April 7, 2005: Headlines: Figures: Figures: COS - Dominican Republic: Politics: Congress: Connecticut Post: In what a fellow Democrat referred to as a "sneak attack," Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., won Senate approval for a measure that essentially took a slap at AgustaWestland Sikorsky Aircraft's Marine One nemesis
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April 7, 2005: Headlines: Figures: Figures: COS - Dominican Republic: Politics: Congress: Connecticut Post: In what a fellow Democrat referred to as a "sneak attack," Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., won Senate approval for a measure that essentially took a slap at AgustaWestland Sikorsky Aircraft's Marine One nemesis
In what a fellow Democrat referred to as a "sneak attack," Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., won Senate approval for a measure that essentially took a slap at AgustaWestland Sikorsky Aircraft's Marine One nemesis
In what a fellow Democrat referred to as a "sneak attack," Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., won Senate approval for a measure that essentially took a slap at AgustaWestland Sikorsky Aircraft's Marine One nemesis
Dodd slips in amendment against Marine One winner
Schumer calls tactic 'sneak attack'
PETER URBAN purban@ctpost.com
WASHINGTON In what a fellow Democrat referred to as a "sneak attack," Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., won Senate approval for a measure that essentially took a slap at AgustaWestland Sikorsky Aircraft's Marine One nemesis.
The Dodd amendment would prohibit companies involved in the manufacture of the Marine One presidential helicopter from doing business with Iran, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Cuba or North Korea, countries that the State Department says sponsor terrorism.
"We cannot afford for critical American technology to fall into the hands of terrorist states," Dodd said.
Dodd offered the amendment in response to recent news reports that representatives of Finmeccanica, the Italian conglomerate behind the AgustaWestland EH-101, attended an air show in Kish, Iran, hoping to do business with that nation.
Dodd pointed out that President Bush has named Iran a member of the "Axis of Evil" and the State Department claims it is a sponsor of international terrorism.
Sen. Dick Lugar, R-Ind., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, accepted the Dodd amendment, which was co-sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., without objection Wednesday afternoon. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who was on the Senate floor when Dodd offered the amendment, spoke up about a half-hour later to complain.
"This is a sneak attack we knew nothing about," Schumer said. "It is just not the right way to do business."
The Navy recently awarded the presidential helicopter contract to a team, led by Lockheed Martin, that is offering a version of the EH-101 for Marine One. Much of the systems integration work for the US-101 will be done at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, N.Y.
Lugar said that when he accepted the amendment, without calling for a roll-call vote, he presumed that there was no Democratic opposition to it.
"I am hopeful the senators from New York and Connecticut may be able to agree on a course of action," Lugar said. "The amendment was offered and accepted legitimately in due course."
The amendment, which was tacked on to a bill authorizing $34 billion in spending on foreign aid and State Department operations for 2006, faces an uncertain future.
Sen. John Warner, R-Va. and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he plans to work with Schumer and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., to address the issue before the Senate disposes of the overall bill.
"I can assure you we will employ every parliamentary device available to us to see this is rectified," Warner said. "This was not done in a manner consistent with what we normally do around here."
Warner said the amendment, if allowed to stand, could impede the Navy's ability to fulfill the contract it has signed to replace the current fleet of presidential helicopters. He also objected to having the amendment agreed to without first clearing it through his committee, which has jurisdiction over the Pentagon.
A spokesman for Finmeccanica told the Connecticut Post last month that the company has a clear policy forbidding any sale of military systems to Iran by Finmeccanica or its subsidiaries.
"Finmeccanica won't sell any helicopter or helicopter system to Iran. We are good partners of the United States. Absolutely," said Gino Colangelo, executive vice president of the DePlano Group in New York City, which represents the Italian aerospace company.
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Story Source: Connecticut Post
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