WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. lawmakers are being deluged by requests for financial help amid the souring national economy and plans for new public spending, officials said.
The Washington Post reported that in addition to the Big Three automakers, the nation's mayors and auto dealers, among others, are lobbying Congress for taxpayer help.
Brian Swanson, the general manager of a metal forming company in Plymouth, Mich., recently joined 50 other auto industry suppliers in a gathering by the Capitol Reflecting Pool intended to show Congress that a bailout for U.S. automakers "was not a Detroit issue."
"This was about the 6 million jobs that rely on, directly and indirectly, the automotive industry," Swanson said.
For their part, mayors met recently with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to push for new infrastructure projects.
The local officials said some federal money should go directly to cities to speed the disbursement of funds.
"The overriding concern is ... if the taxpayers are going to be asked again to put this kind of money out, can we see tangible results right away?" said Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
