[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 105 (Tuesday, July 14, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H8070]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ``GOVERNMENT MOTORS''

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Minnesota (Mrs. Bachmann) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. BACHMANN. Madam Speaker, 2 days after Independence Day, the 
remaining GM dealers in the United States received a letter from the 
General Motors National Dealer Council letting the dealers know that 
the National Dealer Council strongly opposes the Automobile Dealer 
Economic Rights Restoration Act of 2009. It is also called H.R. 2743. 
The letter urged all remaining GM dealers to sign the letter 
immediately, by no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7. They urged the 
dealers to fax it back to the National Dealer Council urging that they 
do not support passage of the restoration of economic rights.
  I have nothing personally against GM or Chrysler, Madam Speaker. 
These are great American companies. But what I do object to is the 
Federal Government effectively taking over these once great companies.
  Last Friday, GM emerged from bankruptcy, Madam Speaker, but do the 
American people even realize that they own a majority share in this 
company, effectively 61 percent, which is why many people now call it 
``Government Motors''? Do they know that 3,400 privately owned 
dealerships were given pink slips essentially by the Federal 
Government? 3,400 dealerships were closed down all across the America, 
not because these dealers were failing? Hardly. In my district dealers 
were experiencing some of their best months ever for sales, high 
customer satisfaction and terrific service.
  Perplexed and bewildered, 3,400 automobile dealers across the United 
States were given pink slips essentially by the Obama Auto Task Force; 
150,000 jobs are estimated to be at risk of vanishing by this move. And 
with these jobs goes a part of the American Dream for private property 
owners and business in our country. The remaining GM dealers carved up 
the spoils.
  Now let me be perfectly clear. I fault none of these existing 
remaining GM dealers. These actions weren't their fault. Our fear with 
government owning these car companies is that politics will control 
GM's remaining decisions, not business. And now with this letter, it 
seems that politics is prevailing. Existing dealers are urged by GM to 
work against restoring economic rights to the dealers who saw their 
businesses' value drained from them overnight.
  How can current GM dealers possibly stand up against GM when GM is 
the Federal Government? Again, dealers are urged to sign a letter that 
will disadvantage their disenfranchised former competitors. This is a 
bad business, Madam Speaker. And it perfectly illustrates why we don't 
want government to own, operate, or control private businesses.

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