Alabama senators block confirmation of Defense nominee
Lawmakers want assurance that top weapons buyer will conduct a fair and open competition for aerial refueling tanker contract.
Citing concerns over the upcoming competition for the lucrative contract to build aerial refueling tankers for the Air Force, Alabama's two Republican senators are blocking the confirmation of Ashton Carter, the Obama administration's nominee to be the Pentagon's top weapons buyer.
A team led by Northrop Grumman and EADS, the European consortium behind Airbus, won the contract last year and planned to build the tankers in Alabama. But the Government Accountability Office upheld a protest filed by Boeing Co., the losing bidder, forcing the Pentagon to announce another competition for aircraft.
"It is of the utmost importance that the new tanker competition be conducted in an open and transparent manner based on a best value process," Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said in a statement Friday. "Before the new request for proposals is issued, we should have every assurance from Dr. Carter that the Department of Defense will proceed fairly to ensure our warfighters receive the most capable tanker possible."
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., also issued a statement saying he has "unanswered questions" about Carter's commitment to holding a fair and open competition.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., whose panel voted Wednesday to back Carter's confirmation, postponed plans to have the Senate vote late Thursday after Shelby told him he wanted to speak with Carter about his concerns.
"He has made a commitment that he will do so as quickly as he possibly can after the recess so we can hopefully get to this nomination very promptly," Levin said of Shelby.