Washington, D.C.

Study of antimissile devices for commercial jets proposed

The Bush administration is being urged to spend $60 million researching the feasibility of devices to protect commercial planes from shoulder-fired missiles.

Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., chairman of the House Appropriations homeland security subcommittee, will submit a plan for funding the Homeland Security Department today that will include the money for the antimissile devices, according to a congressional staffer who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

He wants to make sure the anti-missile program for commercial aircraft is funded, the staffer said.

The Homeland Security Department said in May it should cost no more than $60 million in fiscal 2004 to award contracts, figure out how the devices could be integrated with airplanes and assess their performance against the possible threat, according to a report to Congress obtained by The Associated Press.

Washington

Boeing tax break OK’d

Washington lawmakers approved a $3.2 billion tax break for the aerospace industry Wednesday night as an eye-popping enticement for Boeing to built its newest jet in Olympia.

The Senate gave overwhelming 42-1 approval to a series of tax incentives aimed at sweetening the state’s all-out bid to secure an assembly plant for the proposed 7E7 jet. The bill cleared the House in the early hours of the morning Wednesday, so it goes to Gov. Gary Locke for his signature.

The tax breaks, which take effect only if Boeing assembles the 7E7 in Washington, include a 40 percent cut in business taxes, research and development tax credits and lower property taxes. The phased-in breaks are worth about $400 million over the next six years and potentially an estimated $3.2 billion over 20 years.

In Kansas, also competing for the 7E7 project, Boeing Wichita would be eligible for $500 million in bonds from the state if the company were able to secure work on the project and hire at least 4,000 employees related to the job.

Washington, D.C.

Polls suggest Bush lead over Democrats substantial

President Bush hads a consistent double-digit lead over his Democratic rivals despite growing public concerns about his handling of the economy, new polls suggest.

Bush’s job approval was at 58 percent in a new Quinnipiac University national poll, while it remains in the low to mid 60s in other recent polls, including a bipartisan poll taken for National Public Radio and released Tuesday.

When Bush is matched against an unnamed Democratic nominee or against several of the leading Democrats in the race, he holds a lead ranging from 13 points against Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman to 15 points against an unnamed Democrat to slightly more against Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt or Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry.

Half in the NPR poll said they would vote to re-elect Bush, while about a third, 35 percent, said they would vote for the Democratic nominee.

The Quinnipiac poll of 865 registered voters was taken from June 4-9 and has an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points, larger for subgroups like Democrats.