This past week, while participating in a conference call with General Motors management and members of the President's Automotive Task Force, I received the troubling news that General Motors plans to close its Powertrain plant in Spotsylvania County by December 2010. GM's decision to end their thirty year relationship with the area will have a tremendous impact on both the employees who worked there and the surrounding community. In response to this news, I wrote to Frederick Henderson, the C.E.O. of G.M., and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, urging GM to reconsider the closure and evaluate the plant's eligibility for retooling to be a part of future parts production.
In a visit to the Spotsylvania plant last October, I was impressed by the dedication of the employees, the quality of their work and the promise of the fuel efficient six speed clutch they were producing. While I am and will continue to be wary of our government's involvement in the management of private industry, I believe that the Spotsylvania plant could have a future in the new GM. I will continue to advocate on behalf of the plant in the coming weeks.
On a brighter note, the House unanimously passed the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2009. This bill extends federal recognition to the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, the Chickahominy Indian Tribe-Eastern Division, the Upper Mattaponi Tribe, the Rappahannock Tribe, Inc., the Monacan Indian Nation, and the Nansemond Indian Tribe.
As a co-sponsor of this legislation, I worked across the aisle with members from the Virginia delegation and spoke in support of the bill during the debate. The cultural and historical importance of these tribes to the Commonwealth is significant and this legislation is an important step in preserving a heritage that is entwined with the birth of Virginia and our Nation. The House voted unanimously in support of federal recognition for the tribes in 2007, only to see the bill stall in the Senate. It is my hope that this effort will find new life in the 111th Congress and that these six Tribes receive the recognition they deserve.
On a final note, this past Saturday was the 65th anniversary of D-Day, and a great time to recognize our neighbors who are members of the "Greatest Generation". I have met with many of these folks through my work on behalf of Veterans and am always humbled by their steadfast commitment to our nation and its continued success. I am proud to have had the opportunity to honor the brave soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy and gave so much to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.
Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He was elected to his first full term in November 2008 and serves on the Natural Resources Committee and the Armed Services Committee where he is the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.
