S10844 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2008 

bailout plan because of that level of 

suffering, because of that significance 

to individual workers and families and 

the economy as a whole. 

That may seem a bit of an odd statement to some folks. Why do I say that? 

Well, for two reasons. No. 1, this proposal, at its core, is about giving these 

companies $15 billion of loans, $15 billion on the promise of a detailed restructuring plan yet to come. So we 

give them significant amounts of 

money—$15 billion—so that they go 

through that process, so that they 

start that discussion, so that they 

come back to us months later with a 

detailed restructuring plan. 

Well, my reaction to that is pretty 

simple. I think the average American 

would say: What? Isn’t that putting the 

cart before the horse? $15 billion, and 

then later, after that is out the door, 

we will see a detailed restructuring 

plan? Secondly, even more important 

than that, it means that the impetus, 

the pressure to make that restructuring truly fundamental, truly to the 

core, which is absolutely necessary for 

these companies to survive, that pressure is not nearly as great as if we held 

the money until that detailed restructuring plan was presented. 

The second reason I will vote against 

this bailout plan, the second reason I 

believe it actually would doom these 

companies to failure is that I believe it 

politicizes the management of these 

companies right at a time where they 

need to move in the opposite direction 

so that business and engineering considerations alone guide their company’s futures. 

Let me say bluntly, I have no confidence—absolutely no confidence—in 

the present management of these three 

companies. But let me also say, if there 

is a way for that to go from bad to 

worse, it is by injecting into the process politics and a political appointee 

such as this so-called car czar. That 

would make a very bad situation very 

much worse. It would politicize further 

the management of these companies, 

again, when they need to move to a situation where business and engineering 

considerations alone guide their decisions. 

Another good, specific example of 

this politicization is language which 

has been in the proposal so far to actually prohibit these companies from legally challenging various moves for individual States to impose onerous, 

complicated, different environmental 

standards on them. Again, we are 

bringing political mandates, political 

pressure, political decisions to bear 

right at a time when these companies 

need to move in the opposite direction, 

get away from all of that, which has 

been a part of the reason they are 

where they are today, and base their 

future decisions on business and engineering considerations alone. 

For these companies to survive, no 

matter what taxpayer dollars are involved, they need truly core fundamental restructuring. They need to revamp and revisit all their obligations, 

all their business models, all their 

labor contracts, all their dealership associations—everything that constitutes them as they presently are. 

They need to do that; if not in a bankruptcy process, they need to do that 

through a process which is the equivalent of bankruptcy, just by another 

name. 

This plan which is being worked on 

and will be presented before us is not 

that. What is worse, it is not only not 

that, I believe it will prevent that from 

ever happening and will, therefore, 

doom these companies to failure, no 

matter what taxpayer dollars are 

thrown at them. 

Again, for this reason, I have reached 

what is for me a clear and inescapable 

conclusion. No. 1, I cannot support this 

general bailout plan. No. 2, because I 

believe this plan will actually doom 

the companies to failure, I will use 

every procedural tool available to demand a fair and open amendment process on the floor of the Senate and to 

delay and block the measure as it presently stands. 

Mr. President, with that, I yield back 

the floor. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Pennsylvania. 

Mr. CASEY. Thank you, Mr. President. 

f 

HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES 

FALLEN PENNSYLVANIANS

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, yesterday, I came before the Senate to pay 

tribute to Pennsylvanians who gave, as 

Abraham Lincoln said, ‘‘the last full 

measure of devotion’’ to their country 

serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

Therefore, today, I would like to take 

this opportunity to honor the men and 

women of Pennsylvania who have 

served in Operation Enduring Freedom 

in Afghanistan. This struggle began in 

the weeks following the gravest attack 

on American soil; it was a direct response to eliminate the sanctuary of 

those who plotted the horrific events of 

9/11. 

The men and women who have served 

in Afghanistan have faced extreme danger but have persevered with a can-do 

spirit. Our men and women of the U.S. 

Armed Forces are indeed in a class of 

their own—all their own, I should say. 

And, like their brothers and sisters 

serving in Iraq, they mourn the sacrifices of their own. 

So today in the Senate, I would also 

like to enter into the CONGRESSIONAL

RECORD the names of those 25 Pennsylvanian heroes who may have fallen 

in the battles of Afghanistan but who 

have only risen in our appreciation for 

their service and sacrifice. I list them 

now: 

CWO Michael Slebodnik of Gibsonia, PA; 

PFC Michael Dinterman of Littlestown, PA; 

LTC Richard Berrettini of Wilcox, PA; 

SPC Jonathan L. Luscher of Scranton, PA; 

SPC Derek Holland of Wind Gap, PA; 

PV2 Matthew Brown of Zelienople, PA; 

1LT Jeffrey Deprimo of Pittston, PA; 

2LT Michael Girdano of Apollo, PA; 

SGT Douglas Bull of Wilkes-Barre, PA; 

SSG Troy Ezernack of Lancaster, PA; 

Po3 John Fralish of New Kingstown, PA; 

CPT Bryan Willard of Hummelstown, PA; 

SGT Jonathan McColley of Gettysburg, PA; 

SGT James Fordyce of Newtown Square, PA; 

SGT Brett Hershey of State College, PA; 

PFC James Dillon, Jr., of Grove City, PA; 

SSG Paul Sweeney of Lakeville, PA; 

SGT Christopher Geiger of Allentown, PA; 

SFC Scott Ball of Mount Holly Springs, PA; 

SGT Jan Argonish of Peckville, PA; 

SSG Patrick Kutschbach of McKees Rocks, 

PA; 

CPT David Boris of Pottsville, PA; 

MSG Arthur Lilley of Smithfield, PA; 

1SG Christopher Rafferty of Brownsville, PA; 

MSG Thomas Maholic of Bradford, PA. 

To the families of these brave Americans, please know your son’s or daughter’s service will always be remembered and appreciated. Every time a 

child is able to go to school in America 

without fear, that service is appreciated. Every time a graduate looks 

positively toward their future, to live 

in a land of freedom and liberty, those 

who have served are appreciated and 

their sacrifice is appreciated. 

The response of these men and 

women—whether it was in Afghanistan 

or anywhere in the world that they 

served—their response to the ultimate 

call to service ensures that each of us 

may live in freedom. 

As Benjamin Disraeli once said: 

The legacy of heroes is the memory of a 

great name and the inheritance of a great example. 

During this holiday season, when 

thoughts of our families and loved ones 

are on our minds, I wish to express my 

condolences and gratitude to those 

families who have loved and lost someone dear to them and also to express 

gratitude to those whose loved ones are 

now serving in a war theater far from 

home. Please know you are in our 

prayers. 

Mr. President, I yield the floor and 

suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I ask 

unanimous consent that the order for 

the quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. 

CASEY). Without objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

PERSEVERANCE IN TOUGH TIMES 

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise 

during this Christmas season to share 

with the Senate and the Nation an inspirational story from my home State 

of Montana. As a former public school 

teacher myself, I have known for a long 

time how amazing Montana’s young 

people can be. This story is a story of 

triumph over tragedy that serves as 

the latest reminder. 

Early on the morning of September 

18, Montanans in and around Yellowstone County woke up to learn the 

tragic news that the Huntley Project 

December 10, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10845 

school in Worden, MT, was on fire—an 

act of arson. Despite the valiant efforts 

by crews from the Worden, Shepherd, 

Lockwood, and Billings fire departments, the school burned to the 

ground. 

Although sad and angry about the 

fire, teachers, parents, students, and 

the whole community rallied to support the student body. As the Billings 

Gazette reported at the time: 

Huntley Project High was still burning 

when people in the tight-knit community 

vowed that the loss wouldn’t affect their 

spirits. 

Montana’s Superintendent of 

Schools, Linda McCulloch, put out a 

request statewide for schools and businesses to donate school supplies and 

books and backpacks and computers. 

Montana’s business community and 

citizens opened their hearts and their 

wallets, even in this tough economic 

time, to help these students. 

Billings School Superintendent Jack 

Copps arranged for classes to continue 

in the Billings school district at 

Skyview High School and at other facilities to help them get through the 

first days after the fire. Later, temporary trailers were brought to the 

Huntley campus to help during the rebuilding process. The 230 Huntley High 

School students soldiered on in the 

spirit of their homecoming theme— 

that being warriors. They simply refused to give up. I met with Superintendent Dave Mahon last month and 

toured the burned campus. 

The Huntley Project Red Devils have 

long been a power in Class B football. 

After the fire, the whole community 

rallied to cheer the team that symbolized Huntley’s toughness in the face of 

an unbelievable challenge. The principal said it well: ‘‘We’re red and black 

and we’re back,’’ as Huntley beat the 

Townsend Bulldogs in their first game 

after the fire. There would be many 

more victories as the team finished a 

perfect season with a record of 12–0. 

Last month, Huntley beat the powerful 

team from Fairfield 41 to 28 to win the 

Class B State championship in football 

as players from both teams played 

their guts out and left it all out on the 

field. It was the first State championship for the project since 1998. 

I wish to congratulate head coach 

Jay Santy, as well as assistant coaches 

Rick Dees, Mark Wandle, and Lenny 

Brown, all of the players and their parents, their teachers and friends and 

supporters throughout the Huntley 

community. 

America faces some tough challenges 

today. Last month, more than a half a 

million American workers lost their 

jobs. Many parts of the country are 

suffering from the foreclosure crisis in 

the housing market and the domestic 

automobile industry teeters on the 

brink of collapse. As we work here to 

tackle those tough challenges, I suggest we follow the example of perseverance of these tough young Montanans. 

I suggest we lace up our cleats, strap 

on our helmets, and go out and get the 

job done. 

As we approach the Christmas season, I urge the Senate to look at Huntley Project school and the greater community and look to the future with 

hope and grit. 

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, today I 

rise in tribute to the spirit of recovery 

for the Huntley Project High School 

which was destroyed in an early morning fire on Thursday, September 18. 

The bottomless community spirit and 

immediate outpouring of support from 

around Montana has enabled this 

school, its faculty and staff, 230 students, their parents and supporters to 

put their energies and efforts into 

opening its doors. Through the extraordinary leadership of school superintendent Dave Mahon and principal 

Tynie Mader, students gathered in the 

junior high auditorium at 8:15 a.m. on 

Monday, September 22, to receive 

school supplies and restart the school 

year in the wake of the fire. Classes are 

being held in trailers located on the 

practice field west of the burned high 

school. 

The weekend following the fire, families and members of the community 

came together to clean up temporary 

classrooms for use, donate funds to replenish music and sports equipment, 

books and computers lost in the fire. 

Donations have come in from communities across Montana the Malta 

School District sent $500 to help, having experienced a devastating fire in 

1995. The school has received bandstands from Absarokee schools, cleats 

from a major sports corporation, 

backpacks from Billings elementary 

schools, donations from the local banks 

and area businesses and offers from as 

far away as North Carolina. 

The students have taken it upon 

themselves to shoulder part of the burden. They have applied to the television show ‘‘Extreme Makeover’’ to 

get their school rebuilt. They have 

been an integral part of sorting, carrying and cleaning school equipment. 

And their academic and extracurricular activities are getting an 

extra dose of school spirit these days. 

The school and community rallied 

around the athletic teams at Huntley 

Project following the devastating fire. 

This burst of school spirit helped propel the Huntley Project Red Devils to 

the Montana Class B State championship in football on November 22. Huntley Project defeated Fairfield High 41– 

28. The victory in the State title game 

on the Red Devils home field capped off 

a perfect season for coach Jay Santy 

and his players. A sign on the fence encircling the field said ‘‘Devils risen up 

with the flames.’’ Indeed this statement is true of all in the Huntley 

Project community. The Red Devils 

girls volleyball team also rose to the 

occasion to excel this season. After 

being displaced from their gym due to 

the fire, the team was forced to practice and play all their games away 

from home. Despite this added challenge the squad led by coach Iona 

Stookey placed third at the State class 

B volleyball tournament. I would like 

to congratulate these fine student athletes, their coaches and teachers, and 

all in the Huntley Project community 

not only for their achievements on the 

playing field but also for coming together to support each other and working to rebuild the school. 

Much has been done. More will need 

to be done. But we are Montanans, and 

we have that frontier spirit and grit 

that pulls a community together without question and without hesitation in 

times of need. In the meantime, we are 

all pulling for the Huntley Project Red 

Devils until their school is rebuilt. 

Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I 

suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will call the roll. 

The legislative clerk proceeded to 

call the roll. 

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask 

unanimous consent that the order for 

the quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask 

unanimous consent to speak in morning business and to use as much time 

as I may consume. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE 

INDUSTRY 

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, obviously we have been in negotiations 

with a tremendous amount of work 

going on around the question of the 

American auto industry and the position they find themselves in as a result 

of, first of all and foremost, a global 

credit crisis. So I stand here today on 

behalf of hundreds of thousands of incredibly smart, productive, working 

men and women in Michigan and the 

millions of others around the country 

who design, build, service, finance, and 

sell American-made automobiles and 

have done so now for over a generation—the people who not only build the 

parts that are given to the auto industry but to the vehicles that our brave 

men and women drive right now in Iraq 

and around the globe, those who have 

built America and the American middle class, those who advertise and market and are engaged in so many different ways in the foundation of American manufacturing, which is the 

American auto industry. 

I also wish to speak on behalf of 

Americans today who have benefited 

from a great American middle class, 

built on the notion that we don’t just 

move paper around on Wall Street, we 

actually make things and we grow 

things. I know the distinguished occupant of the chair, from Pennsylvania, 

understands that, coming from a great 

State that makes things, grows things, 

adds value to it, people who work hard 

every day. The shower they may take 

is after work rather than before work, 

but they are just as valuable—and, I 

argue, maybe more valuable—in terms