Protect Gm Workers' Health Benefits

Floor Speech

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, my father retired from General Motors after over 40 years. When General Motors closed their assembly plant in Moraine, Ohio, thousands of lifelong GM employees lost their jobs. Now, due to the Obama administration's negotiated bankruptcy, the retirees are at risk of losing their health care benefits. Isn't it ironic that as this House tries to rush through a misguided health care bill, the Federal Government has denied IUE-CWA workers in my community their promised health care benefits?

With the Federal Government now owning over 60 percent of General Motors, it's time to honor the promises that were given to these workers, including my father.

I have joined my Ohio colleagues in asking President Obama to not discriminate between UAW and non-UAW retirees in protecting their health care benefits. I have also talked to the President of GM last week, asking for fair treatment of these employees. Now it's reported that GM will apply for more than $10 billion in additional government funding.

If President Obama is serious about health care, he should start by protecting the GM workers who are losing their benefits in this administration's acquisition of General Motors.

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