[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 70 (Thursday, May 7, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5255-S5256]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         DOMESTIC AUTO INDUSTRY

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, it is critically important to the 
country and to my State of Wisconsin that we do everything we can to 
preserve an American auto manufacturing industry. The domestic auto 
industry has been vital to the economic development of Wisconsin for 
much of the last century, but that industry is undergoing a rapid 
restructuring right now, and I am very concerned about how this 
restructuring will affect communities in Wisconsin.
  We need an American auto industry, but it can't be American in name 
only. American jobs must be protected. Unfortunately, the auto 
restructuring plans that have been put forward contain proposals that 
ship jobs overseas. That is not acceptable to me or to my constituents. 
The taxpayer dollars that are propping up the industry should be used 
to preserve family-supporting jobs in Wisconsin and around the country.
  My State of Wisconsin has been hard hit by the troubles in the auto 
industry over the past year. There are two major auto plants located in 
my State--a General Motors plant in my hometown of Janesville, and a 
Chrysler engine plant in Kenosha. In addition, there are a dozen 
companies in Wisconsin that support these two plants, including supply 
companies and car dealers.
  Both the Janesville and Kenosha plants have received grim news from 
GM and Chrysler over the past year, including last year's announcement 
that production would cease at the GM Janesville plant and this week's 
statement that the Kenosha engine plant would close at the end of 2010.
  The Wisconsin community, including workers, economic development 
officials, technical colleges, workforce development groups, Governor 
Doyle, the Federal congressional delegation, and others have mobilized 
to assist these communities in the larger region in responding to this 
troubling news from both GM and Chrysler.
  I supported carving out some of the Wall Street bailout funds to help 
U.S. automakers because unlike the money heading to Wall Street firms, 
the money provided to the automakers actually had a chance of 
preserving essential jobs in the United States. But that doesn't mean 
we should give auto companies a blank check, which is why I said that 
any Federal assistance provided to the automakers should come with 
requirements that the industry reform itself, including producing more 
fuel efficient cars that Americans are now demanding. When Congress 
failed to pass legislation to provide Federal loans to the auto 
industry, I applauded then-President Bush for stepping in and using 
some of the Wall Street bailout money to help the auto industry while 
also requiring that the companies submit restructuring plans.
  Frankly, I am appalled that the automakers that received taxpayer 
assistance are not prioritizing the retention of American jobs, 
including jobs in Wisconsin. Over the past several months, I have heard 
concerns from the workers at the Chrysler Kenosha Engine Plant that 
work that Chrysler had promised to assign to the Kenosha plant might no 
longer actually be assigned to the Kenosha plant. At the same time, 
Kenosha's workforce told me that the same work would likely continue as 
scheduled at a plant in Mexico.
  In response to these concerns, I led a letter in early April, 
cosigned by Senator Kohl, Representative Ryan, and Representative 
Moore, to Secretary Geithner and National Economic Council Director 
Larry Summers. The letter urged the administration to consider 
including a priority for saving auto manufacturing jobs in the United 
States as the administration worked with the auto companies to craft 
restructuring plans. I received a response from Secretary Geithner that 
said it was the administration's hope that any Chrysler restructuring 
deal ``will help ensure that we retain as many Chrysler jobs as 
possible in Wisconsin . . . .''
  Despite this assurance, the Kenosha community found out through media 
last week that in fact no Chrysler jobs would be retained at the 
Kenosha Engine Plant. Instead the Kenosha community was informed that 
the Kenosha plant would close by the end of 2010 while a Mexican plant 
slated to build the same product that has been promised to the Kenosha 
facility would remain open.
  This news, which was not heard directly from the company itself, 
outraged the Kenosha community and other Wisconsinites who believe that 
their tax dollars should not be used to save jobs overseas, but should 
instead be used to save jobs in the United States and in Wisconsin--and 
rightly so. The Federal delegation, State and local officials, and the 
Kenosha workforce are united in working together to try to persuade the 
administration and Chrysler to reconsider this terrible decision.
  I understand tough decisions need to be made as these companies 
restructure themselves. But both Chrysler and GM have received billions 
of American taxpayer dollars since December and the companies as well 
as the administration need to take steps to help ensure that those 
taxpayer dollars are being utilized for the purpose they were 
intended--to save American jobs. If Chrysler is going to close the 
Kenosha plant as well as other domestic plants while keeping its 
overseas facilities open, then we need to think seriously about whether 
it is in the interest of the American taxpayers to provide continued 
financial assistance to the company.
  There may still be some hope for the Chrysler Engine Plant in Kenosha 
and the GM Assembly Plant in Janesville, and other American plants--if 
the administration steps up. The Janesville community is waiting to 
hear whether or not the incentive package it presented to GM will be 
accepted and the Kenosha community is waiting to hear whether 
Chrysler's decision to close the Kenosha plant will be reconsidered. 
Over the years, both the Kenosha and Janesville workers have been 
commended for their productivity, their creativity, and their 
willingness to negotiate fairly with the management at each plant and 
both communities are great locations for retooled auto companies to 
thrive in the future.
  The first priority of any company receiving Federal taxpayer 
assistance should be to preserve jobs within the United States and I 
call upon the administration, Chrysler, and GM to reexamine their 
restructuring plans to make the preservation of U.S. jobs the top 
priority of these plans. I will continue to do all I can to support 
Wisconsin's workers and local communities in their efforts both to 
respond to these decisions and to ensure these auto companies 
prioritize saving auto manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin as the 
restructuring process moves forward in the coming days and weeks.
  I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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