Americans are angry about what has happened to our country. No one seems to be willing to take responsibility. I will take some. I should have held the automotive companies more accountable for their actions, or inactions, over the years. My colleagues voted to make another member, who views the auto industry in a much different way than I do, the chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. I find that some members voted against me because I was perceived to be sympathetic to the auto industry. I don't regret fighting for millions of Americans who work in the auto industry, even if that fight might have hurt me. I will fight for those workers, the UAW and others in the industry until they kick me out of this place. But I, and the auto industry, must recognize that fighting for those jobs means doing things differently. And while I may occasionally be put at odds with the companies themselves, I will continue my fight to protect the finest, most loyal men and women who work in the industry as well as the need to continue a manufacturing base in this country -- whatever the personal cost. All of our companies have already taken action to produce new fuel-efficient vehicles that the consumer wants. We can be proud of the 2010 Ford Fusion, a mid-sized hybrid that will get 41 city miles per gallon and 36 miles per gallon on highways, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Fusion, the Chevy Volt and Cruze and Chrysler's upcoming electric vehicles are examples that Detroit's automakers can compete with products made anywhere in the world. If we provide needed bridge loans and other similar support, the domestic auto industry will reward us with superb vehicles and jobs for American workers. But this industry needs to change its attitude about Washington and do a far better job of telling its story in all aspects of the business. Congress and the administration need to take the time to understand the story and stop making decisions with outdated and inaccurate information. All parties need a common vision. Such a vision should include a new outlook on energy. America can't solve its energy problems by just driving fuel-efficient vehicles alone. The Fusion runs on a nickel-metal hydride battery made in Japan. We need to build those batteries here in Michigan. Our government needs to help stimulate advanced technology for our manufacturers as foreign governments do for their auto companies. Only if we can produce alternatives to petroleum ourselves can we truly claim to be energy independent. Another surefire way to help the American worker and industry is to create proper health care coverage for all Americans. Health care is breaking the backs of American employers, large and small. Our competitors' governments pay this health cost, picking up a tab worth about $1,600 per vehicle in their countries, while our companies must bear the health care burden themselves. I have worked all of my 53 years in Congress to produce a bill that would make sure every American had some adequate health care coverage. That means: • Ensuring coverage for everyone. • Putting families in charge of their health care dollars and their choices of doctors -- not insurance companies. • Decreasing costs by reducing paperwork and modernizing the use of information technology. • Creating more equitable cost structures that encourage medical students to enter the profession and choose a primary care practice instead of a specialty practice. • Supporting more professionals, especially nurses and other needed health care professionals. To those who say it costs too much, our system already costs and wastes too much. If we learn anything from the subprime mortgage crisis, it should be that we must address obvious problems before they explode. There is a lot of work ahead. I am rolling up my sleeves and getting ready to get back to work. U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, is chairman emeritus of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. E-mail comments to lettersdteom.