Gov. Gregoire�s statement on Boeing�s offer to American Airlines to re-engine 737

For Immediate Release: July 20, 2011

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today released the following statement in response to the announcement by Boeing and American Airlines that the airline will purchase a new engine variant of the 737:

�Today�s announcement by American Airlines is good news for Boeing, Boeing workers and all of Washington state. I congratulate Boeing on this order, and am convinced American Airlines will be pleased with the final product.

�It is certainly exciting that Boeing decided to offer the airline a model that re-engines the current 737. The 737 is a major part of our history, designed and built in Washington state, and is the most successful aerospace product in history. I am optimistic that the 737 will remain an important part of our state�s future � providing even more work for our 650 aerospace suppliers and 84,000 aerospace workers state-wide.

�With that said � I am well aware that we can�t take anything for granted. Washington state is a competitor, and this is not the time to relax that competitive spirit. We�ve made significant progress � especially during the last legislative session � to maintain a business-friendly environment not only for Boeing, but for all companies in Washington state. In the last six months, we passed and moved forward with some of the most significant reforms in our state�s history to improve our workers compensation system, our unemployment insurance program and access to higher education to ensure Boeing and other companies have the highly-trained workforce needed to be successful.

�Washington state is no doubt the global leader in aerospace manufacturing � with the most skilled workforce building the best planes anywhere in the world. I intend to keep it that way, and am doing all I can to encourage Boeing and our aerospace industry as a whole to expand here. To ensure our leadership position, I launched Project Pegasus earlier this. I look forward to continued work with Boeing, its suppliers and its workforce to continue Washington�s legacy as the premier location for aerospace.�

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