The flames between Congress and the Big 3 are getting hotter. Yesterday during an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” Michigan Sen. Carl Levin said that CEO”s of the Big 3 should considering resigning if that”s what it takes to convince Congress to provide aid. Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama said that the Big 3 aren’t “building the right products,” and blamed managers saying they lack innovation. “They”re a dinosaur in a sense,’ said Shelby.
According to Automotive News, Senator Bill Nelson of Florida is saying that if the Big 3 receive federal aid, Congress should double the fuel-economy of their fleets to 50 mpg by 2020. He said that 35 mpg by 2020, which is 40 percent higher than today, falls too short.
“Why should we be pouring taxpayer money into an automobile industry that has continued to resist higher miles per gallon, which has led us in part to the problems we’re in?” said Nelson.
GM declined to comment on Nelson’s proposal. The White House is asking Congress to speed up the process of providing the $25 billion of aid previously approved.
