[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 185 (Wednesday, December 10, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10842]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           AUTOMOBILE PACKAGE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, let me pick up on the issue the 
majority leader was discussing. Of course, we are not going to agree to 
expedite a procedure to a bill we have not read. The fundamental 
problem here--I know this is not the majority leader's fault--is we 
have not been able to get a copy of the bill that we believe represents 
an agreement that has been reached between congressional Democrats and 
the White House on the automobile package.
  Until we get the actual bill and can read it, it is unrealistic to 
expect that I can ask my Members to advance consideration of the bill 
until we know what is in it. So as soon as we can have a look at it--we 
will be having a conference today on my side. Hopefully, we will have 
the bill by then. But as of this morning, we still have not seen a 
final version of the bill. Once we do, we will review it and see if it 
meets our standard for support, which will be the taxpayers' standard 
for support.
  But as I indicated--and the majority leader has already picked up on 
that--there cannot be a vote on the legislation today because we do not 
know what it looks like.
  On a bill this critical, with so much taxpayer money at stake, we 
cannot rush this through without adequate review. We are happy to begin 
the review process as soon as we get a product. My Members will be 
discussing the merits of the latest version of the plan, as I 
indicated, at our weekly policy lunch, which will occur today around 
noon. So this afternoon I expect to have some more substantive thoughts 
on this latest proposal's chances for support within the Republican 
conference. We will address this issue before the end of the week. I 
agree with the majority leader on that.
  For those who need a refresher, let me remind everyone of the 
Republican criteria for this legislation: First and foremost, we will 
not let taxpayers spend their hard-earned money on ailing car makers 
unless these companies are forced to reform their bad habits, either 
inside or outside bankruptcy.
  This means workers will not be paid not to work, it means a final 
bill would not interfere with pending environmental lawsuits in a one-
sided manner, and it means struggling car companies will have to 
rationalize their cost structures because a company that does not 
respond to market conditions is a company that is doomed to failure 
anyway. Republicans will not allow taxpayers to subsidize failure.
  As I have said repeatedly, my Republican colleagues and I wish to put 
struggling car makers on a path to long-term success, but, obviously, 
there will not be widespread support for a plan that does not do that.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I say in response to my friend, the 
distinguished Republican leader, we have had cooperation in moving 
forward on this legislation. I have not been a big fan of the White 
House, as everyone knows, for the last 8 years. But they have, in good 
faith, worked with us trying to get a piece of legislation we can bring 
before this body.
  That is one reason it has taken so long. But President Bush is still 
President of the United States. He has tremendous power and rightfully 
so. Senator Obama is not, in any way, wanting to step on that. So this 
is something that is important. I totally understand what the 
Republican leader is saying. If I were in his place, I would do the 
same thing. It is not fair to ask that we move forward on this 
legislation without people having the opportunity to read it and study 
it and talk to others about what is in it.
  I would hope, through, after we get the legislation, we can work 
something out to expedite the procedural matters. No one is under the 
illusion that we can do it on a simple majority; we are going to have 
to get 60 votes. I hope there is support from both sides of the aisle. 
I am fairly confident there will be. We will, later tonight, revisit 
what we might be able to do tomorrow and/or Friday to complete this 
legislation. We will do our very utmost to get this legislation 
completed so the Republican leader can take to his caucus the document 
so people can start, hopefully even before that, poring through it.
  I have said so many times this thing is done, it is on its way, and 
have been disappointed when my staff says: Well, there are a few more 
issues that have come up. I think that has ended. I certainly hope so. 
I hope that at 12:30, when we recess, both the Republicans and the 
Democrats have a piece of legislation they can look at.

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