Schakowsky Statement on Report that GM Delayed Disclosure of Ignition Switch Defect

CHICAGO - Today, Rep. Jan Schakowsky issued the following statement on a report that General Motors, in December 2013, placed an order with Delphi Automotive for hundreds of thousands of replacement parts for dangerous ignition switches, yet waited nearly two months to notify safety authorities and the public of the defect:

“If true, today's report demonstrates a stunning disregard by GM for the safety of its customers and all who use our roads. Throughout our investigation of GM's deadly ignition-switch defect, my colleagues and I have repeatedly heard representatives of GM blame the defect on 'the old GM,' which did not adequately emphasize safety and accountability. GM has told the public again and again that 'the new GM' would never jeopardize the safety of its customers. But this report directly contradicts that claim, suggesting that the company failed to notify the public and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as soon as it recognized that its vehicles had a dangerous safety defect. At least 30 deaths have now been attributed to this defect, which caused stalling, loss of power, and airbag non-deployment.

I urge NHTSA to fully investigate whether General Motors illegally falsified information or withheld information from the agency, as well as whether the parts supplier Delphi was fully forthcoming in its responses to NHTSA inquiries. We on the Energy and Commerce Committee will be reviewing whether GM or Delphi misled the Committee in any way during our investigation. In the meantime, I urge all of my colleagues to support increasing fines for automakers that fail to protect the safety of their customers. In September, I introduced H.R. 5654, the Vehicle Safety Improvement Act of 2014, which includes provisions to do just that.

Today, it is clear more than ever that we need to strengthen federal oversight of auto safety. I urge House leadership to consider H.R. 5654 without delay.”