Congress likely to reopen GM, Chrysler dealer battle this week

[Bruce Nunnally]

Washington -- The battle over the closing of more than 2,000 General Motors and Chrysler dealers isn't over yet.

Last week, GM and Chrysler announced an offer to end months of wrangling in Congress by agreeing to arbitration on limited issues.

In June, Chrysler closed 789 of its dealers during its bankruptcy stay, while GM plans to trim at least 1,350 dealers by October 2010.

But nearly two-thirds of the House and 46 senators back a bill that would attempt to legally bar GM from closing dealers and seek to reopen the Chrysler dealerships. The House attached the measure to a spending bill in July. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said today in Washington that the company had offered "a fair solution" and had offered as much as it could do.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091207/AU...k%2C+automotive