Washington Governor Gregoire's Statement From Boeing Rally Today

March 19, 2008 -- EVERETT – Washington Governor Chris Gregoire delivered the following statement to a rally of Boeing workers this afternoon in Everett.

“As a kid growing up in Auburn, I already knew you were the men and women who made those great airplanes I saw up in the sky, the best airplanes in the world. Two weeks ago I was truly shocked that the U.S. Department of Defense apparently doesn’t know that.

“I couldn’t believe, and still can’t believe, that our own federal government decided to ship thousands of jobs overseas.

“We hope to learn — and we are learning — how the Air Force could mistakenly decide to turn its back on Boeing.

“Boeing has terrific, skillful, innovative workers. We have the workers, we have the design, we have the company, and we have the history to build refueling tankers, as we have done since the middle of the last century.

“We need the federal government to support our own state investments in skills and research that have gone into Boeing products over the years. The state budget I’ll be signing soon contains $3 million for aerospace apprenticeship training. We will make sure we always have the best aerospace workers in the world.

“And I also will be signing on Friday legislation (Senate Bill 6828) that provides a variety of tax incentives to our thriving aerospace industry to make sure we remain the best state in which to make airplanes.

“We support aerospace workers in this state. But we need the federal government’s support, too.

“I stand ready to help in any way I can to bring these jobs home to Washington where they belong.”

Source: Washington Governor

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