Gov. Gregoire's statement on Boeing's appeal of tanker contract decision

For Immediate Release: March 10, 2008

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire�s today issued the following statement on Boeing�s appeal of the tanker contract:

�I fully support the Boeing Company�s decision today to formally protest the Air Force contract awarded to Airbus and Northrop Grumman.

�I understand this is an extraordinary step by Boeing and the first time the company has protested a contract decision. Boeing�s decision was only done after the company did a thoughtful review of the process that selected the European company over Boeing to replace 179 air-to-air refueling tankers.

�Boeing and its work force are the best manufacturer of airplanes in the world. It is an outrage at a time when the national economy is weakening, American jobs would be sent overseas. The high-wage jobs this contract would offer are precisely the type of jobs we need to keep in America.

�I will continue to support with our Congressional delegation and my fellow governors to demand answers about the Air Force�s decision.�

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