[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 17, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H3448]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CALLING FOR THE PREVENTION OF BONUSES PAID TO AIG EXECUTIVES AT 
                           TAXPAYERS' EXPENSE

  (Mr. BUCHANAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, the American people were outraged 
yesterday, and with good reason, when they learned that the bonuses of 
$165 million were going to executives at AIG, an insurance company. 
They are the very executives who drove the company to the ground and 
helped create the economic problems we're facing today. Instead of 
getting bonuses, they should be fired.
  AIG is now 80 percent owned by the Federal Government, which is the 
American people. This is an outrageous injustice at taxpayers' expense.
  I have been in business 30 years. We always pay for results, proven 
results, in this case something that would be a return to the American 
people. But that hasn't happened. This rewards greed and recklessness.
  AIG recently reported in a 2008 fourth quarter more than $60 billion 
in losses, all while the unemployment in America hit a 25-year high.
  I ask the President to use all the power at his disposal to prevent 
these bonuses from being paid at taxpayers' expense.

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