Maria Cantwell: “I add my congratulations to the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking member for their hard work on a very…”

“I add my congratulations to the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking member for their hard work on a very important piece of legislation. I also ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a letter by Air Force Chief of Staff John Jumper and Secretary of the Air Force James Roche basically explaining in detail their need for the 767 tanker fleet and why the activities and events after September 11 have accelerated the interest in the replacement options that were a part of this legislation. Our position, previously explained to Mr. Novak, is clear: we need to modernize our aging tanker fleet, and we owe it to our warfighters and taxpayers to consider all reasonable options, including leasing or buying 767s. Air refueling enables America to project power anywhere in the world. Today, in the US-led global war on terrorism, that mission is mostly done with an aircraft designed and first built during the Eisenhower administration.”