[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 45 (Monday, March 16, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S3099]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              AIG BONUSES

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, regarding the AIG bonuses, it is hard 
to overstate the outrage that I and others experienced over the weekend 
to learn that AIG, which already has received nearly $175 billion from 
the American taxpayer, is planning to hand out $165 million in bonuses 
to its employees. This is absolutely appalling, and it is particularly 
disturbing given the fact that I sent a letter to Secretary Paulson 
more than 5 months ago insisting that if taxpayers were going to help 
private businesses, then the Treasury would need to use its ``full 
enforcement powers to prevent any misuse of taxpayer funds.''
  The administration needs to get the message from the taxpayers on 
this issue. Going forward, the American people need to have complete 
certainty that taxpayer money is not wasted in this particular manner 
again. It is my hope the administration will continue to press AIG on 
these bonuses and that it will pursue any and all lawful means of 
recovering these payments to the very people who were responsible for 
creating this mess in the first place.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. SESSIONS. I thank the Chair.

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