Today, Boeing backers in the U.S. House of Representatives expanded their measure aimed at penalizing EADS’ Air Force tanker bid.
Reps. Jay Inslee and Rick Larsen, D-Wash., along with four other Representatives, introduced the Fair Defense Competition Act. The amendment would force the Pentagon to consider unfair advantages awarded to Airbus in the tanker contest which pits Airbus’ parent company, EADS, against Boeing.
“Republicans and Democrats can be united in this simple proposition; that we will never allow foreign competitors to steal American jobs by using illegal subsidies, then reward them by allowing the use of those illegal subsidies to win a contract worth tens of billions of dollars,” Inslee said.
The World Trade Organization ruled that Airbus received unfair launch aide from European governments, including money used in developing the A330, EADS’ tanker platform.
However, as EADS notes in a report submitted to Congress, Airbus has a counter complaint pending against Boeing with the WTO.
Boeing and EADS are expected to submit bids to the Air Force for a $35 billion tanker contract in July. The Air Force will announce the winner later this year.
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