The House approved the $25 billion in low-interest federal loans today intended for the re-tooling of the big three.

House of representatives voted 370 to 58 to approve the spending bill that includes $7.5 billion to start the loan program.

The Senate will agree to the bill this week and by the end of the week President Bush will sign it into a new law.

The new loan program is the basis for the financial backing of the auto industry, by allowing domestic manufacturers to tap into low interest loans to finance re-tooling costs.

Some lawmakers argue that this funding package is not a bailout at all. Since the loan amount still is put out with a hefty interest rate, the federal government will turn a profit no matter what.

Lobbyists have called for more lax terms in order to loosen the conditions on what the money should be spent on, however the House of Representatives have not complied to those demands.

The majority of the funds still must be used to retool production lines to manufacture vehicles, which have a 25% or higher gas mileage efficiency improvement over the model it replaces.

Winnebago, the not so popular anymore maker of large, luxurious RV’s has reported it’s quarterly sales are down a staggering 73% from last years numbers.

Based in Iowa, net profits have stumbled to around $3 million down from $11 million a year ago.

They blame the reduction of discretionary spending, reduction of consumer confidence and record high gasoline prices as the cause. The tightening credit market was also partially blamed.

Overall sales have dropped to just over $139 million from $231 million. The RV industry seems to be in it’s 4^th straight year of slumping sales.

Winnebago is fighting the situation with reducing it’s overhead by the announcement to let go 30% of it’s workforce at it’s plant in Charles City, Iowa. Hopefully this move will revive the once extremely profitable company to it’s former glory.