Sacramento – The California State Senate today on a 40-0 vote passed Assembly Joint Resolution 32 by Assembly Member Karnette urging the President and Congress to fund the Boeing C-17 production program.  AJR 32 had previously passed the Assembly on a 75-0 vote.  The resolution will now be sent directly to the President and Congress.

“The C-17 is a proven workhorse that plays a crucial role in the Global War on Terrorism, as well as countless humanitarian and peacekeeping missions,” said Karnette.  “Long Beach and other California cities that support aircraft production need the President and Congress to provide the necessary funding to keep the C-17 production line running.”

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Transport Jet is the last large military aircraft production line left in the United States and the last remaining aircraft manufacturing facility in California.  Boeing has delivered 164 of the 190 C-17 aircrafts under its current contract with the Pentagon, with the remaining aircraft to be delivered in August 2009.  Unless Boeing receives a commitment from the federal government in the coming months to produce additional C-17 aircraft, it will be forced to close down the production line once the current order is completed, resulting in significant job losses and negative impacts to the regional, state and national economy.

Those who support the production of the C-17, both in California and throughout the nation, possess unique knowledge and skills that have been developed over the life of the program and will be lost if production ceases.  High-ranking generals and the Pentagon’s independent Defense Science Board Experts agree it will be nearly impossible to restart the production line when the program becomes needed again in the future once it has already been shut down. 

The C-17 program has over 650 suppliers in 42 states, employs approximately 30,000 people and has a national economic impact of over $8.4 billion.  Boeing employs approximately 5,500 in Long Beach, where the C-17 is built. Numerous suppliers in California help produce the C-17 and employ approximately 5,300 workers.

“Given the importance of the C-17 to the nation’s security and economy, it would be a tremendous mistake to force Boeing to discontinue its production,” said Karnette.