[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19538]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 A HISTORY LESSON ON THE AUTO INDUSTRY

  (Mrs. MILLER of Michigan asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, the Democratic leadership in 
both this House and the United States Senate have made a conscious 
decision to bankrupt the domestic United States auto industry by 
forcing an antiquated CAFE standard on them.
  And I just want to remind my colleagues what this industry has meant 
to America.
  Over 100 years ago, Henry Ford built the Model T, which brought 
automobiles to the masses, created opportunities that built America's 
middle class, and fundamentally changed our Nation.
  During World War II, Michigan was known as the Arsenal of Democracy 
because we had the manufacturing capability to build the armaments that 
literally led the world to peace. For 2 years we didn't even build 
automobiles because we were building tanks and jeeps and B-24 bombers. 
And as we surrender our manufacturing capabilities to Japan and China, 
we had better hope that we never need the ability again to build 
armaments because we will be at the mercy of these foreign countries.
  After 9/11, when everyone was concerned that our economy would go 
into a tailspin, the American automobile industry, the domestic auto 
industry, offered zero interest financing, which, as GM said, has kept 
America rolling.
  I will never apologize for defending the domestic auto industry 
against the Democratic leadership.

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