Transcript for General Motors under fire
Meantime, on capitol hill this evening, general motors CEO Mary barra facing outrage. Members of congress in the states where those plants will be closed are now asking, after taxpayers bailed out GM, and after the major tax break pushed by president trump, is there a way to protect any of those American jobs? Mary Bruce back on the hill tonight. Reporter: Earlier this year, GM CEO Mary barra sat next to president trump as he promised to bring jobs back to the U.S. We’re bringing manufacturing back to the United States bigly. Reporter: But today, barra was on capitol hill to explain why GM is closing plants in Michigan, Maryland and Ohio, slashing nearly 15,000 jobs. Nanette donithan has worked at the lordstown, Ohio, plant for 20 years. They are treating us like we’re disposable. They haven’t approached this restructuring with any kind of humanity or sensitivity at all. Reporter: Frustration that followed barra to Washington this week. What about my friends and family? 1,500 workers are out of a job a month before Christmas. Reporter: In 2008, taxpayers bailed out GM to the tune of $11 billion, and the company recently got a boost from the president’s corporate tax cuts. You received a taxpayer bailout, you benefitted from the tax cuts. Are you holding up your end of the bargain? The thing I best need to do to make sure I’m living up to that and the us taxpayers to whom we will be forever grateful, is to make sure GM is strong going forward. Reporter: Barra says the plants are closing because the kinds of cars made there aren’t selling. GM’s now shifting focus to building more electric cars. She says the laidoff workers can transfer to other plants, but for the Michigan lawmakers she met with today, that doesn’t cut it. Is that enough? No. No. Mary Bruce live up on the hill tonight. And Mary, the GM CEO made the point that few are buying the models made at those plants that are being closed, but so many people likely asking, is there any way to make any of the other better selling vehicles at those plants to keep them open? Reporter: And David, barra was asked that question and she stressed they have many plants across the country, including some where they are launching new product lines, but she declined to comment directly on whether they would consider building new cars that do sell in the other plants in order to keep them open. David? Mary Bruce with us tonight. Thank you, Mary.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
