Rule 424(b)(3)
                                                Registration Statement
                                                No. 33-58107

PRICING SUPPLEMENT NO. 19,

Dated December 18, 1996 to
Prospectus, dated May 13, 1996 and
Prospectus Supplement, dated May 15, 1996.

                          THE CIT GROUP HOLDINGS, INC.
                         MEDIUM-TERM FLOATING RATE NOTES
                   DUE NINE MONTHS OR MORE FROM DATE OF ISSUE


(X) Senior Note         ( ) Senior Subordinated Note

Principal Amount:  U.S. $300,000,000.

Proceeds to Corporation:  99.976%.

Underwriting Discount:  .024%.

Issue Price:  Variable Price Reoffer.

Specified Currency:  U.S. Dollars.

Original Issue Date:  December 23, 1996.

Maturity Date:  December 23, 1997.

Interest Rate Basis:  Prime Rate.

Spread:  -290 basis points.

Initial Interest Rate:    The Prime Rate determined one Business Day prior to
     the Original Issue Date minus 290 basis points.

The Notes are  offered  by the  Underwriter,  as  specified  herein,  subject to
receipt  and  acceptance  by it and  subject to its right to reject any order in
whole or in part.  It is expected  that the Notes will be ready for  delivery in
book-entry form on or about December 23, 1996.

                               MERRILL LYNCH & CO.


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Form:  Global Note.

Interest Reset Date:  Each Business Day to but excluding the Maturity Date.

Rate  Cut-Off Date:  Two Business Days prior to each Interest  Payment Date. The
      interest  rate  for  each  day  following  the  Rate  Cut-Off  Date to but
      excluding  the Interest  Payment Date will be the rate  prevailing  on the
      Rate Cut-Off Date.

Accrual of Interest:  Accrued  interest  will be computed by adding the Interest
      Factors  calculated  for each day from the Original Issue Date or from the
      last date to which  interest has been paid or duly  provided for up to but
      not including the day for which accrued interest is being calculated.  The
      "Interest  Factor"  for any  Note for each  such day will be  computed  by
      multiplying the face amount of the Note by the interest rate applicable to
      such day and dividing the product thereof by 360.

Interest Payment Dates:  Quarterly on March 23, 1997,  June 23, 1997,  September
      23, 1997,  and December 23, 1997,  provided  that if any Interest  Payment
      Date (other than the Maturity Date) would  otherwise fall on a day that is
      not a  Business  Day,  then the  Interest  Payment  Date will be the first
      following day that is a Business Day. If the Maturity Date would otherwise
      fall on a day that is not a Business Day,  then  principal and interest on
      the Note will be paid on the next succeeding Business Day, and no interest
      on such  payment  will accrue for the period  from and after the  Maturity
      Date.

      Interest  payments  will  include the amount of interest  accrued from and
      including the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been
      paid (or from and including the Original  Issue Date) to but excluding the
      applicable Interest Payment Date.

Calculation Date:  The earlier of (i) the fifth Business Day after each Interest
      Determination  Date,  or (ii) the Business Day  immediately  preceding the
      applicable Interest Payment Date.

Interest Determination Date:  One Business Day prior to each Interest Reset
Date.

Minimum Interest Rate:  0.0%.

Calculation Agent:  The CIT Group Holdings, Inc.

Trustee, Registrar, Authenticating and Paying Agent:
      The First  National Bank of Chicago,  under  Indenture  dated as of May 1,
      1994 between the Trustee and the Corporation.

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                                  UNDERWRITING

      Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch,  Pierce,  Fenner & Smith  Incorporated
      (the "Underwriter") is acting as principal in this transaction.

      Subject  to the  terms  and  conditions  set  forth in a Terms  Sheet  and
      Agreement  dated  December 18, 1996 (the "Terms  Agreement"),  between the
      Corporation  and the  Underwriter,  incorporating  the  terms of a Selling
      Agency  Agreement  dated May 15, 1996,  between the Corporation and Lehman
      Brothers,  Lehman  Brothers  Inc., CS First Boston  Corporation,  Goldman,
      Sachs & Co.,  Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch,  Pierce,  Fenner & Smith
      Incorporated, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Salomon Brothers Inc, and
      UBS Securities LLC, the Corporation has agreed to sell to the Underwriter,
      and the Underwriter has agreed to purchase,  $300,000,000 principal amount
      of the Notes.

      Under the terms and conditions of the Terms Agreement,  the Underwriter is
      committed to take and pay for all of the Notes, if any are taken.

      The Underwriter has advised the Corporation  that it proposes to offer the
      Notes for sale from time to time in one or more  transactions  (which  may
      include block transactions), in negotiated transactions or otherwise, or a
      combination  of such methods of sale, at market  prices  prevailing at the
      time of sale,  at prices  related to such  prevailing  market prices or at
      negotiated prices. The Underwriter may effect such transactions by selling
      the Notes to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation
      in the form of underwriting discounts, concessions or commissions from the
      Underwriter  and/or the  purchasers  of the Notes for whom they may act as
      agent.  In connection  with the sale of the Notes,  the Underwriter may be
      deemed to have received  compensation  from the Corporation in the form of
      underwriting  discounts,  and the Underwriter may also receive commissions
      from  the  purchasers  of the  Notes  for  whom it may act as  agent.  The
      Underwriter and any dealers that  participate  with the Underwriter in the
      distribution  of the  Notes  may be  deemed  to be  underwriters,  and any
      discounts or commissions  received by them and any profit on the resale of
      the  Notes  by  them  may  be  deemed  to  be  underwriting  discounts  or
      commissions.

      The  Notes  are a new  issue of  securities  with no  established  trading
      market.  The  Corporation  currently has no intention to list the Notes on
      any  securities  exchange.   The  Corporation  has  been  advised  by  the
      Underwriter  that it  intends  to make a market  in the  Notes  but is not
      obligated  to do so and may  discontinue  any  market  making  at any time
      without  notice.  No  assurance  can be given as to the  liquidity  of the
      trading market for the Notes.

      The Corporation  has agreed to indemnify the  Underwriter  against certain
      liabilities,  including  liabilities  under the Securities Act of 1933, as
      amended.

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