Boeing, which recently asked lawmakers for a massive financial aid package to prop up its industry, could qualify for a special $17 billion slice of the proposed $2 trillion stimulus package.
It’s not clear, however, whether the company would actually take the funds.
The aerospace giant is among the companies that would qualify for the government-backed loans reserved “for businesses critical to maintaining national security,” and the only one that has made it clear that it needs the assistance.
The company is intricately linked to both the US government and the nation’s economy. It is the country’s largest exporter, is a major government contractor, and consistently ranks among the top 10 companies lobbying federal officials, with millions spent annually.
The company has also come under scrutiny from lawmakers and the Federal Aviation Administration after two fatal 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people and internal documents showed the company mocked and belittled its regulators.
Some context: Boeing said last week that “a minimum of $60 billion” in public and private loans is necessary “to manage the pressure on the aviation sector and the economy as a whole.”
It said it would share “much of any liquidity support to Boeing” with its vast network of suppliers.
