Reaction on Capitol Hill

"AIG's bonus payments are not only a slap in the face to American taxpayers, they're also an insult to the many financial institutions that are responsible and well-behaved." Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., has joined a group of 10 Senate Democrats trying to recover those bonuses by taxing nearly their full amount. • • • "AIG executives receiving millions in bonuses while taxpayers continue to bail them out is outrageous." Rep. Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., one of a group of Republican House freshmen who plan to introduce legislation to recoup the bonus money. • • • "If Mr. Libby [AIG CEO Edward Libby] does nothing, we will act, and we will take this money back and return it to its rightful owners -- the taxpayers. So for those of you who are getting these bonuses, be forewarned -- you will not be getting to keep them." Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. • • • "The first thing that would make me feel a little bit better towards them if they'd follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say I'm sorry, and then either do one of two things -- resign, or go commit suicide." Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa • • • "Two weeks ago, the president's spokesman said that they were confident that they knew how every dime was being spent at AIG. Well clearly they didn't know what they were talking about. I think this is outrageous, and I think the American people are rightly outraged that their tax money is going to pay bonuses to the very people that got this company in trouble." House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner, R- Ohio • • • "When a child breaks his curfew, he should get grounded. When someone commits a crime, he should be punished. And when an employee brings his company and our economy to the brink, he's not rewarded with multimillion-dollar bonuses paid by the taxpayers." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. • • • "No more bailouts. The American people have had it. They want this Congress to get back to fiscal discipline and restraint and the belief that the freedom to succeed includes the freedom to fail." House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va.