WASHINGTON, DC - The Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, chaired by Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), today continued its oversight of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Members pressed NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind on the implementation of the committee’s provisions that were included as part of the FAST Act, the long-term highway bill passed last year. Additionally, the subcommittee examined NHTSA’s ability to keep pace with advanced automotive technologies, their work on cybersecurity, their ability to collaboratively work with the auto industry to remove defective vehicles from the road, and various issues related to auto safety.
A June 2015, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General Report found that NHTSA’s internal process for identifying and investigating vehicle safety was flawed and provided NHTSA with seventeen recommendations to improve the agency. Chairman Burgess noted in his opening remarks that, “NHTSA has pledged to implement all 17 recommendations by June 30th of this year. Following this hearing, I will send a request for a full breakdown of NHTSA’s progress toward implementing all 17 recommendations."
In his questioning, committee member Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) asked Administrator Rosekind for an update on NHTSA’s progress in implementing the committee’s FAST Act provisions.
Following a recent fatality in Texas tied to the Takata airbag recall, Chairman Burgess identified that problems remain with notification process for the Takata airbag recall asking Administrator Rosekind, “What was the difficulty in getting the recall information to the end user?"
The young victim of the incident in Texas was a constituent of Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX). During his remarks at the hearing, Rep. Olson spoke on the tragedy, and called for all Americans to use SaferCar.Gov to avoid driving a vehicle with defective safety features.
Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) concluded, “The automotive industry is vital to Michigan’s economy, as well as the nation’s. It drives innovation, job creation, productivity, and economic advancement. Robust auto safety is fundamental to progress. We must all continue working together to enhance vehicle and roadway safety for our nations motorists."
Chairman Burgess added, “The importance of the agency’s mission cannot be understated. With over 50 million vehicles recalled and a surge of traffic fatalities last year, it’s clear that the work of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has very real and immediate societal and economic implications that affect the lives of virtually every American." Related Items
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