With the release of the final request for proposals (RFP) for the Air Force Tanker coming soon, congressional supporters are already presenting their case on behalf of either Boeing's or Northrop Grumman-EADS' tanker bid. Below is a bipartisan list of governors that have thrown their support for the Boeing Tanker:
Chris Gregoire (D-Wash.)
Mark Parkinson (D-Kan.)
Pat Quinn (D-Ill.)
Jodi Rell (R-Conn.)
Chet Culver (D-Iowa)
John Baldacci (D-Maine)
Jay Nixon (D-Mo.)
Ted Kulongoski (D-Ore.)
Gary Hubert (R-Utah)
The Northrop Grumman-EADS team has threatened to pull out of the tanker competition unless significant changes are made to the Pentagon's RFP, which it claims is biased towards Boeing. In addition, a grassroots campaign (dubbed the "Build Them Both" campaign, a nonpartisan coalition based in Washington, D.C.) was launched yesterday that advocates buying tankers from both companies. The dual-buy approach did have its supporters, most notably the late Rep. John Murtha and Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), who wielded significant clout as chairmen of the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee and the House Armed Services Air and Land Forces subcommittee, respectively. But this support has waned considerably with the passing of Murtha, Abercrombie vacating his chairmanship in a bid for the governorship of Hawaii, and pro-Boeing supporters Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) and Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) now having assumed the chair of both committees.
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