For Immediate Release

October 23, 2002

DEFENSE BILL SIGNING BOOSTS BOEING, STATE PROGRAMS

TACOMA, WA – President Bush’s signature on the Fiscal Year 2003 Defense Appropriations bill allows Defense Department funds to be spent for new purchases of Boeing-built fighter and cargo aircraft, in addition to clearing up uncertainty over a plan to lease 100 Boeing 767s to be used as Air Force refueling tankers, U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks said Wednesday.

          The defense bill includes specific direction to the Pentagon resolving an accounting question – over “termination liability” – that has thus far hindered the final approval of the tanker lease arrangement, approved in last year’s defense bill, Rep. Dicks said. 

          It also provides funds for many other Boeing defense programs, including:   

• A major boost in funding for acquisition of new C-17 cargo aircraft.  The Pentagon will spend $3.3 billion in this fiscal year purchasing 15 more C-17s. 
• $5.25 billion for continued R&D and for purchase of 23 of the F-22 next generation fighter aircraft, built jointly by Boeing and Lockheed;
• $3.2 billion for 46 F/A-18 fighter aircraft;
• $598 million Boeing’s Airborne Laser program, an amount that includes the purchase of a Boeing 747 aircraft. 
• $63 million for the purchase of one Boeing 737 to be used by the Navy for a designated C-40 transport aircraft. 
• $812 million for development of the Army’s Future Combat System.  Boeing was selected earlier this year as the lead systems integrator for the Future Combat System, a new program that is identifying the promising systems and technologies for achieving the Army's vision of fielding an "objective force" beginning this decade. 
  

          At a White House ceremony this morning, President Bush signed the $355.4 billion defense spending bill along with a bill to finance military construction projects in the next year.  The measure also includes $907.8 million in continued funding for conversion of the four retiring Trident submarines into cruise missile carrying attack platforms, designated SSGNs.  Conversion work on two of the Tridents will be done at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton starting next year.   

          The President’s signature on the bill also sets up an interesting conflict regarding the Army’s new Stryker interim armored combat vehicle, currently being tested at Fort Lewis, Rep. Dicks said.  Language in the legislation – now law – requires the Pentagon to maintain “no less than six” Stryker brigades, countering a budget-slashing effort by the Pentagon’s program analysis director Dr. Stephen Cambone to field only three brigades.  Rep. Dicks, who supported the addition of the Stryker language in the Defense bill, said “This rapidly-deployable vehicle is critical to the Army’s transformation strategy and it is one of the highest priorities of (Army Chief of Staff) General Shinseki." 

          Along with the Defense Appropriations bill, President Bush signed legislation that provides $10.5 billion in military construction spending at bases in the U.S. and worldwide, including $278.4 million that will be spent at Washington State military bases.

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