ml> U.S. Congressman Cliff Stearns (FL06)- Press Release

NEWS FROM

North Central Florida's Congressman

CLIFF STEARNS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2002		 CONTACT: PAUL FLUSCHE
(202) 225-5744

STEARNS HOLDS HEARING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF TREAD ACT

EXPRESSES CONCERN WITH SLOW PACE IN DEVELOPING RULES TO CARRY OUT INTENT OF LEGISLATION

WASHINGTON, FEB. 28, 2002 - "Congress enacted the Transportation Recall, Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act in 2002 in response to many deaths and injuries attributable to tread separation on Ford Explorers equipped with certain Firestone tires," stated Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Chairman of the Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection subcommittee. "Our goal was simple - to save lives - and we need to see if we are doing just that."

The effectiveness of the TREAD Act depends on the ability of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to promulgate regulations that implement the intent of Congress in a timely fashion. To date, NHTSA has completed three final rules in a timely manner, but NHTSA has yet to complete twelve final rulemakings, six of which are subject to statutory deadlines, the latest being November 2002.

Said Stearns, "I am deeply concerned with NHSTA's slow pace in developing the rules to implement the TREAD Act." One TREAD Act mandate, the early warning reporting requirement, which Stearns believes to be the most important, requires that NHTSA collect vehicle problem data from a variety of sources, including warranty claims and consumer complaints. Referring to the early warning reporting rule making, Stearns said, "If that rule making is done right, thousands of lives could be saved in coming years because NHTSA using the data could spot a serious vehicle problem before it develops into a national public health emergency."

As a result of the hearing, Stearns found that "there appears to be difficulty in designing and implementing the software needed to effectively catalog and analyze millions of data that NHTSA would be receiving from car manufactures and suppliers under the early warning reporting rule." He added, "Addressing this must be a priority. I will work with NHTSA's Administrator, Dr. Jeffrey Runge, in reviewing the implementation of these rules with the possibility of another hearing this fall."

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