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Governors launch U.S. Tanker 2010 Coalition, call for Pentagon to award refueling tanker to Boeing

For Immediate Release: February 22, 2010

WASHINGTON DC - Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and Gov. Mark Parkinson of Kansas today announced the U.S. Tanker 2010 Coalition. The coalition is advocating for the awarding of the U.S. Air Force refueling tanker contract to the Boeing Company.

�It�s important that we keep Americans at work. Awarding Boeing the contract to supply our next fleet of tankers will ensure work for 40,000 to 50,000 people across the country,� Gregoire said. �There�s been enough delay already on the military�s efforts to build a next generation tanker, and Boeing is ready to start building them today.�

The coalition is a bi-partisan effort of elected officials, business and labor organizations committed to ensuring the bid selected is the one that can produce the best product for the Air Force, will create the most American jobs and wisely spends taxpayer dollars.

�Our military men and women deserve the best possible equipment; and where refueling tankers are concerned, the Boeing tanker is hands-down the best choice. It is the most agile, the most efficient and because it would be made right here in America, it is the safest choice,� Parkinson said. �With a Boeing tanker, we will be making a major investment in our national security and creating thousands of American jobs when they are needed most. I urge the military to move quickly and provide our troops with the equipment they deserve and the Boeing tankers they need.�

Joining Gregoire and Parkinson in the coalition are Governors John Baldacci of Maine, Chet Culver of Iowa, Gary Herbert of Utah, Ted Kulongoski of Oregon, Jay Nixon of Missouri, Pat Quinn of Illinois and Jodi Rell from Connecticut.

Today Boeing employs 155,000 workers located across all 50 states. Awarding the contract to Boeing would build U.S. industrial capacity and retains U.S. jobs.
�With a lagging economy, we can�t afford to send thousands of jobs and billions of dollars overseas. We need these jobs right here at home. Boeing is one of Missouri�s largest employers and the best company to build these refueling tankers,� said Nixon.

The U.S. Tanker 2010 Coalition will continue to grow in the coming weeks and plans to energize the national debate about which aircraft best serves the national interest. Boeing has been producing refueling tankers since the 1940s and its plants are fully functional and production ready today.

�The US military needs tanker planes that are ready to go, and we here in Maine have the workers and skills to make it happen,� said Baldacci. �It just makes the most sense for us economically and militarily to award Boeing the tanker contract.�

�My top priority for the State of Connecticut remains clear: jobs, jobs, jobs. This bipartisan coalition of governors is stepping up for our respective states to ensure the next mid-air refueling tanker is built in the U.S. to help boost job creation and retention while promoting business opportunities that all states need at this critical time,� said Rell. �The bottom line is Connecticut�s participation in the U.S. Tanker 2010 Coalition will go a very long way in bolstering our economy while strengthening the country�s national security now and for many years to come.�

The U.S. Tanker 2010 Coalition is also making the case that Boeing is the single best choice to protect our nation and protect national interests.

The Pentagon is expected to release the final tanker Request For Proposals (RFP) as early as Tuesday, February 23, 2010.

For more information about the coalition, visit: www.ustanker2010.com

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