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Senator Lugar's statement on auto bill vote

Late December 11, 2008, Senator Dick Lugar voted for cloture to end the filibuster against the auto bill because “our economic situation is such that failure of the Detroit three could trigger much broader damage to the entire U.S. economy.”  The cloture vote was on the motion to proceed to a legislative frame work in which the auto could be brought forward, debated and amended. Alternatives such as the Corker amendment could have been offered and considered under this scenario.  By opposing cloture, the Senate effectively stopped any consideration of the bill and possibilities to improve the package. 

“A new Congress will be in place in a little more than three weeks and will be able to again consider options. In the meanwhile, the Administration has the funding and ability to extend credit to the car companies as they have already done in the financial sector,” Lugar said. 

“In 1979, at the brink of collapse, the Chrysler Corporation came to Congress asking for aid.  Senator Paul Tsongas and I worked more than six months to forge a deal based on tough love: assistance would be provided, but only on condition of substantial compromise by all parties,” Lugar said. 

The $1.2 billion Federal loan guarantee that saved Chrysler included safeguards protecting taxpayer funds, cooperation from states that had thousands of Chrysler employees, and substantial concessions from the company, its dealers, and the United Auto Workers.

Sixty votes were required on last night’s vote to end the filibuster. It failed by a vote of 52-35. Lugar was among the 52 voting for cloture. 

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