By Alabama Public Radio
Washington, DC – Governor Bob Riley participated in a forum Monday sponsored by DaimlerChrysler. The company has a significant presence in Alabama, Ohio and Michigan, and Riley joined the governors of those states in discussing the automotive industry. All three said it's necessary to ease competitive barriers for the auto industry. The governors say partnerships between the government and the automotive industry can help America keep its manufacturing sector. Governor Riley noted Alabama had no automotive presence a decade ago but is expected to produce more than 800-thousand automobiles this year. The governors expressed concern about the loss of domestic manufacturing jobs. Three million such jobs have been lost during the past five years.