Automobile Package

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, let me pick up on the issue the majority leader was discussing. Of course, we are not going to agree to expedite a procedure to a bill we have not read. The fundamental problem here--I know this is not the majority leader's fault--is we have not been able to get a copy of the bill that we believe represents an agreement that has been reached between congressional Democrats and the White House on the automobile package.

Until we get the actual bill and can read it, it is unrealistic to expect that I can ask my Members to advance consideration of the bill until we know what is in it. So as soon as we can have a look at it--we will be having a conference today on my side. Hopefully, we will have the bill by then. But as of this morning, we still have not seen a final version of the bill. Once we do, we will review it and see if it meets our standard for support, which will be the taxpayers' standard for support.

But as I indicated--and the majority leader has already picked up on that--there cannot be a vote on the legislation today because we do not know what it looks like.

On a bill this critical, with so much taxpayer money at stake, we cannot rush this through without adequate review. We are happy to begin the review process as soon as we get a product. My Members will be discussing the merits of the latest version of the plan, as I indicated, at our weekly policy lunch, which will occur today around noon. So this afternoon I expect to have some more substantive thoughts on this latest proposal's chances for support within the Republican conference. We will address this issue before the end of the week. I agree with the majority leader on that.

For those who need a refresher, let me remind everyone of the Republican criteria for this legislation: First and foremost, we will not let taxpayers spend their hard-earned money on ailing car makers unless these companies are forced to reform their bad habits, either inside or outside bankruptcy.

This means workers will not be paid not to work, it means a final bill would not interfere with pending environmental lawsuits in a one-sided manner, and it means struggling car companies will have to rationalize their cost structures because a company that does not respond to market conditions is a company that is doomed to failure anyway. Republicans will not allow taxpayers to subsidize failure.

As I have said repeatedly, my Republican colleagues and I wish to put struggling car makers on a path to long-term success, but, obviously, there will not be widespread support for a plan that does not do that.

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