Dale E. Kildee (MI05) - Press Releases - Kildee Urges Immediate Action to Extend Wildly Successful “Cash for Clunkers” Program

	For immediate release July 31, 2009	Contact: Erin Donar 202-225-3611

	Kildee Urges Immediate Action to Extend Wildly Successful “Cash for Clunkers” Program
	Legislation will redirect $2 billion in stimulus funds to the program

	Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI), Co-Chair of the Congressional Automotive Caucus and Representative from Flint, MI, the birthplace of General Motors, praised the enormous success of the cash for clunkers program. To ensure that even more Americans can receive vouchers for turning in their old gas guzzlers and purchasing new, more fuel efficient vehicles, the Congressman joined his colleagues to introduce H.R 3435, which redirects $2 billion from the economic stimulus bill to the program. Congressman Kildee released the following statement: “When we passed the cash for clunkers legislation last month, I said that it would provide a much needed boost to our auto industry and our manufacturing communities. After just one week, this program is already proving to be a tremendous success – perhaps even more so than we expected. Thousands of Americas have utilized this program to buy roughly 250,000 new, more fuel efficient vehicles and our auto manufacturers are seeing a surge in sales as a result. I have been working closely with the White House, the Auto Task force and my Congressional colleagues to add additional funds to the program to keep it up and running and the White House has made every assurance that vouchers will continue to be honored while we work to extend the program. This program has been an unprecedented success and there are no plans to suspend it. This program is a wildly successful example of economic stimulus at work. To continue this positive momentum, I joined my colleagues today to introduce legislation to redirect $2 billion from the economic stimulus bill to the cash for clunkers program. We are poised to pass this legislation through the House of Representatives today and I urge my Senate colleagues to do the same as quickly as possible."

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