Haley Stevens: “the Senator from Delaware is a pilot and I am a pilot, and we are quite interested in this subject. We have had fairly…”

“the Senator from Delaware is a pilot and I am a pilot, and we are quite interested in this subject. We have had fairly long discussions about C-5As and C-5Bs. As I have told my friend from Delaware, I have conferred at length with the Air Force, and the Air Force just does not want to have money earmarked solely for C-5As. They will agree, if we want to do so, to specifically state that this money we have in the bill can be used for C-5As or C-5Bs for the kits. Some of the C-5As may, in fact, be eligible for such new kits, making them, as the Senator would say, 21st century capable. The Air Force, however, objects to this amendment because this amendment--the Senator from Delaware has not offered it yet, but the Senator from Delaware is considering it, and I have reviewed it--would take money from the overall account. It would, in fact, diminish the moneys that are available for C-17s and other procurement of aircraft. We are more than willing to allow the Air Force to make the determination which C-5As should be modified by these kits, but, again, I have to state to my friend, we must oppose the concept of having this money taken from the procurement account for the purpose of modernizing the C-5s against the wishes of the Air Force.”