Spencer Bachus

Mr. BACHUS

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I missed rollcall vote 9 on passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. Had I been present I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. BACHUS

Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield the balance of our time to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter).

Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we are here today because we all recognize the importance of our domestic automobile industry. We understand that the bankruptcy of either GM or Chrysler would have a cascading effect on the other manufacturers. We understand that the suppliers, the auto part manufacturers could fail. We also understand that dealerships are at risk, millions of jobs, families in jeopardy. And even though we all want the industry to succeed, I cannot support this plan because this plan is a plan to spend taxpayer money without any real promise or ability to return the industry to profitability. In my view, any aid for the automobile industry should be limited to transitional assistance as a part of a fundamental restructuring plan and should fully protect the taxpayer, and this legislation does not meet that standard. Some of the worst bills to come out of Congress are when we rush to judgment, and I fear that is exactly what we are doing here. Members have only had one or two hours to examine the text of this legislation. It was a measure which was the product of a closed-door negotiation between the Democratic Congress and the administration. It occurred outside the normal legislative process and the watchful eyes of the American people. I see several glaring omissions or flaws in my cursory examination. We are creating a new car czar to manage these three companies from Washington; not a CEO, but a car czar. Second, and this probably is the most troubling, this legislation actually imposes new and expensive mandates on our automobile companies. If they are in such bad shape that they need billions of dollars of taxpayer help, and we acknowledge that they are in bad shape, why are we imposing new, expensive mandates? This legislation, for instance, mandates that the companies comply with State laws that imposed inefficient and potentially excessive emissions standards instead of the more reasonable Federal laws. That cries in the face of logic under the circumstances. Third, this legislation imposes Federal Government management on the Big Three, the wisdom of Washington. It is clear that the management of these companies have made mistakes, many mistakes, but a solution to that to set up a command and control in Washington D.C. with a Federal bureaucrat attempting to run the domestic automobile industry is exactly the wrong solution. Mr. Speaker, this is a bad process and it is a bad bill and one I fear, as we have so often done with these bailouts, we will come to regret. I urge a no vote.

Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, in the capital injection program, the bank signed a statement that they will use the money for the purpose intended, and that purpose is to lend. This amendment will give an assist to that. They are not lending. They should lend. They were given money to lend. They have signed a document that they will lend, and this will go a long way towards ensuring that. So I rise in support of the amendment.

Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling) control my time and that he be able to yield time.

Mr. BACHUS. At this time I recognize the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul) for 2 minutes. (Mr. PAUL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BACHUS

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul). (Mr. PAUL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren).

Mr. BACHUS. I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I am proud at this time to yield 1 minute to my friend from Mississippi (Mr. Pickering), who will express not only his views but mine.

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave).

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), who is ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. (Mr. BARTON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes. Madam Speaker, ladies and gentlemen of the House, Thomas Paine on December 23, 1776, said, ``These are times that try men's souls.'' What was a problem at one time on Wall Street has become a problem for Main Street. What was a problem for this Congress and financial experts has become a problem for America. As late as last night, Mr. LaTourette, Mr. Latham, and I were at the Rules Committee for 2\1/2\ minutes urging the Rules Committee to only appropriate $250 billion, an enormous amount; yet they turned down our request. I want to thank my Republican colleagues on the Rules Committee for voting ``yes.'' Our amendment said we would come back in November and we would give careful consideration to this. And if we needed more, if the program was working--and believe you me, it's been announced that it won't start for another 15 days whether we pass this bill today or tomorrow or the day after. And we could have all judged by then how it was working. But that's past. And today is today. And I will be voting today for this bill because it's about the pensioner and his retirement check, it's about the small businessman and his ability to buy materials or make a payroll, and it's about that student, either in school or having to leave school, or that student preparing for school. Whatever the problem was before, however you disagree with certain parts of this bill, our only choice is ``yes'' or ``no.'' And when a problem becomes an American problem, and it is, then it is time for Congress to take decisive action. I will be voting ``yes'' on this bill; not a perfect bill, but a bill that I am not willing to pass up because I'm not willing to risk capitalism and a decline into socialism if our financial markets and our economy collapses.

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Garrett).

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett).

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling).

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert).

Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mr. BACHUS

Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, the people of Alabama will be losing two outstanding public servants at the end of this session with the retirements of Congressman Bud Cramer and Congressman Terry Everett. During the time that I have served in the House, I have been honored to call them both colleagues and friends. They have served the constituents in their own districts extraordinarily well, and have been a key part of securing the reputation of the Alabama delegation as a group that works together on a bipartisan basis for the good of our State. Congressman Cramer has had a long and distinguished record of service. One great legacy is his stalwart support of our space and missile defense programs. Whenever questions on those programs came up in the House, we looked to Bud Cramer for his knowledge and guidance. As a result of his efforts, facilities in the Fifth District like NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, and the Redstone Arsenal have become not just important employers in Alabama but true national assets. We admire and respect Bud Cramer for another reason: his great compassion for children and deep concern about the tragedy of child abuse. Each year, the National Children's Advocacy Center in Huntsville that he founded teaches thousands of people how to recognize and help at-risk children. For years, it has been my pleasure to work with Congressman Terry Everett of the Second District. He has always been the type of representative who makes this House work. He holds firm to his principles, but works across the aisle to find solutions. With his duties on the Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, Congressman Everett developed a well-earned reputation for expertise in defense and intelligence issues. Whenever my staff or I had a question about these matters, our response was: ``Ask Terry what he thinks.'' His support of the excellent work being done at Fort Rucker and the Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base has benefited both the constituents in his district and the people of our country by strengthening the national defense. All of us in the Alabama delegation have been privileged to work with Bud Cramer and Terry Everett. While we'll no longer be congressional colleagues, we will always remain friends. Both of these leaders, I know, will continue to have much to share with their communities and our State of Alabama in the years ahead.