(Washington,
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) stood with a bi-partisan group
of Senators and Congressmen to applaud the final WTO ruling released today and
call on the Administration to hold Airbus accountable for their illegal actions
and take every legal action to ensure this ruling results in a free and fair
international marketplace for American businesses and workers.
“Launch
aid is an illegal subsidy that has undercut our workers, cost us jobs, hurt our
ability to compete, damaged our overall economy, and it needs to end,” Senator
Murray said at the press conference today. “Today’s ruling puts any
doubts to rest. The WTO has
ruled that Airbus has used illegal government subsidies for more than 40 years
to become the world’s largest maker of commercial jets – and it does so as
Airbus continues to use those subsidies to roll out new planes… Today is both
victory and vindication. For too long, workers in Washington state have had to
fight an uphill battle. Instead of competing just with Airbus, they’ve been
forced to compete with the deep pockets of European governments that supply
Airbus with illegal launch aid. Enough is enough. It’s time to even the
playing field.”
Joining Senator Murray at
the press conference today were Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), Senator Kit Bond
(R-MO), Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Congressman
Norm Dicks (D-WA 6th) , Congressman Todd Tiahrt (R-KS 4th),
Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA 1st) and Rich Michalski, General Vice
President, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
The
full text of Senator Murray’s remarks at the press conference follows:
“Thank
you all for coming here today. I’m so pleased that we have such a strong
showing of members from: Both sides of Capitol Hill, Both sides of the
aisle, And different regions of the country.
“Coming
together to echo what today’s WTO final ruling has made absolutely clear:
Launch aid is an illegal subsidy: It has undercut our workers, It has cost us
jobs, It has hurt our ability to compete, It has damaged our
overall economy, And it needs to end!!
“Today’s
ruling puts any doubts to rest . The WTO has
ruled that Airbus has used illegal government subsidies for more than 40 years
to become the world’s largest maker of commercial jets – and it does so as
Airbus continues to use those subsidies to roll out new planes.
“The
WTO ruled that that European governments have provided Airbus more than 15
billion euros in launch aid – subsidizing every model of aircraft ever produced
by Airbus in the last 40 years.
“They
ruled that France, Germany and Spain provided more than one billion euros in
infrastructure and infrastructure-related grants between 1989 and 2001—as well
as another billion in share transfers and equity infusions to Airbus.
“They
ruled that European governments provided over one billion euros in funding
between 1986 and 2005 for research and development directed specifically to the
development of Airbus aircraft.
“In
fact, the U.S. government estimates that this represents over 200 billion in
today’s dollars in total subsidies to Airbus.
“So
finally, the WTO ruled on something that we have all been saying for years—these
subsidies caused adverse effects to United States aerospace companies in the
form of lost sales, lost market share, and lost jobs.
“Today is both victory and vindication.
For too long, workers in Washington state have had to fight an uphill battle.
Instead of competing just with Airbus, they’ve been forced to compete with the
deep pockets of European governments that supply Airbus with illegal launch
aid.
“Enough
is enough. It’s time to even the playing field.
“Growing
up in Bothell, Washington, I watched as our state and economy grew up around
Boeing jobs and the airplane business.
“And
every day since I have been in the U.S Senate I have seen how America’s
aerospace industry has suffered at the hands of unfair subsidies . How jobs
have been lost, our national defense decision have been impacted, and our
industrial base has suffered.
“It’s
why I encouraged the Bush Administration to file this case with the WTO.
“And
it’s why with Senator Brownback, and Representatives Tiahrt and Inslee, I am
working to ensure that these subsidies that have cost us jobs in my home state
and states across the country – are factored in when the Pentagon decides
who’ll build the next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
“Our objective is not to limit competition – our
objective is to ensure that everyone can compete on a level
playing-field.
“Airbus
has made clear that they’ll go to any lengths to hurt our country’s aerospace
industry. We need to make clear that we will take every action to stop them.
“That’s
why we will be working to make sure we see this ruling through, and that Airbus
is held accountable for their actions.
“It’s
why we’ll be urging the United States Trade Representative to take every legal
action to ensure this ruling results in a free and fair international
marketplace.
“Our
workers, our economic future, and communities all depend on fair competition.
“Today’s
ruling reaffirms that for too long they’ve all paid a heavy price for just the
opposite.
“You
know, I have been fighting for this for years.
“Back
in 2005, I fought to pass a Resolution unanimously through the Senate that
calls on European governments to reject launch aid for Airbus and that
supports the President’s authority to take any action necessary to protect
American aerospace jobs.
“It’s
been 5 years since that resolution. And illegal subsidies have continued to
hurt families and businesses in Washington state and across the country.
“This
ruling today is an important step in the right direction—it is a victory that
has been too long in coming.
“But
I am glad it’s here—and I am not going to stop fighting to make sure we
continue doing right by our workers, our businesses, and our economy.
“Because
I know they deserve nothing less.
“Thank
you.”
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