WASHINGTON -- Representative Jay Inslee, whose district is home to part of Boeing's Everett facility, is leading an hour of debate on the House floor dedicated to a discussion on the tanker deal.

The session is expected to begin at about 2 p.m.

Boeing has filed a protest of the $35 billion Air Force refueling tanker contract that was awarded to Northrop and European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. in February.

Boeing also has launched an aggressive public campaign in recent weeks, seeking to overturn the Air Force contract.

The deal is the first of three Air Force contracts worth as much as $100 billion to replace the fleet of nearly 600 tankers the next 30 years.