Jeff Merkley Announces Plan to Reverse Bad Tanker Deal

Boeing Deal Could Create 225 Oregon Jobs

Portland--Joined by a leader of the union representing Boeing workers in Oregon, House Speaker Jeff Merkley today announced a plan to reverse a U.S. Air Force tanker deal worth nearly $40 billion. The deal, which went to a European plane maker that worked closely with allies of Senator John McCain, was widely expected to go to Boeing and could have created 225 jobs here in Oregon. (See PDF report.)

"American tax dollars should not be used to outsource American jobs and create family-wage jobs overseas," said House Speaker Jeff Merkley. "This is a threat to our national security and it is one more sign that our country and our government in Washington D.C. have gotten severely off track. I am urging Congress to launch a full investigation, strengthen the Buy American Act to ensure that this never happens again, and end the unfair trade agreements that have sent 70,000 Oregon jobs overseas."

Jeff Merkley's plan will:

Call on Congress to launch a full investigation into the awarding of this contract. Right now the Government Accountability Office is reviewing this matter and will report back soon. Immediately following the GAO report, Congress should hold hearings to figure out how American workers lost this deal. Merkley is urging members of Congress to join Rep. John Murtha, Chairman of the House Military Appropriation Committee to block funding for the tanker project unless the Air Force, following a full congressional examination, can make a compelling case for the decision.

Immediately strengthen the Buy American Act. Over the last several decades special interests have weakened important safeguards that protect American workers. The Buy American Act is a 70 year old law that that protects American workers by ensuring our government is purchasing quality domestically produced goods over foreign goods.

End the unfair trade agreements that have cost Oregon more than 70,000 manufacturing jobs. Gordon Smith has failed to oppose every single one of these bad trade deals, including NAFTA, CAFTA, GATT, Most-Favored Nation Status for China, and the WTO.

Read more about the Buy American Act.

In 2003, the special interest won a critical battle against the Buy American Act, when Gordon Smith cast the deciding vote for John McCain's amendment to encourage outsourcing by exempting the Department of Defense from the Buy American Act. The final vote in the U.S. Senate was 50-48. [Senate vote #191, 5/21/03] Had he voted against the amendment, Gordon Smith could have prevented family-wage jobs from being sent overseas.

Jeff is working with Senator Patty Murray of Washington, who is helping to lead the charge to reverse this bad deal. The United States has already filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization against European government subsidies that go to Airbus.

Jeff Merkley spent his early years in rural communities where the children of loggers and mill workers learned the value of honest work, good neighbors, and strong families. Jeff earned scholarships and became the first in his family to go to college. To stop nuclear proliferation, he went on to serve as a national security analyst, first for the Pentagon and then for Congress. After returning to Oregon with his wife Mary, Jeff led Habitat for Humanity and worked with low-income families to rebuild neighborhoods and purchase their first home.

Eighteen months ago, Jeff led a band of progressives to take control of the Oregon House and became the first Democratic speaker in sixteen years. The Register-Guard called Jeff's session as speaker "one of the most productive in decades." He fought special interests to make health care more affordable, clamped down on pay day loan scams, passed landmark environmental legislation, and created thousands of family-supporting jobs in Oregon.

Today, Speaker Merkley lives in East Multnomah County with Mary and their two children, Jonathan age eleven and Brynne age ten.

Posted March 17, 2008
Press