WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on S. 3302, The Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010.

Witness List:

Panel I

The Honorable David Strickland, National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation

Panel II

The Honorable Dave McCurdy, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers

The Honorable Joan Claybrook, President Emeritus, Public Citizen and Former National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation 

Mr. Clarence Ditlow, Executive Director, Center for Auto Safety 

Mr. Michael J. Stanton, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, Inc.

Key Quotations from Today’s Hearing:

“It was Toyota’s recent recalls that brought intense focus to serious safety risks on the road—but this legislation is about auto safety writ large. It tackles the issues industry-wide and directly at the government agency charged with safety oversight. If we are serious about protecting the American people and the hard-working employees of companies like Toyota we cannot hide from questions of safety. We must face them head-on, honestly and directly. The American people will buy more cars and the auto industry will thrive only when people feel confident their cars are safe. We can do better by the American people – and with this legislation we will.”

Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV

“We very much appreciate the provisions in the bill that would enhance NHTSA’s vehicle safety authority. If enacted, these measures would significantly increase the agency’s leverage in dealing with recalcitrant manufacturers in situations where we think recalls are necessary or where the manufacturer has not been totally forthcoming on possible defects or noncompliance issues.”

The Honorable David Strickland, National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation 

“The industry continues to work to advance the state of the art in real world safety. Our engineers are always testing and developing new safety technologies, then evaluating their performance in real-world situations. Proposed legislation needs to meet the same test. Congress and all stakeholders should be focused first and foremost on passing a bill that will result in real world safety benefits for Americans.”

The Honorable Dave McCurdy, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers

“This important legislation needs to be enacted into law. A decade ago, after the Ford/Firestone debacle, the Congress passed legislation and thought it had fixed the problems at NHTSA. But time has revealed that the TREAD Act and the underlying statute need major improvements to upgrade the agency’s regulatory authority, to increase transparency, to enhance enforcement powers, to add much needed resources and to protect its integrity.”

The Honorable Joan Claybrook, President Emeritus, Public Citizen and Former National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation

“All too often auto companies with their focus on short-term profits and sales have failed to incorporate advanced safety features and recall vehicles with known defects. They prefer instead to meet the minimum safety standards issued by NHTSA and take the chance that a strapped regulatory agency will not order a recall. When exposed by crashes spotlighted in the news and by such emerging technologies as cell phone calls or videotapes, auto companies lose billions in sales and brand damage while consumers lose their lives. It’s a no-win situation for both.”

Mr. Clarence Ditlow, Executive Director, Center for Auto Safety

“AIAM and its member companies appreciate the Committee’s efforts to improve motor vehicle safety and understand the intended benefits of the bill. Having NHTSA consider additional Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to address certain issues raised by recent recalls is an important goal.”

Mr. Michael J. Stanton, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, Inc.

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