[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 22513]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        AUTOMOBILE DEALERS WHO WERE FORCED TO CLOSE THEIR DOORS

  (Mr. BUTTERFIELD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice concern over the 
thousands of automobile dealers who have been forced to close their 
doors as the industry is now reshaping. While the national conversation 
has shifted from the auto industry to health care, we must remember 
that car dealerships continue to be shuttered and thousands of 
hardworking Americans continue to lose their jobs.
  In my State of North Carolina, 49 Chrysler and General Motors 
dealerships have closed, along with all of the Pontiac dealers. Thirty 
Cadillac dealers are slated to close and, unfortunately, the closures 
are continuing.
  One of the dealerships is J.C. Harris Pontiac and Cadillac. This 
dealership is in my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina. They have been 
serving the community for more than 40 years. Despite the fact that 
they lead Cadillac dealerships statewide in sales, service and customer 
satisfaction, J.C. Harris is being forced to close its doors. Customers 
from the region will be forced to drive 120 miles round trip for sales 
and service.
  With American taxpayers becoming investors in GM, they should expect 
better.

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