Air Force tanker re-bid has Wash. pols talking

Washington's Congressional delegation spoke out in favor of today's decision by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates' decision to re-open the bidding process for the Air Force KC-767 tankers. Airbus had won the initial contract, which would have cost the state's economy a significant amount of money, but the process was discovered to be flawed by the Government Accountability Office.

Representatives Brian Baird (D-03), Doc Hastings (D-04) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (D-05) have yet to speak on the matter. Links to and excerpts from the rest of the state's elected officials statements are below.

Sen. Maria Cantwell's (D-Seattle) statement is here.
"I welcome this decision to rebid the tanker contract. The GAO report made it impossible for Secretary Gates to make any other decision."

Sen. Murray's (D-Shoreline) statement is here.
"I am pleased that Secretary Gates appears to be taking the GAO's recommendations seriously, is reopening the bidding process, and is elevating the new tanker competition to a higher level at the Pentagon."

Gov. Chris Gregoire's statement is here.
"Today's announcement by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is good news for Washington state, Boeing, its workers and the nation."

Rick Larsen's (D-02) statement is here.
"The Defense Department's decision to heed the GAO's report and rebid the tanker contract is good news for American taxpayers, Boeing workers and the men and women who serve in our military."

Rep. Jim McDermott's (D-07) statement is here.
"The decision announced today by the Secretary of Defense to rebid the tanker contract is the right decision for the right reason and I am very pleased by the outcome." 

Rep. Adam Smith's (D-09) statement is here.
"The Pentagon made the right decision - and the only reasonable one - to correct the Air Force's mistakes and re-compete the tanker contract."

Rep. Jay Inslee's (D-01) statement is here.
"This is huge not only for Washington state, but American warfighters and U.S. taxpayers as well." 

Norm Dicks (D-06) said this to the AP, "I think it's better. No one has any faith in the Air Force."

Rep. Dave Reichert's (R-08) statement is here.
"If given a fair chance, Boeing will build the Air Force's new KC-767 Tankers."

Reichert's 8th District Democratic challenger Darcy Burner also spoke on the issue.

"Today's decision by the Pentagon to rebid the Air Force tanker contract was the right one," she said. "Nothing better exemplifies the failures and unresponsiveness of government in Washington, D.C. more than the unfair initial bidding process."

Even Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) supports the move, despite having a pivotal role in keeping Boeing from winning the contract in the first place.

"Today, Secretary Gates announced decisive steps that the Defense Department will take to ensure that the program to replace the Air Force's aging tanker fleet is subjected to full and open competition," McCain said. "I support his decision to do so."