Tue, Dec 22, 2009
125 Members Say Airbus "Should Not Benefit From Illegal
Subsidies"
A letter written by Congressmen Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) (below)
and Norm Dicks (D-WA), and signed by 123 other members of
Congress, tells President Barack Obama Congress will "protect
American jobs" when the WTO’s final ruling confirms that
Airbus products were illegally subsidized. Tiahrt and Dicks, along
with 123 of their colleagues, wrote that U.S. policies should not
reward foreign governments or companies that benefited from illegal
subsidies. The letter was sent Friday.

Congressman Tiahrt said, "Current U.S. policies reward foreign
governments and companies involved in illegal subsidy dealings
while putting skilled American workers at a huge competitive
disadvantage. This is unacceptable. When the WTO confirms what we
have known for years, Congress must swiftly respond to ensure
companies entangled in illegal practices, such as Airbus, are not
allowed to compete against American jobs."
Congressman Dicks (below) said, "Since the WTO’s
interim panel has agreed with our U.S. Trade Representative that
the illegal Airbus subsidies have caused material harm and taken
jobs from American workers, it is difficult to explain how the
Pentagon can ignore the obvious implications for the tanker
contract. We’ve got to have a level playing field."

"Your U.S. Trade Representative – Ambassador Ron Kirk
– recently stated that these illegal subsidies "caused
adverse effects to the interests of the United States," the letter
states. "As a result, our nation’s industries and workers
have suffered. It is imperative that Federal government policies
work to ensure a level playing field, allowing U.S. businesses to
be competitive in the global economy. These policies should enable
further development of the skills and capacity of the American
workforce and create jobs here at home. Our policies should not
reward foreign governments or companies that benefited from illegal
subsidies."
Boeing, not surprisingly, had a positive reaction to the
letter. "Boeing is encouraged to see such strong bipartisan
congressional support for U.S. action to end the illegal subsidies
that European governments have for decades provided to Airbus at
the expense of American industry and its workers," the company said
in a news release. "Despite an imminent final WTO ruling on illegal
subsidies, Airbus appears poised to extend and continue the
practice of using illegal subsidies for its new aircraft, the A350.
This new plane directly targets America's aerospace industry and
the tens of thousands of workers who design and build aircraft in
the United States."
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