I'm back in Washington this week to prepare for the 111th Congress. As you probably heard, the Democrats had planned to pass legislation that would provide a bailout to the automobile industry in the form of new, low-interest loans using the financial stabilization money that was passed in October.

The majority of Republicans believe that a bailout of the automobile industry is not a wise use of taxpayer dollars and that taxpayers would ultimately pay for the cost of the auto industry's bankruptcy. The viability of the industry should not be based with taxpayer money as the foundation. Tough challenges rest ahead for the industry, but I believe that ultimately a better business model will be developed.

With tough economic times ahead, now is no time for vacation. There must be a lot of thoughtful discussion on what's best for our country. As a former accountant, I can appreciate both what kind of trouble these companies are in and also the need for fiscal responsibility and accountability.