Murtha visits Boeing plants

SEATTLE, Wash. - U.S. Rep. John Murtha toured the 767 final assembly at the Boeing factory in Everett as part of a fact-finding mission for replacing the Air Force's fleet of KC-135 tankers. Murtha, D-Pa. and chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, was invited by Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash. Murtha also toured the 737 and P-8A Poseidon aircraft facilities in Renton. (Source: Boeing, 02/16/09) Gulf Coast note: Last month Murtha visited Mobile, Ala., to see the site where the Northrop Grumman/EADS team hopes to build the plane. Both teams are competing to build the tanker. During that visit Murtha said he favored splitting the contract between the two teams.