Page 8 - CIADA-Q3-2021

By Brett Scott, NIADA Vice President, Government Affairs

NOTE: Senate is in recess until Sept.13; the other possible items – electric vehicles, for To review further, on May 26, Senator
House until Sept. 20. example. Final vote goal is Oct. 1. Only Blumenthal, with Senators Markey and
simple majority required in the Senate. Warren as cosponsors, introduced S. 1835,
SENATE BIPARTISAN CORE the “Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act.”
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL SAFETY RECALLS: BILLS OF Mostly similar to the motor vehicle safety
INTEREST recall bills that Blumenthal has introduced
Note: House will vote on Sept. 27 on the in past Congresses, S.1835 would prohibit
above bill with no amendments allowed. The bipartisan Senate Commerce Committee auto dealers from selling, leasing, or loaning
title to the highway bill (which does not vehicles with unrepaired open recalls to
The bill does not include provisions on include a motor vehicle safety provision) and consumers. To ensure such repair, the bill
motor vehicle safety, EV purchasing, cash portions of the Markey PARTS Act (which would enable auto dealers to sell recalled
for clunkers and semiconductor chips. the Association supports) are included in the vehicles to other auto dealers who have
Must continue opposition advocacy Senate-passed mega infrastructure bill. To the ability to fix the defects at wholesale
through House consideration of the review, on June 16, the Senate Commerce process. The bill would also establish a
core infrastructure bill, congressional Committee marked up its version of the new reimbursement program to hold auto
consideration of a human infrastructure highway bill. Senator Blumenthal filed manufacturers accountable if they fail to
bill, and the FY22 appropriations bills. his grounding bill as an amendment. It provide auto dealers with the parts to repair
Issues of interest that are included in the was not accepted by the leadership of safety defects within 60 days. Wholesale
Senate bipartisan core infrastructure bill - the Committee as part of its bipartisan sales are exempt from the requirements of
bill and Blumenthal did not offer his bill the bill.
The bipartisan highway bill from the separately. Leading up to the markup there
Environment and Public Works and was extensive lobbying by NADA, NAAA Also, on April 28, Senator Markey, with
Commerce Committees; and NIADA with a number of meetings Senators Blumenthal and Baldwin as
$7.5B for the EPW’s Electric Vehicle held with Committee staff (both majority cosponsors, introduced S. 1416 (the
Charging and Fueling grant program to and minority) and Commerce Committee PARTS Act) which authorizes the U.S.
deploy EV, hydrogen fueling infrastructure, member staffs. As the attention shifted to DOT to provide grants to states for use in
propane fueling infrastructure and natural the Floor consideration of the infrastructure notifying motor vehicle owners at the time
gas fueling infrastructure while also bill which again included the Commerce of registration about manufacturer-issued
including a state formula program for EV Committee title, the focus was on whether safety recalls, as well as require additional
charging infrastructure deployment; Blumenthal would pursue his amendment. reporting and an annual scorecard on how
$7.5B for the production and procurement In addition, since the Committee markup effectively automakers are completing any
of electric vehicle and low carbon school another recall provision surfaced drafted recalls.
buses and ferries, to include hydrogen by Honda that adds to Blumenthal onerous
fuel cells, liquefied natural gas, and other fines and criminal penalties and, unlike Lastly, on February 23, Senator Klobuchar

alternative fuel technologies; Blumenthal, does not exempt auctions. (D-MN), with Senators Blumenthal (D-
Requirement that the Secretary of Energy Again, the three associations embarked on CT) and Markey (D-MA), introduced
conduct a study on the cradle to grave an extensive advocacy effort in opposition S. 376 which directs the Government
environmental impact of electric vehicles; to any grounding amendment, targeting Accountability Office to study motor
and, first the Committee leadership and then vehicle recalls and the reasons why vehicle
Requirement that the Secretary of Energy Committee members in those states where owners do not have repairs performed
study the impact on forced labor in China the three associations have significant for vehicles subject to such recalls. It also
on the electric vehicle supply chain. member/personal presence. Our fallback directs the National Highway Traffic Safety
to any grounding amendment is a study Administration to study how vehicle recall
HUMAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL to address many of the questions that have notices can (1) more effectively reach vehicle
never been thoroughly answered. On the owners, (2) be made easier for consumers
Currently being drafted by various House side, the Energy and Commerce to understand, and (3) incentivize vehicle
committees. Drafts due by Sept. 15. Highly Committee did not include any motor owners to complete the repairs described
unlikely recall safety will be included vehicle safety provisions in its highway bill in such notices. The bill does not authorize
given reconciliation rules. Watching for mark. any appropriations. Also on February 23,

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