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Texas Lawmakers Offer Little Support for Auto Industry Bailout

By  BRIAN CURTIS

Updated 7:20 PM CDT, Tue, Nov 18, 2008

Related Topics: Arlington

9 Comments   Post a comment Post a Comment

KXAS

Workers assemble cars at the General Motors plant in Arlington.

 

Workers at the General Motors assembly plant in Arlington may be disappointed if they're counting on Texas lawmakers to come to their struggling company's rescue. 

Texas Lawmakers Offer Little Support for Auto Industry Bailout

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Workers at the General Motors plant in Arlington get moral support from lawmakers in Washington, but no promises of financial assistance.

Arlington GM Workers Look to Washington for Help

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The sport utility vehicles continue rolling off the line, but workers at General Motors' Arlington assembly plant say they don't know what the future...

Republican senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, along with Rep. Joe Barton, are all skeptical of the Democrat-led plan to provide U.S. automakers with $25 billion in financial help.

"I cannot support providing an additional $25 billion for the auto industry," Hutchison said. "As an alternative, the Department of Energy should be allowed to expedite $25 billion in loans already designated for retooling the American auto industry."

"Like the vast majority of Americans, I support a strong, productive domestic auto industry... But also like most Americans who are concerned about the direction of our economy and more federal spending, I must also ask -- when is enough, enough?" Cornyn said in a statement.

"I know the GM Assembly Plant in Arlington employs a world-class workforce and is a driving force in the DFW area's economic engine," said Barton, who represents Arlington in the House of Representatives. "I am not going to turn my back on the working men and women of America. However, throwing billions of taxpayer dollars at an ailing industry won't necessarily cure the problem."

Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck is one elected official fighting for a financial lifeline. He made a trip to Washington to press his case in person.

Comments (9)

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  • Todd Thursday, Nov 20 at 8:57 AM FLAG COMMENT You elected Cornyn and he'll do nothing for the GM workers at Arlington; for Texas jobs. The double speak is nauseating
  • T BONED Wednesday, Nov 19 at 11:33 AM FLAG COMMENT GM SHOULD WAKE UP. THEY STILL HAVE A VIABLE OPTION TO TRY AND PUSH THROUGH AND IN DOING SO GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANY.SINCE THE CREDIT CRUNCH IS AFFECTING TESLA SO BADLY AS FAR AS GETTING PRODUCTION FACILITIES.GM SHOULD BUY TESLA AND MAKE IT THEIR PREMIER GREEN LINE.THEY WILL NEED TO THEN GET LISCENSING TO BUILD LOTUS BODY .THEY SHOULD ALSO PUT INTO PRODUCTION THE SEDAN TESLA HAS PROPOSED.IN ORDER FOR THIS TO WORK GM WILL ... MORE >
  • WILL Tuesday, Nov 18 at 9:39 PM FLAG COMMENT AND IF YOU WANT TO E'MAIL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE,, HERE'S A LINK http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
  • will Tuesday, Nov 18 at 9:37 PM FLAG COMMENT LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THERE GETTING $50 AN HOUR, MOST OF THE PEOPLE INSIDE THESE PLANTS ACTUALLY MAKE 20 TO 25 AN HOUR, WITH THE NEW CONTRACT A LOT OF NEW HIRES MAKE 14,, $50 AN HOUR IS WITH BENIFITS, IF THE REPUBLICANS HAD IT THERE WAY THERE WOULD BE NO BENIFITS FOR ANYONE,, I GUESS NOBODY REMEMBERS AFTER 911 GM HELPED JUMP START THE ECONOMY BY INCENTIVES , AND REBATES,, GIVE 700 BILLION TO THE BANKS TO STICK IN THERE VAULTS, ... MORE >
  • Job Maker Tuesday, Nov 18 at 7:59 PM FLAG COMMENT This problem happened almost overnight... from huge $4.00 a gallon GAS prices. So, now we let thousands of engineers with new, state of the art skills, new ideas lose jobs? Get over this worn out thinking that everyone is a bum in need of a pay cut! Everything is irrelevent. These people create millions, and millions of other jobs. Pay cuts will come, but JOBS are #1......Technology is #2.....Innovation is #3. Anything else is ... MORE >

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