Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) has been re-elected co-chair of the Congressional Automotive Caucus, which he helped form to protect American auto jobs and exhibit a unified voice in Congress. Kildee has been co-chair since 1993, along with Congressman Fred Upton. The Caucus fights unfair trade policies that put the American worker at a disadvantage. The Caucus also opposes emissions standard increases that, if not carefully done, can be technologically and fiscally costly. As co-chair, Rep. Kildee works to keep Congress well-informed, dispelling myths like the $75 per hour wage earner.

Since its beginnings, the Congressional Automotive Caucus has been effective in guiding legislation, in keeping Members of Congress informed and in protecting American manufacturing jobs. By meeting frequently with auto executives and House Leadership, the Caucus has worked to set aside partisan divisions to advance an agenda that promotes the American auto industry and domestic manufacturing. The greatest achievement of the Caucus last year was blocking congressional consideration of the Korean Free Trade Agreement. The pact, if approved, would have renewed the failed and severely unbalanced policy that allows Korea to export to the United States 700,000 cars annually while we send only 4,000 to Korea.

Late last year, the Automotive Caucus again demonstrated its clout in garnering support in the House of Representatives to make available bridge loans that would help the Big Three through this harsh economic climate.

Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI), Chairman Emeritus of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce said of Kildee’s role in the bridge loan fight, “Dale Kildee has done a great service for those employed by the auto industry. His initiative in bringing to light the importance of domestic auto production, not only to Michigan, but to every state of this country was critical to gaining support in the House. Kildee is a great ally to carmakers, to their employees and to the manufacturing economy that made this nation great.”

During consideration of auto industry bridge loans, Automotive Caucus co-chair Dale E. Kildee recalled to his colleagues a similar situation from nearly 30 years prior:

“Not many people were here back in 1979 when we gave loan guarantees to Chrysler. I was a co-sponsor of that bill. Before the vote, I was the one responsible for finding out how many congressional districts were affected by Chrysler. My research didn’t yield many---if any—congressional districts that were not affected by the viability of Chrysler Motors. Steel, aluminum, glass, plastics, rubber and computer chips are obvious components. But it goes beyond those. My Republican colleague at the time, Congressman Jim Broyhill of North Carolina, asked me, ‘When are you people in Michigan going to get back to work?’

“‘Why do you ask,’ I said.

“‘Because my constituents in carpet manufacturing are hurting?’ he replied. He was referring to the fact that the second largest consumer of carpet is the auto industry.  

“When I looked out west I discovered ranchers selling hides for making leather seats for cars. And the list goes on. It is not just the auto industry we are talking about today but the entire manufacturing industry in the United States.”

As co-chair of the Automotive Caucus for 16 years, Rep. Kildee has always stressed that what America drives, drives America. Between first and second tier suppliers and dependent industries, the economic impact of the American auto industry reaches every congressional district. Whether representing a rancher out west who is providing the leather interior to a Cadillac or a North Carolina carpet producer, all 435 members of the House of Representatives have a stake in the domestic auto industry driven in their own backyard

The Automotive Caucus and co-chair Dale Kildee will continue to work to aid General Motors, Chrysler, Ford and suppliers like Delphi and Saginaw Steering through the economic situation that lies ahead. The Automotive Caucus boasted more than 60 Members of Congress in the 110^th Congress. The voices that represent the American auto manufacturers and their employees are more loudly heard when unified, and that collective voice will repeat that what’s good for the American auto industry is good for our country.