The U.S. has brought its largest-ever congressional delegation—10 senators and 13 House representatives— to the Paris Airshow to demonstrate the country’s leadership in aerospace. Along with more than 400 exhibiting companies, the U.S. presence also includes federal agencies such as the Department of Defense, NASA, and the Department of Commerce, as well as state-level economic development branches.
During a media briefing with the delegation on Monday morning at the Aerospace Industries Association chalet, Senate commerce aviation subcommittee ranking member Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) commented on the magnitude of the U.S. presence. He stressed that the group is “bipartisan and bicameral” and aims to show that the U.S. can “compete and innovate with the rest of the world,” calling the country the “gold standard in aviation and aerospace.”
Moran proudly promoted Kansas’s contribution to aerospace, noting that about a quarter of all U.S. exhibiting companies this week in Paris hail from the state. “Many of these are small businesses and, for them, these airshows have been a success,” he said. “Kansas has an increased presence at this year’s show and we’re ready to do business.”
Moran said the country’s heavy presence this week at Le Bourget “showcases the role that the U.S. provides in a dangerous world.” Ukraine was top of mind among the delegates, who pledged continued support of military hardware to Ukraine to fend off the invasion from Russia.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) added that “Ukraine is a just war for the U.S. to be involved in, and we’re in it to win it. Actually, I call it Putin’s war.”
The delegation, which also notably includes Rep. Sam Graves (R-Missouri) and Rick Larsen (D-Washington) of the House aviation subcommittee, will meet on Tuesday with French President Emmanuel Macron. While they didn't have a single message for Macron, they each planned on broaching continued financial and military hardware support for Ukraine and stress that the U.S. will always support its allies.