Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) made the following comments today after Ford Motor Company announced plans to transform the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan, which had made large Sport Utility Vehicles, into a plant that builds small cars, including a battery electric Ford Focus in 2011.

“My old friend Doug Fraser used to say ‘if you’re going to sell here, you should build here.’ Ford and its executives deserve tremendous praise for keeping their commitments to the United Auto Workers and to the American people.  Ford, the one American automaker not taking government aid right now, is making a huge statement about the company’s faith in the American worker and the future of the industry.  The company is also responding to what the American consumer wants to see in showrooms and creating products that can compete with anybody’s.  Americans will soon have several new lines of energy-efficient vehicles, made right here, to choose from and I think they will like what they see.

“I also want to thank Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm for her work to secure this project. The state of Michigan, Wayne County and the city of Wayne contributed more than $160 million in tax credits and grants to support Ford’s expansion opportunities, including tax incentives based on job retention at the site, a Brownfield tax incentive for economic rehabilitation of the site and tax incentives to support integration of advanced batteries into new product development programs.

“Ford is committed to the American worker and making good on its promises. This is how a great manufacturer should behave. I salute Alan Mullally and his team for doing the right thing and doing it well.”