Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. press release, October 11, 2000

NEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1 1 , 2000 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 CONTACT: Jill Homan 202/225-3061 Congressman Ehrlich Supports Auto Safety Bill WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House of Representatives voted early this morning to unanimously adopt H.R. 5164, the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation Act (TREAD), which requires auto industry companies to notify the Secretary of Transportation about safety recalls in foreign countries. The legislation now awaits action by the Senate. Congressman Ehrlich cosponsored this bill and worked on amendments to it in his Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee. “The Firestone tire and Ford Explorer vehicle crashes have brought to national attention the need to ensure that federal agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are properly doing their job to spot widespread safety problems before there is serious loss of life,” Congressman Ehrlich stated. The TREAD Act gives increased authority and funds to the NHTSA to collect data and investigate possible automobile defects before they result in injuries or deaths. The legislation: • Requires auto and tire industry manufacturers to report information on safety recalls in foreign countries, U.S. claims data submitted to them about personal injury or property damage from alleged defects, and any other information NHTSA may require; • Imposes criminal sanctions for industry employees who lie to the government or withhold information they are required to report under the bill; • Increases the limit on civil penalties (from $925,000 to $15 million) for auto and tire manufacturers who violate federal motor vehicle safety standards; • Lengthens the period of time in which a tire or vehicle manufacturer has to remedy a defect without a charge to the consumer in order to help ensure safe replacement parts are available during a recall and consumers are fully reimbursed for recalled parts or tires; Prohibits recalled and defective tires from being resold to consumers;