#MadeAcrossAmerica: Congress and Workers Meet for a Historic Gathering

Washington, DC - Members of the Congressional auto caucus greeted some 70 vehicles and 200 assorted employees of auto companies and auto dealers and media on Capitol Hill yesterday, many of whom had driven vehicles from assembly plants as far away as Georgia and Michigan to show the strength and importance of the auto industry to the U.S. economy.

Cars and trucks from nearly every final auto assembly plant in the U.S. converged on the Third Street side of the Capitol. Some vehicles are being driven by teams of employees and workers and journalists, and others from their corporate headquarters and dealerships.



Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI):

Quote:

“This is an awesome display of what the men and women of this country can produce. These are jobs that are not clustered in metro areas like New York, Washington or San Francisco. These are jobs stretching across the middle of the country, through the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest and have knitted together the fabric of the nation for decades.”

She was on hand to greet the vehicles and people who had come from 13 states and stood in front of the Capitol in a light snow that greeted the first of two Public Policy Days of the 2015 Washington DC Auto Show.



Rep. Dingell’s district is home to tens of thousands of auto industry employees, including those working at General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler, as well as the tech centers of Nissan, Hyundai-Kia, Toyota and Honda.



Dingell was joined on the dais by Auto Alliance CEO Mitch Bainwol, Global Automakers CEO John Bozzella, and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), whose district includes Honda’s East Liberty, OH plant.



Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH):

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“There are 7 million jobs impacted by the auto industry, and for every one of those jobs, nine more are created through suppliers and other service companies that support an auto plant.”

Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN), whose state plays host to a GM plant, a Toyota plant, a Subaru plant and a Honda plant was also on hand. Alabama Representative Teri Sewell (D-AL) was there to welcome the Hyundai team from Montgomery, AL in her district.



Mike Knopf, assistant manager of quality at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama in Montgomery, was part of a two-man team who drove from the plant to represent the automaker’s employees.



Mike Knopf:

Quote:

“It’s an honor to represent my fellow team members back in Montgomery, Alabama today. They put their heart and soul into building the highest quality Sonata and Elantra sedans for the North American market.”

Fiat-Chrysler sent drive teams to the historic event with a Chrysler 200, Ram 1500, Dodge Durango from Michigan, and a Jeep Cherokee from Toledo, Ohio. Carissa Rogers, who runs website Goodncrazy.com drove the Jeep Cherokee. Carissa loves the whole idea of the “Made Across America” event centering on American-made vehicles.



Carissa Rogers:

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“I’m no car expert, but I get in my car every day to get the job done taking care of my family, Rogers says of her husband and three teenagers. I love the high-tech features of these vehicles as they keep up with the Mom-tech I need.”

Drive teams were also sent from factories and headquarters by General Motors Chevy and Cadillac divisions, Kia, Nissan, BMW, Subaru and Volkswagen, while dealers from the DC Metro Area represented Ford/Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota.



Washington DC Auto Show Chairman Kevin Reilly:

Quote:

“We are so proud of the gathering on Capitol Hill. All of us here have our own unique role in bringing these vehicles from conception to a reality in a customer’s driveway. In doing so, we, as an industry drive the American economy.”

Made Across America: Driving On Washington for the Auto Show



Global Automakers CEO John Bozella:

Quote:

“As you will see by the array of vehicles on display at the Capitol, the United States has become an important manufacturing and export hub for automakers. Despite their various corporate origins, the common denominator is that each of these companies is working hard to provide safe and effective cars for consumers and secure jobs for American workers.”

Auto Alliance President and CEO Mitch Bainwol:

Quote:

“With this program, we aim to drive home the message of automotive strength in innovation, design and manufacturing. The automobile industry is a massive employer reaching well beyond the iconic names of auto companies familiar to us all. Auto manufacturing depends on a broad range of parts, components and materials provided by thousands of suppliers, as well as a vast retail and vehicle maintenance network of dealers and aftermarket products and services. No other single industry is linked to so much of U.S. manufacturing or generates so much retail business and employment.”

Drive teams representing Chevy, Cadillac, GMC, Buick, Chrysler, Dodge, BMW, Volkswagen, Jeep, Ram, Honda, Acura, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia are bringing the vehicles from Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia and New Jersey. Dealers are bringing vehicles representing Ford, Lincoln, Toyota, Subaru, and Mitsubishi vehicles built in Texas, Illinois, Alabama, Kentucky, Indiana, Kansas and Missouri.



One of the drive teams is led by International Motor Press Association (IMPA) President David Kiley, who is driving a Cadillac CTS-V to DC from General Motors’ Lansing Grand River plant where it is made.



David Kiley:

Quote:

“It’s about nine hours, but I am glad to do it, stopping in Detroit for a few photos along the way. The auto industry makes enormous contributions to the U.S. economy, and has given me the best years of my career.”

#MadeAcrossAmerica: Congress and Workers Meet for a Historic Gathering