This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0068_01C561CF.0A1B1A00 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit US Defense Bill Could Boost Boeing's Tanker Odds>BA <http://money.excite.com/img/dji.gif> Wednesday May 25, 8:01 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP)--A defense bill nearing approval in the House could help Boeing Co. (BA <http://money.excite.com/jsp/qt/full.jsp?time=0&symbol_search_text=BA> ) regain a $23 billion contract it lost last year amid an ethics scandal. The bill, which sets defense policy and spending for next year, would prevent the Pentagon from purchasing goods and services from foreign companies that receive government subsidies. While no companies or countries are named, lawmakers said the amendment was aimed at disqualifying the parent company of European jet maker Airbus (ABI.YY) from bidding on an Air Force contract for refueling tankers. Airbus, which is 80% owned by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., has long received subsidies from European governments, sparking tension between U.S. and European officials. EADS, which is based in France and Germany, has said it plans to offer a tanker version of its Airbus A330 passenger jet for the multibillion-dollar Air Force contract to produce a new generation of aerial refueling tankers. Chicago-based Boeing lost the tanker deal last year, after revelations that it had hired a top Air Force acquisitions official who later admitted giving the company preferential treatment. The deal would have allowed the Air Force to buy or lease 100 Boeing 767 planes for use as tankers, but was killed by Congress in last year's defense authorization bill. The Air Force has said it is likely to reopen the deal to competition, although no formal timeline has been set. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, included the tanker provision in a package of amendments approved by the panel last week. Lawmakers from both parties supported the amendment, which came as a House subcommittee urged the Bush administration to take action against Airbus to prevent what it called unfair subsidies for its civil aircraft. "Let me state clearly: This administration and the U.S. Congress cannot and will not tolerate the unfair subsidization of manufacturing, promoting, financing or development of commercial aircraft," said Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Aviation subcommittee. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., called the tanker measure an important step to protect a major U.S. employer from unfair competition. Larsen's district includes the Everett, Wash., plant where Boeing was to build the refueling planes. "When it comes to the industrial base that supports our defense, we want to ensure that U.S. companies do get a very fair shake," Larsen said. "We don't necessarily want to rely on foreign companies for major platforms." House members were considering more than two dozen other changes to the overall defense bill, which authorizes the Bush administration to spend $490.7 billion for defense in the budget year that begins Oct. 1. The bill also must be approved by the Senate. ------=_NextPart_000_0068_01C561CF.0A1B1A00 Content-Type: image/gif; name="dji.gif" Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-Location: http://money.excite.com/img/dji.gif R0lGODlhiAAnAPQAAP///yMfIMjHx1pXWJGPj0xJSqyrq3ZzdNbV1Z6dnePj4zEtLvHx8T87PGhl Zrq5uYSBggAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACwAAAAA iAAnAAAF/yAAFEFZDgQjroJjLoc6mCJiDiJhQmYitqZATPQwOVaLEkEQDOYaQQdiRa1ar9istfma injcAmNWEh1uImhgcC4JADpuQxUvKQAK0yPBDTQAZE0LXlqFhoVMfWtfigEEbQEADEknAEVuJGV8 igeAQQSWJgqQBQOmEAZBaiVHh66vK6klBUAmCIklPi4lDXUAspW7fyYNeSadYAELAKvKcCXLmQEq K7sBEJJosNuGyaCTetY4ALiOJgLNC8YBBrgOpD9BDFwGZDgvAvlvgQsQDw/5CHEbaCXQAxGBNpUw EM9EnTo9oP1ySIldQzdcBqiBUM6JwhegCIrcIkpERYh3AP8oXABMTUU1oJJ99ALMXAlIJgzU1IbT 4cifAGxIJBekZjUjHdlxuWPQiZkbwtbZSnaAgNWDP6wNBUoQGA4G0hqUEyG1XZMDHTsBIFZOhYKK BtQcCVQmUMqgpgYwfEaDK8E6BxI0eyCVwANpBYgGUdBxitA1844JCLtWSSgTiT9ZJQBsAcA6y/wO pHsWoaJBeILgKDcOGKieXXBhXaVX0UcuIUVvqxhkQe63cggFeVNuL6SDYPskIGCNd6Pnqq8KuKtb S968BwxQW8EAQqYBCbYDMtVq/AAHAh7JIyJNUQNTVhPoo26Icb7lBEwteE9AfvX/h7TnxwHNYOYA Z9MBeMX/LQRAMEABDiQgkIL/SdUHCgZMSOEhDAiw14a6IZAAaQNmCOKJKBrywAHONZAdfSnGGOOK zhUgoYw44qgABDUmAGMWEBzR3RE3/jDAG9ww4AJWOfpVTxMN+MhNAWoVgA1LKxTxoyFVISBekwQp QABvMGhYBQMEiGnJAwgw1IsPLImIBwFtDuIDAwmEZwBhBuQWFJ0CLFAemGH2FOWXWMwABR8OODgP FEw8sMAy7yUAQQMkAOLAAgUsimlKDzTgwABFfEjoNqM0UYCphqTCxGQ8LhFAEXwAcMBcC4wxgINM oJUKAjZgI0IBVh0Zyamo9nQkNwQUIOk8JKBArLSTOdAn/y2zPuiCAg80C4eDKzgCnrfIwnKLPvkQ 5ICLCCggxQDANsqAAQ4wcIA/uwLibprnIQCBLqSukB9Dt5bbZJQzgsWkwSnmd8CW/z3oJ8MUV2zx xRhzcy6603GsjwgdosvALT+QlQ81AZ0pX7sep0wOuvblE/PJP6T7S3gvE4euFzYLwHMNNG+zawEQ El2AAnzkGYClxyoZwGRiHFClWwGI8dSEEerQ7AxJi5tY0jzkkR2xMFyzAJJ8IBPh10sDECQf+SU2 wz4hJRaUEIh2M56uqz39KgDl8YGAC3CkNKsIi+RwLBXH9oKADra+WkQ+T4+wFijdyvd0O/GkWTk7 f+uz+f/TOnSyxN2GT+zKQab80vqrr55ew9I6DB6PsIk/s4UPnOlulod+k36QIx6y+SqwnafCFHqV i54e6VCI+UYqezkiUuuA0MIH5QmoFe6t7KhFAKaIj6N7FdDsBTlRCTiQGBPtI34rkn+z4Mj6poTO /ahwpFLVGyxSi/UIgj2NqIdyBzAfQkqxhpA0ahprMd/6qFAHOhyrV1YiSgLLR4t4IKlz+Dtb8xDY CzgI4AxosZVGEKe6VxSwb5RLDwO2o7W5pWEGw2vN+pCEADa54A07JF0AGEO6OzgCIHeoHwiPlb8R xm4aSzDGdEwxxMuVTGjjeF3wpgOQLAmxBv64RgQRsr6zkJwwDUC84NMm9yo1OWKGoFCiAlJhmABM gQ36e2J69rE5pTHEemjixguJEsPIcWcahxGBf8i3CAGggIk/yBUzFOdB2FXuHnGMY+VyYMMGDE8A 88AGoNZIOuI8DQIzFIIV+/SAQRXCAJPKUCxJQLSqkeCDgMCDWuKUhBksYAC/hIJGLkgebCAACtig ZR5qWctUvMc3I6gaC4hWg/OEJBVsiObR/OAihCSAJan4pR9mwJkGhAAAOw== ------=_NextPart_000_0068_01C561CF.0A1B1A00--
