Gates Urges Movement on Arms Buyer NominationApril 14, 2009
 Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he expects the nomination of Ashton Carter as the Pentagon's chief arms buyer to move through the U.S. Senate soon, according to a report from ABCNews.com. While the Senate Armed Services Committee approved Carter's nomination earlier this month, several senators are holding up the process, citing concern over the controversial and long-delayed $35 billion competition between Boeing and Northrop Grumman to build a new generation of aerial refueling tankers. Republican senators Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby of Alabama have slowed the nomination because they said they are still seeking answers about how transparent the competition will be. Northrop Grumman planned to build the refueling tankers in Alabama. Gates said that he planned to move forward with the tanker competition soon, and he would let lawmakers review and give feedback on the revised competition proposals before opening up the bidding. "At a time when most of the Congress believes there is a need for acquisition reform in the Department of Defense, to delay the confirmation of the person who is the most needed in that effort clearly is counter-productive," Gates told reporters. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jerry Fleshman) |
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