http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09553.pdf

Discusses the nature and purpose of federal assistance to the auto industry under the Automotive Industry Financing Program, part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program of the Treasury Department. Also covers how the assistance program responds to three guiding principles, and important factors for Chrysler and General Motors to consider in achieving long-term viability. From the Government Accountability Office

http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Chrysler_Viability_Assessment.pdf

Determines that Chrysler plans for future viability are not acceptable, due to Chrysler's small scale, quality and nature of existing product line, manufacturing architectures and capacities, and geographic concentration in North America. From the White House.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/GM_Viability_Assessment.pdf

Determines that the General Motors plans for future viability are not acceptable and that a more substantial restructuring will be necessary. Criticizes GM plans for overly optimistic assumptions about future market share, product mix, dealer networks and legacy liabilities. From the White House.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Fact_Sheet_GM_Chrysler.pdf

Fact sheet which describes the reaction of the Obama Administration to the plans for reorganization submitted by General Motors and Chrysler Corporations on February 17, 2009 and the conditions placed on any further assistance to them. From the White House.

http://www.bls.gov/fls/chartbook2009/chartbook2009.pdf

Provides information on the labor market situation in selected countries, the European Union 15 and the emerging economies of Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russia and South Africa. Includes GDP per capita, labor market indicators, competitiveness indicators for manufacturing, and employment outlook indicators. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ichcc.pdf

Reports that the average of hourly compensation costs in U.S. dollars for all employees in manufacturing among 31 foreign countries was 85% of the U.S. level in 2007, up from 79% in 2006. Includes chart showing trend from 1998 and tables showing costs and per cents by individual country from 1996. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/prod3.pdf

Reports that productivity as output per combined units of labor and capital inputs grew at an annual rate of 0.4% in the private business sector and 0.2% in the private nonfarm business sector for 2007. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics

http://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iagauto.htm

Offers a collection of current statistics on the automotive industry including annual averages for 2008 and changes from February 2008 to February 2009. Also offers automotive related employment in selected states. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads09/07Inventory.pdf

This is the annual public review draft form. Reports that U.S. emissions have risen by 17% from 1990 to 2007. Covers trends in greenhouse gas emissions, emissions from energy, industrial processes, agriculture, land-use change and forestry, waste treatment and other processes, and a list of references. From the Environmental Protection Agency.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/prod4.pdf

Reports that manufacturing labor productivity increased in 14 of the 17 economies examined. The largest increases occurred in Taiwan and the Republic of Korea. The U.S. productivity increase of 4.7% was the fourth largest. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40003.pdf

Covers the background of the current auto industry crisis, loan developments in December 2008, impact on the national economy of the auto maker troubles, the current status of the domestic motor vehicle market, various financial issues in the auto industry, financial solutions including bridge loans and restructuring, pension and health care issues, and conditions on TARP loans to the auto industry. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.