From time to time my office distributes press releases and written statements on state and national issues, debate in the Senate, and legislation that I am working on. For your convenience, I post these documents on my site for your review.
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Sessions Comments on Tanker Decision
“I’m deeply disappointed that the Department of Defense has given the impression that it has blinked in the face of political pressure. As I have said repeatedly, the Department must remain steadfast in its commitment to a fair competition, free of political interference, aimed at selecting the aircraft that best meets the needs of the military. That was the Secretary’s position as recently as a month ago, and it is unthinkable that he would reverse course now.
“While the Department may have found some legitimacy to Boeing’s request for more time, such a determination does not justify cancelling the contract or punting the selection to the next
administration. Acquisition officials have worked hard to address the narrow procedural problems identified by the GAO, and abandoning this process now only throws the competition further into a state of confusion.
“A decision to delay this competition is inconsistent with previous statements by Air Force officials that the tanker is their number one acquisition priority. Ultimately, our men and women in uniform who urgently need these new airplanes stand to lose the most as a result of further delay.
“The Air Force originally determined that the Northrop Grumman/EADS proposal was the best aircraft for the military, and I remain convinced that its selection was justified. The successful conclusion of this competition remains my top priority.”
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