[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 18, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H3532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IT IS TIME TO TAKE BACK TAXPAYER MONEY FROM AIG

  (Mrs. DAHLKEMPER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the 
hardworking families of my district and the State of Pennsylvania who, 
like me, are shocked and outraged by recent actions taken by the 
insurance company, AIG.
  Mr. Speaker, the current economic downturn has been especially 
difficult for my constituents. Traveling across my district, I have 
heard the same story from far too many middle-class families about how 
they are bearing the brunt of our faltering economy. Paychecks can't 
stretch far enough anymore to make payments on the mortgage, buy 
groceries, and pay the utility bills. In fact, many of my constituents 
who have worked hard and played by the rules have had to take a pay cut 
simply to keep their jobs.
  My constituents work hard and meet their responsibilities every day, 
and they don't have the benefit of government bailouts or multimillion-
dollar bonuses. However, they have seen their hard-earned tax dollars 
go to bail out companies like AIG, whose own greed and recklessness are 
responsible for the economic downturn in the first place.
  Mr. Speaker, it is hard to understand why AIG executives think they 
have earned bonuses in the first place; but, more importantly, how dare 
AIG use tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to reward themselves for 
bad behavior. How can they justify this outrage to taxpayers who are 
keeping their company afloat?
  I say enough is enough. And that is why I am supporting legislation 
that will safeguard the taxpayers' money and hold AIG executives 
accountable once and for all.

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