Washington, D.C. - Today U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) issued the following statement regarding the parent company of Airbus announcing its search for a U.S. site to build the next generation of aerial refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force. 

“The Air Force needs to put new refueling tankers in the air. And we need to keep U.S. jobs here on the ground.  We need to ensure a fair and competitive bidding process to get us there.

“Boeing employs the best-trained aerospace workers in the world. Those employees have already developed the technology to meet an immediate national security need by turning the Boeing 767 into the next generation of Air Force tankers.

“Boeing has the technology and the workforce to build a superior product. And Boeing is an American company that provides American jobs.

“Airbus is trying to take advantage of a situation in order to shut down Boeing and take away those jobs-many of which are in Everett, Washington.

“I will continue my efforts in Congress to support Boeing and the good-paying jobs the company provides to my constituents.

“The need for new tankers is an American problem, and its solution should be American.”

Larsen represents Washington’s 2nd Congressional District that includes the Everett Boeing plant.