The House has adopted a provision for the Fiscal 2011 defense authorization bill that would require the Defense Department to factor “any unfair competitive advantage an offeror may possess” in the Air Force’s KC-X tanker competition. This would compel Pentagon officials to weigh the World Trade Organization’s March ruling on aircraft subsidies in its evaluation of the KC-X bids expected from Boeing and EADS North America. WTO found that European aircraft maker Airbus, a part of EADS, has received improper subsidies from European governments, which Boeing supporters say places Boeing at an unfair advantage. Pentagon officials thus far have kept the US-Europe subsidies dispute out of KC-X. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) introduced the measure May 27 on the House floor on behalf of a bipartisan group of members, including Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) who was instrumental in its formulation. It overwhelmingly passed 410-8. (Inslee statement)
The Pentagon plans to use U.S. Air Force C-17s and C-130s to deport 5,400 people currently detained by Customs and Border Protection, officials announced Jan. 22, the first act in President Donald Trump’s sweeping promise to crack down on undocumented immigrants and increase border security.