Congressional Democrats have proposed a $25 billion bailout of car companies, including GM (General Motors), Ford and Chrysler. They are hoping to pass it in the special lame-duck session of Congress that began today.

The three American car companies, who have fallen behind Honda and Toyota for years, see the current economic downturn and recent Wall Street bailout as reason enough to ask for their own bailout from the federal government.

On Friday, Goldman Sachs suspended its rating for GM, declaring that the company needs $22 billion to survive. Chrysler was also said by Goldman to need a similar amount of money.

The three companies have ruled out Chapter 11 bankruptcy or restructuring.

Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl has come out against a proposed bailout, saying that companies that made bad business decisions need to pay for it and not at the expense of others.

The three automakers have claimed that they cannot make a profit manufacturing small cars. Scott Porter of Los Angeles tells Reuters: “If you cannot make a profit then you go bankrupt.”