Statement of Congressman John D. Dingell, Ranking Member
Committee on Energy and Commerce

Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and
Consumer Protection
Hearing on "The Reauthorization of the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration"

June 23, 2005

I am pleased we are holding this hearing on the “Reauthorization of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).” This will aid us in examining the resource needs of the agency, and its current priorities. I have always viewed reauthorization of an agency, which is for a fixed period of time, to be separate from decisions to change the underlying laws which the agency administers.
Should Congress, during the reauthorization process, consider writing new laws for the agency to administer, we should be guided by several factors:

First, we must guard against regulating before the experts have an adequate understanding of both the problem we seek to solve and how proposed solutions affect overall safety and public health. Time after time, when NHTSA has been forced to regulate without a complete understanding of the problem, the unintended consequences have been grave. For example, the issue of air bags has been revisited more than once to ensure that children and small adults are not harmed by a system intended to protect. Good intentions alone are not sufficient for regulating vehicle safety.

Second, we must not divert resources away from regulations and innovations with the most potential to save lives. Every time Congress mandates that NHTSA promulgate a rule on a specific subject, there are fewer resources for NHTSA to spend on other safety priorities. As information and research improve, we should allow the expert agency adequate flexibility to determine what actions will save the greatest number of lives.

Third, we must recognize that irresponsible regulation of the automobile will sacrifice important manufacturing jobs in the United States. At a time when this country is hemorrhaging jobs, we must take extraordinary care to ensure that new regulations are both appropriate and implemented wisely.

There are times when legislative action is necessary. We worked diligently in this Committee on the TREAD Act, and that law continues to yield fruit. The Early Warning System established under that Act helps NHTSA and manufacturers identify problems sooner and recall affected vehicles faster.

Due in part to the TREAD Act’s success, times have changed. NHTSA has established an aggressive agenda for vehicle safety that will be implemented on a responsible timetable. I commend Dr. Runge for establishing a multi-year priority plan for vehicle safety. NHTSA’s diligent progress toward implementing these safety initiatives and Dr. Runge’s personal efforts to increase seat-belt use are saving lives.

When the Senate proposed a NHTSA reauthorization last Congress, Chairman Barton and I were profoundly concerned that it would supplant the expertise of the engineers and scientists at NHTSA with the opinions of lawyers and activists. The version presented to us this Congress, however, appears to have moved in the proper direction and deserves careful examination.

I look forward to working closely with Chairman Barton on this important matter, and I thank the witnesses for their testimony today.

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(Contact: Jodi Seth, 202-225-3641)