor. It’s odd that although the WTO agrees with the U.S. Trade Representative that European aircraft subsidies are illegal, DoD disagrees with USTR. It’s disconcerting that such an incongruity can exist within the federal government.”
“It is the height of inconsistency for the U.S. Air Force to flat out ignore the impact of the WTO’s decision when putting together a final request for proposals on the tanker,” Roberts said.
The Air Force reopened the bidding on the multi-billion dollar deal to replace its tanker fleet after a government review found significant errors in their initial decision last year awarding the contract to Airbus.
Latest Comments
I can understand why they open projects up for bidding and my comment sounds rather simplistic but it just seems that this is the U.S. military and that U.S. builders should be the ones building for it with U.S. labor. In an effort to prevent the lack of additional competition from affecting the cost and to keep cost in check and on the up and up the government should just allow “X” percent profit to the building company(s). Build it to the governments specs, seems like any potential problems with manufacturing or competition would be solved.
