CQ politics reports on the one thing the 110th Congress has done well: Filibuster. Many of the auto workers, leaving their plant in Warren, Mich. above, may have another F-word for their Washington lawmakers....and the CEO's of their companies, who each flew in separate private company jets to Capitol to testify in committees on Tuesday.
"Rust Belt senators worked late Wednesday on a last-gasp compromise after Republicans blocked efforts to carve an additional $25 billion for the auto industry out of the $700 billion financial bailout package.
Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., voiced little hope that the effort would succeed and did not promise that the Senate would consider the legislation being negotiated by Sens. Carl Levin , D-Mich., George V. Voinovich , R-Ohio, and Christopher S. Bond , R-Mo.
It remained unclear whether there would be 60 votes for the compromise and whether House leaders would embrace it.
With senators anxious to leave town Thursday after a possible vote on extending jobless benefits, action on auto industry assistance this week remained unlikely but not out of the question.
Republicans and the Bush administration oppose aiding the auto industry from the financial bailout fund (PL 110-343), preferring to alter an existing auto loan program at the Department of Energy to let automakers access it immediately. Minority Whip Jon Kyl , R-Ariz., blocked Reid’s attempt to move an auto loan bill (S 3689) on Wednesday.
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