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    Breaking

    FY 07 Defense Appropriatons Conf. Report Includes Funding For 10 More C-17s, Brings Total Procurement To 22 New Aircraft


    (Sept. 21, 2006, updated from breaking into Sept. 22) -- The office of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D., CA) conveyed word at late afternoon today (Sept. 21) that the FY’07 Defense Appropriations Conference Report includes funding for production of 10 additional C-17s, bringing total procurement (if the House and Senate approve the bill as expected) to 22 new aircraft.

    USAF Photo

    CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's office issued a similarly upbeat release (details below).

    [update] In an early evening conference call arranged by the Governor's office for stakeholders and media, Melissa Decker, Deputy Director of the Governor's Washington, D.C. office indicated she believes the additional Congressional orders should extend the LB C-17 work into 2009...one year longer than previously assumed.

    A release from Boeing itself remains pending as we post.

    During the conference call, CA Business, Transportation & Housing Secretary Sunne McPeak expressly acknowledged the work of LB city officials. "We want to particularly thank obviously the leadership from the City of Long Beach, Mayor O'Neill and now Mayor Foster and your entire team have been so involved and absolutely in the lead on C17," Secretary McPeak said.

    LB City Hall had activated a "red team" and lobbied Capitol Hill heavily on behalf of continued funding for the C-17 manufactured at Boeing's LB plant. City Hall's FY 07 budget documents indicate that Boeing is the city's largest employer with 9,175 employees as of May 2005; LBUSD ranks second with 9,050 workers; the City of LB is third with 5,749. (Source: Proposed FY 07 LB City Budget, p. 5.)

    Among those taking part in the conference call was LB's Assistant City Manager Christine Shippey who said, "I just wanted to thank everyone for their efforts. It was a full court press for everyone and I think it's paid off, and it's very important to the city, the region and the state, so thank you very much."

    Also heard was Robert Swayzee of the City's Economic Development bureau, who said "I just want to echo what Chris Shippey has just said. We want to express our thanks to the Senator's office, the Governor's office, it was a team effort and we're delighted with the news we've heard today."

    Brandon Kline, VP of Public Policy for the LB Area Chamber of Commerce, thanked the Governor's office, especially its Washington, DC. office. In a written statement issued, LB Chamber President/CEO Randy Gordon said:

    I am delighted to learn that the US Congress has restored funding for this vital aircraft. The business community of Long Beach welcomes this news; we fully understand that it would not have been possible without the lobbying efforts of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as well as the local coalition of community leaders assembled by the Chamber and led by Mayor Bob Foster.

    However, at the end of the day, those lobbying efforts would have been in vein, had it not been for the tireless work of Senator Diane Feinstein and the other members of the California Congressional delegation.

    We know the C-17 is essential to the military in the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it is also important here at home for disaster response and homeland security efforts. As Senator Talent correctly pointed out in today’s announcement, our nation obviously does not have the supply of C-17’s that it truly needs, otherwise, the plane would not be operating at 186-percent capacity.

    There are many winners in the wake of this announcement, but the biggest winner is our economy and the over 11,000 workers who rely on the production of the C-17 in our state, as well as the thousands of employees across the country.

    Ms. Decker in the Governor's DC office indicated that the one year extension offers an opportunity to regroup, gain support from Governors and agencies in other states (with C17 related jobs) to urge additional orders and press the Dept. of Defense Dept. and the administration to do an updated study on airlift requirements. She said the last Mobility Study completed by the Dept. of Defense was in 2000....before post-9/11 demands, before the war on terrorism, before base closures and before humanitarian actions (such as Hurricane Katrina) calling on the C17.

    Secretary McPeak added that taxpayer-paid resources in the Governor's office would continue in the effort, inclduing operating an "Office of Military and Aerospace Support" within the Business, Housing and Transportation Agency.

    In August 2006, Boeing announced that production of the giant C17 military cargo/transport aircraft could end at its LB plant in mid-2009 unless Congress provide firm orders for more C17's.

    In an upbeat release today (Sept. 21), Sen. Feinstein said, "The C-17 has been essential to our nation’s combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as our global fight against terror and our international human relief efforts. This funding is critical for continuing its production and it means that the thousands of Californians and others nationwide who are employed in its production will remain secure in their positions."

    Sen. Feinstein's release indicates the Appropriations bill earlier approved by the Senate fully funded procurement of 12 C-17 transport aircraft in the FY07 Defense Appropriations bill, which were requested by the Pentagon, along with an additional three C-17s as part of the $50 billion "bridge fund" for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The House-Senate Conference Report today included funding for an additional seven C-17s in the bridge fund.

    In a release from his office, Governor Schwarzenegger said. "I am very pleased to see that our Congressional leaders realize the importance of this incredible aircraft. I would like to thank Senator Feinstein for her leadership and tireless efforts to continue production of the C-17 in California. This is terrific news for our servicemen and women who rely on this vital resource as they continue to defend our democracy and bring relief to those in need around the world. It is also good news for our economy and over 11,000 workers who rely on the production of the C-17 in our state, as well as the thousands of employees across the country. I continue to be proud of California's role in producing the C-17, one of the most reliable aircraft for both combat and humanitarian relief missions."

    [update] L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe issued the following statement:

    I could not be more pleased by today’s announcement that new funding has been earmarked for the Boeing C-17 program. I want to thank Senator Jim Talent of Missouri for efforts to secure funding to construct 10 additional planes. Thanks also belong to Senator Dianne Feinstein, the California Congressional delegation, Mayor Bob Foster of Long Beach and every elected leader and community leader who have fought hard for this program.

    We know the C-17 is essential to the military in the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it is also important here at home for disaster response and homeland security efforts. As Senator Talent correctly pointed out in today’s announcement, our nation obviously does not have the supply of C-17’s that it truly needs, otherwise, the plane would not be operating at 186-percent capacity.

    Besides the huge potential hit the economy would take from the loss of 6,500 jobs at the Boeing plant in Long Beach, shutting down the C-17 could prove a costly error for National Security. Mistakes have been made in the past from shutting down aircraft production lines and we must make sure we do not make the same mistake again. Shuttering the C-17 plant means the United States would lose its last defense cargo aircraft production facility.

    The release from Supervisor Knabe's office says he serves "as part of the C-17 'Red Team,' a group of local, state and federal elected leaders that are fighting for the continued production of the C-17."

    Boeing reaction is pending as we post. We'll update this page as newsworthy. Check back, click reload or refresh on your browser for latest text.


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