Defense Level Playing Field Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise to support the legislation introduced by the gentleman from Washington, and I appreciate his explanation for what this legislation does. I am here to encourage my colleagues both in the House and the Senate to support this legislation to level the playing field in the Air Force tanker competition. This is an unending story, presumably. It has gone on for a long time. But at this stage in the process, we need to make certain that there is fairness. We need fairness for our workers, fairness for American companies, and fairness for the American taxpayer.
Earlier this year, the World Trade Organization found that European governments are guilty of providing nearly $6 billion in illegal subsidies to Airbus to develop aircraft. These subsidies can put our American workers at a disadvantage in the world marketplace. Tens of thousands of U.S. aerospace jobs have already been lost overseas; the Department of Defense, we risk job loss in the $35 billion tanker competition with these subsidies. In Wichita, Kansas, alone, where the finishing center for the new Boeing tanker will take place, the tanker contract could mean 7,500 jobs.
Common sense today tells us that when we are so desperate for employment in the United States, we need to make certain that the competition we are engaged in is based upon fairness. But even with the WTO decision, the Department of Defense has ignored the facts. The Pentagon must not be working against millions of Americans who are looking for work, nor should our own government ask American taxpayers to foot the bill for a European economic stimulus.
The Defense Level Playing Field Act tells the Pentagon it can no longer close its eyes to the unfair European subsidies. This bill says that the tanker bidding process must be conducted fairly. Its intent is to require the DOD to take into account the price impact of illegal European subsidies. It makes sure that there is a level playing field so that no bidder, whether it's foreign or domestic, has an unfair competitive advantage.
American aerospace workers are ready to support our men and women in uniform with the best tanker, and they must be given a fair opportunity to do so. Please join me in standing up for the American worker and for the U.S. taxpayer by voting favorably for the Defense Level Playing Field Act.
I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I appreciate very much the comments that have been made today on the House floor.
Economically, there is no more important issue in the State of Kansas than the success or at least the opportunity to have success in this contract bidding process. It has been a long time that we have been waiting, and I hope the gentleman who spoke earlier who indicated that we are on the verge of a decision is accurate. This would be a great development, not only for the people of our State but for the people of our country if we learn that there are jobs to be created and that there is a manufacturing base to be further developed in the United States.
I very much appreciate the gentleman from Washington's indication that this bill is about a level playing field. It is not about awarding the contract. It is about giving fairness to the bidding process.
I hope that we have the opportunity, if the Senate will also pass this legislation again on the verge of a decision, to once again remind the Department of Defense of their responsibility to the will, not only of Congress for a level playing, but to the rightness of this cause, to the sense of fairness, for the right of justice, and for building the opportunity of job creation in this country, not only today but tomorrow as well.
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