A Group Of 18 Hopes To Convince Appropriators To Buy 12 More Cargo Planes

In a letter sent Thursday to Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye(D-HI) and ranking member Thad Cochran (R-MS), a group of 18 senators urged the committee to add funding for an additional 12 C-17 Globemaster III cargo planes to the DoD appropriations bill. The C-17 "has been critical in transporting troops and equipment to and from Iraq and Afghanistan and we do not see airlift needs abating anytime soon," the letter said.  

C-17 Globemaster III

Government Executive reports that many of the senators signing the bill represent states that would benefit from continuing the program. The Boeing-built aircraft has enjoyed wide popularity among members of congress, however President Obama has said that the 205 aircraft already flying or on order are sufficient for the nation's military airlift needs.

"We are concerned that without additional funding, our aerospace engineering, design and manufacturing base will atrophy, putting at risk our competitiveness in the global market, our ability to address future airlift requirements and put at risk 30,000 American jobs stretched across 43 states," the senators wrote.

The House version of the DoD spending bill includes $674 million for three C-17s.

FMI: http://appropriations.senate.gov