(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) asked Washington state residents and concerned Americans across the country to join the fight in calling for a fair aerial refueling tanker contract re-bid. Senator Murray’s effort to build broad-based support for a fair and transparent process comes after the Pentagon last week announced that they would be making changes to the original requirements as they re-bid the tanker contract. The Pentagon announced they would rebid the contract in response to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision that exposed glaring mistakes the Air Force made in awarding the original contract to Airbus.
While Senator Murray is pleased that the Pentagon will re-bid and oversee the new contest, she is concerned by news that the new competition could be unfairly tailored to the Airbus offering. Specifically, Senator Murray is concerned that the Pentagon’s new Request for Proposal (RFP) could be weighted to favor the oversized Airbus plane, rather than tied directly to our military’s needs.
"Tens of thousands of Americans have joined the effort to ensure our airmen and women get the best possible tanker," said Senator Murray. "Their support has been critical in moving this process forward, but we continue to need their voices as we work to ensure that this contest is fair and that the decision is in the best interest of our military and our taxpayers.”
"As this contract moves to the re-bid phase, we have to be sure that the Pentagon doesn’t try to change the rules of the game in overtime. That means staying vigilant and keeping the public engaged and informed. By singing this petition, Americans will be able to show the Pentagon that a fair and transparent process is the only way to move forward."
Murray is asking concerned Americans to join her in an effort to "Keep the Pentagon Honest" by signing her petition to urge the Pentagon to run a fair and transparent rebid of the tanker contest. This effort allows Senator Murray to keep concerned citizens informed about the process and helps her to show the Pentagon the grassroots support for a fair and transparent process. To date, 60,000 people have signed on to Murray’s tanker efforts on her website.
English 
Spanish