Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Senator Mikulski on Bonuses for Bankers

Senator Mikulski responded to my concerns about bonuses for bankers. I find her response weak and it is evident Congress did not think things through before throwing out the bailout money.

Read her response and see if you agree with me.

Dear Mr. Wolfe:


Thank you for getting in touch with me about the bonuses being paid out to executives at financial companies receiving support from the government. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue.



The taxpayers need to see that the government is serious about being stewards of their money, and corporate America needs a clear message from Congress that they've got to get serious about working with President Obama to get this economy back on track.



People who played by the rules and trying to run a small business don't have access to credit. They're worried about keeping their jobs. They're losing their life savings. They're worried about holding on to their homes or their health insurance. They've seen irresponsible lending practices and watched Wall Street gamble on risky investments. And they've watched those same executives pay themselves lavish salaries.



My priorities for when the government uses taxpayer dollars are transparency, integrity, and accountability. We need to make sure the money is going to good use. I sent a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of AIG asking his employees to voluntarily give up the bonuses.



Knowing of your views is very helpful to me and I will keep them in mind. If you'd like to read more, I encourage you to visit my website where you can read the transcript of my floor statement on this issue and my letter to the CEO of AIG http://mikulski.senate.gov/Newsroom/PressReleases/index.cfm.




Again, thanks for contacting me. Please let me know if I can be of help to you in the future.


Sincerely,
Barbara A. Mikulski
United States Senator

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