Harry Reid: “The most important point is, the Senator from North Dakota has some numbers which make it less expensive to lease than…”

“The most important point is, the Senator from North Dakota has some numbers which make it less expensive to lease than to buy. I accept the numbers from the Senator from North Dakota, although I still disagree. There is a huge difference. You buy the airplanes, and you have them forever. There is no 10-year lease. What would happen after 10 years? We would have to renew the lease or we would have to buy new airplanes. We are talking about a 10-year lease at practically the same amount of money it would take to buy them. That to me is absolute insanity. The U.S. Air Force has 60 priorities which they submit to Congress every year. September 11 couldn't have changed that priority list very much, since it will be 2004 or 2005 before the first one of those aircraft is delivered. This is a bailout for Boeing Aircraft--nothing more, nothing less. And there should at least be some competition. There should be a fair scrutiny of this issue. There should be hearings in the Senate Armed Services Committee when we are talking about $20 billion or $30 billion of the taxpayer moneys to be spent.”