NYX Nyse Euronext

A key Republican lawmaker signaled he had an open mind about the potential acquisition of NYSE Euronext (NYX) by Deutsche Boerse AG (DB1.XE), saying another German employer has been a boon to his Alabama district.

"One of the major employers in my district is Mercedes Benz, and that's been very good for America because they produce a good percentage of their vehicles here," House Financial Services Chairman Spencer Bachus (R., Ala.) said.

Mr. Bachus said he didn't think such an acquisition of NYSE Euronext, a central player in the U.S. financial infrastructure, would pose national security concerns. "I don't think it's a national security issue," he said.

NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Boerse jointly revealed early Wednesday that the two exchange operators were in advanced merger talks on a combination that would create the biggest global listings platform, though cautioned that no conclusive agreement has yet been reached. Such a merger would require approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Department of Justice.

News of a NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Boerse combination didn't sit well with other members of Congress. Rep. Ed Royce (R., Calif.) said the merger talks were evidence that U.S. dominance of financial markets has slipped due to regulatory and legal uncertainty.

"We've eroded the dominance of the U.S. capital markets and we've done it because we have an overly litigious environment," Mr. Royce said.

Other lawmakers said they were jolted by the merger talks.

"It's just a frightening thought to believe that a symbol like the Statue of Liberty that the title to that may not be ours," said Rep. Charles Rangel (D., N.Y.).

Rep. Judy Biggert (R., Ill.) said she felt very sad when she heard the news and worried that people would interpret that as evidence the U.S. was in decline.

"I hope that people don't take it as a sign, because we're really working to get out of our financial crisis," she said.

Reps. Paul Ryan (R., Wis.), Tom Price (R., Ga.), Brad Miller (D., N.C.) and Rosa DeLauro (D., Conn.) declined to comment on the talks, saying they hadn't had time to analyze the potential deal.

But one influential politician, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, praised the possibility of Deutsche Boerse acquiring the New York Exchange, calling the potential deal beneficial for U.S. companies and New York. "It's the right thing for New York City, and I hope the deal goes through," Bloomberg said at a news conference in Manhattan.

-By Jessica Holzer, Dow Jones Newswires; (202) 862 9228; jessica.holzer@wsj.com

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