Lawmakers to Bush: ‘Reject European pressure on tanker’

Published 12:19 pm Monday, July 21, 2008

U.S. Reps. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., and Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., are asking President Bush to ignore political pressure from Europe over a fumbled Air Force tanker contract.

Reports last week said that leaders of England, France and Germany have lobbied Bush on behalf of EADS, which won with its partner Northrop Grumman a $35 billion Air Force tanker contract. The Pentagon has reopened the duo’s competition with the Boeing Co. after government auditors found a number of errors by the Air Force in how it ran the initial process.

Tiahrt and Dicks sent Pres. Bush a letter.

Here’s an excerpt:

We trust you will do everything in your power to ensure the KC-X Tanker competition is fair. The Request for Proposal must not be changed to benefit Europe. Although our current acquisition system already favors foreign competitors, our American workers are counting on you and your team to maintain what fairness is left in our system.

The Department of Defense, which is in charge of the new competition, plans to circulate a draft request for proposal for the expedited bid soon.