Summary

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee holds a hearing on Toyota safety record with Ray LaHood, David Strickland of the NHTSA Mr. Akio Toyoda, Mr. Yoshimi Inaba Other witnesses will include Joan Claybrook, Clarence Ditlow, Sean Kane of the Safety Research and Strategies Inc., and two victims 10:58:50 >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. 10:58:58 IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE THE HORROR OF THE EVENT THAT TOOK THE LIVES 11:00:00 AS THIS CAR REACHED TOP SPEED IN JUST A FEW SECONDS, IT WAS ALL 11:00:02 HE COULD DO TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL. 11:00:06 IN A FRANTIC CALL TO 911, HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW, CHRIS, REPORTED 11:00:12 THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK, THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK, AND THEY 11:00:17 WERE BARRELLING DOWN ON AN INTERSECTION. 11:00:21 HE YELLED OVER THE PHONE, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON 11:00:28 AND PRAY. PRAY. 11:00:30 THOSE WERE HIS LAST WORDS. WE NOW KNOW THAT THE TERRIFYING 11:00:36 DEATH OF THIS FAMILY WERE NOT CAUSED BY A FREAK ACCIDENT. 11:00:41 IT TURNS OUT THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY HAD BEEN 11:00:46 COMPLAINING ABOUT SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN TOYOTA VEHICLES. 11:00:52 WHAT PEOPLE ARE WONDERING IS, WILL I BE NEXT? 11:01:02 OUR INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY 11:01:06 ADMINISTRATION HAS RECEIVED NEARLY 2,500 DRIVER COMPLAINTS 11:01:13 ABOUT SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN TOYOTA VEHICLES. 11:01:15 WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT SINCE 2000, ONE INSURANCE COMPANY, 11:01:21 STATE FARM, REPORTED OVER 900 CASES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN 11:01:27 TOYOTAS. WE HAVE ALL LEARNED THAT THEY 11:01:33 KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT IT AND WHEN IT DID DO SOMETHING, 11:01:36 ACTIONS WERE VERY LIMITED. SIMILARLY, TOYOTA IGNORED OR 11:01:40 MINIMIZED REPORTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. 11:01:45 TOYOTA FIRST BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF 11:01:47 FLOOR MATS. NEVER MIND THAT MANY REPORTS OF 11:01:53 ACCELERATION INVOLVED VEHICLES THAT DID NOT EVEN HAVE A FLOOR 11:01:55 MAT. NOW THEY BLAME IT ON STICKY GAS 11:02:01 PEDALS. I REMAIN SKEPTICAL THAT THESE 11:02:03 ARE THE SOLE CAUSES, THE WAY THESE COMPLAINTS WERE HANDLED 11:02:09 INDICATES PROBLEMS AT BOTH NITSA AND TOYOTA. 11:02:14 SINCE 2003, NITSA HAS UNDERTAKEN A MULTITUDE OF SUDDEN UNSENDED 11:02:22 ACCELERATION. THERE IS A SERIES QUESTION OF 11:02:25 WHETHER THEY USED ALL OF THE REGULATORY CLUES TO THOROUGHLY 11:02:32 INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE. WHEN I READ ACCOUNTS ABOUT HOW 11:02:38 FORMER NITSA OFFICIALS WERE HIRED BY TOYOTA AND HELPED 11:02:45 NEGOTIATE THE SCOPE OF REGULATORY INCREASE, I HAVE MY 11:02:49 OWN DOUBTS. IN THE CASE OF TOYOTA, THERE IS 11:02:54 STRIKING EVIDENCE THAT THE COMPANY WAS AT TIMES MORE 11:03:00 CONCERNED WITH PROFIT THAN CUSTOMER SAFETY. 11:03:02 TOYOTA'S OWNER INTERNAL DOCUMENTS INDICATED THAT A 11:03:05 PREMIUM WAS PLACED ON DELAYING OR CLOSING NITSA. 11:03:16 BLOCKING THE DISCOVERY OF SAFETY DEFENSE. 11:03:19 TOYOTA OFFICIALS BRAGGED ABOUT SAVING ONE OF THE MILLION BY 11:03:23 PREVENTING THEM FROM FINDING A DEFECT RELATED TO THE SUDDEN 11:03:29 ACCELERATION. THE RECENT PRIUS RECALL 11:03:32 REPRESENTS YET ANOTHER TROUBLING PATTERN OF DELAY WHEN IT COMES 11:03:35 TO REVEALING SAFETY INFORMATION. A FEW WEEKS AGO, TOYOTA 11:03:41 ANNOUNCED IT WOULD RECALL CERTAIN MODELS BECAUSE OF A 11:03:44 SOFTWARE PROBLEM RELATED TO THE BREAKTHROUGH SYSTEM. 11:03:48 DRIVERS BEGAN COMPLAINING TO NITSA ABOUT PRIUS BRAKE PROBLEMS 11:03:53 LAST YEAR. TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM 11:03:56 AND WAS ALREADY ADDRESSING IT FOR NEW CARS ON THE ASSEMBLY 11:04:01 LINE. AT THE SAME TIME TOYOTA WITH 11:04:04 HELD THAT INFORMATION FROM BOTH NITSA AND CURRENT PRIUS DRIVERS 11:04:10 UNTIL MONTHS LATER. IF THE SPOTLIGHT HAD NOT ALREADY 11:04:13 BEEN SHINING BRIGHTLY ON TOYOTA, WOULD THE PUBLIC HAVE EVER BEEN 11:04:18 TOLD THAT IS A QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED? 11:04:22 THEY FAILED THE TAXPAYERS, TOYOTA FAILED THE CUSTOMERS. 11:04:28 THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS, MULTIPLE INVESTIGATIONS AND 11:04:33 RECALLS ARE BAD ENOUGH. WE NOW HAVE 39 DEATHS ATTRIBUTED 11:04:39 TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN TOYOTAS. 11:04:42 TO GIVE THAT HORRIFYING NUMBER SOME PERSPECTIVE, THERE WERE 27 11:04:47 DEATHS ATTRIBUTED TO THE FAMOUS PINTO EXPLODING GAS TANK ON THE 11:04:54 1970s. IN SHORT, IF THE CAMRY AND THE 11:04:58 PRIUS WERE AIRPLANES, THEY WOULD BE GROUNDED. 11:05:02 THESE FACTS RAISED SEVERAL IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. 11:05:06 IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THESE CARS? IS TOYOTA NOW SERIOUS ABOUT 11:05:13 SOLVING THE PROBLEM? CAN NITSA SAY THE CAUSE OF THE 11:05:17 PROBLEM HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND FIXED? 11:05:20 WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREVENT THIS KIND OF THING FROM HAPPENING 11:05:24 AGAIN? CAN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TRUST 11:05:30 NITSA TO ENSURE VEHICLE SAFETY? WE WILL FIND AN ANSWER TO THESE 11:05:34 AND MANY OTHER QUESTIONS TODAY. ON THAT NOTE I YIELD TO THE 11:05:38 GENTLEMEN FROM CALIFORNIA, CONGRESSMAN DARRELL ISA FOR AN 11:05:42 OPENING STATEMENT. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 11:05:45 HOUSE KEEPING. I WOULD ASK CONSENT TO MR. JEFF 11:05:49 DAVIS OF THE COMMON WEALTH OF KENTUCKY BE ALLOWED TO. 11:05:52 >> SIS PATE AS A MEMBER RECOGNIZE THAT IT WILL BE 11:05:58 UNLIKELY THERE WILL BE TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS. 11:06:00 >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 11:06:03 IT IS THE OBLIGATION OF YOURSELF PRIMARILY AND MYSELF TO SET THE 11:06:08 TONE FOR HEARINGS. TO TEE UP, IF YOU WILL, THROUGH 11:06:13 OPENING STATEMENTS HOW WE VIEW WHAT WE ARE GOING TO PROBABLY 11:06:15 SHARE TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND YOU FOR 11:06:18 THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT AND ADD A 11:06:20 LITTLE BIT MORE TO IT. I WOULD LIKE TO PUT UP THE SLIDE 11:06:27 OF THE RECALLS FROM RECALL TO RECOVERY. 11:06:32 THIS SLIDE SHOWS A LITTLE OF THE HISTORY THAT THE CHAIRMAN 11:06:35 ALLUDED TO, THE 1978 RECALL, THE FORD PINTO AND THE GM RECALL FOR 11:06:42 STEERING PROBLEMS, 5.8 MILLION VEHICLES. 11:06:46 THE VERY SAD AND GREAT LOSS OF LIFE, 1982 TYLENOL RECALL OF 31 11:06:52 MILLION BOTTLES OF TYLENOL PILLS WHICH OF COURSE LED TO THE 11:06:58 TAMPER-PROOF BOTTLES WE TAKE FOR GRANTED TODAY. 11:07:01 THE 1996 FORD RECALLS OF EIGHT MILLION VEHICLES FOR FIRES AND 11:07:04 OF COURSE THE WELL-PUBLICIZED GM RECALL AFTER THEIR PICKUP TRUCKS 11:07:11 WOULD SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODE IF HIT IN THE REAR. 11:07:16 THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF COMPANIES BOTH AUTO AND NON-AUTO WHO OVER 11:07:20 THE YEARS HAVE FACED CLEAR CHALLENGES. 11:07:24 IN THE CASE OF THE AUTO COMPANIES, WE EXPECT TO SEE THEM 11:07:28 AGAIN. WE JUDGE THEM NOT BY WHETHER 11:07:33 THEY HAVE UNSEEN AND DEVELOPED PROBLEMS IN THEIR VEHICLES, BUT 11:07:38 HOW QUICKLY THEY RESPOND AND HOW THEY IN FACT REACT AFTER 11:07:43 SCRUTINY EITHER WITHIN THEIR OWN COMPANY OR FROM WITHOUT BRINGS 11:07:46 THESE TO THEIR ATTENTION. I WILL NOT CALL ANY OF THESE 11:07:50 FIVE A SUCCESS EXCEPT FOR TYLENOL. 11:07:54 TYLENOL WAS A VICTIM OF OTHER PEOPLE POISONING THEIR PRODUCT 11:07:58 AND YET THEY TOOK A STEP THAT HAS CHANGED SAFETY OF THE 11:08:04 MEDICINES WE TAKE FOR GRANTED TODAY. 11:08:08 # RECENTLY THEY AIRED A TELEVISION 11:08:18 COMMERCIAL. IN IT THEY SAID IN FACT GOOD 11:08:21 COMPANIES FIXED THE MISTAKES THEY MADE, BUT GREAT COMPANIES 11:08:28 LEARN FROM THEM. WE WILL BE ASKING THE VERY 11:08:33 QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE A GOOD COMPANY OR A 11:08:37 GREAT COMPANY. MY 2nd SLIDE I THINK DEPICTS ONE 11:08:43 OF THE CHALLENGES WHY PRIOR TO TODAY WE CANNOT SAY TOYOTA WAS A 11:08:46 GREAT COMPANY. PERHAPS NOT EVEN A GOOD COMPANY. 11:08:49 WHEN IN 2007, WHAT WE KNOW FOR A FACT IS THAT FLOOR MAT PROBLEMS 11:08:57 OR GAS PEDAL ENTRAPMENT WERE DISCOVERED IN SIMILAR VEHICLES 11:09:02 IN THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN. IN THE UNITED STATES WORKING 11:09:06 WITH NITSA, A NEGOTIATED FIX RELATED TO THE CARPETS OCCURRED. 11:09:12 IN JAPAN THE GAS PEDAL LIKE THE ONE SEEN HERE TODAY WAS SHORT. 11:09:23 IN 2009 NEARLY TWO YEARS LATER WE HAD THE SAD AND FATAL LOSS OF 11:09:29 WHICH IS IN ALL LIKELIHOOD OR REPORTED AND NOT FORMALLY 11:09:34 CONTESTED TO BE A CARPET ENTRAPMENT PROBLEM OF AN 11:09:38 AUTOMOBILE LOANED BY BOB BAKER, A LOCAL DEALER IN MY CITY THAT 11:09:41 LED TO THIS LOSS OF LIFE. TODAY, IN 2010, GAS PEDALS 11:09:49 ARE SHORTENED AT DEALERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. 11:09:52 IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT AT LEAST AT TOYOTA, A POSSIBLE SOLUTION 11:09:58 NOW SEEN AS SUPERIOR WAS AVAILABLE, CONTEMPLATE AND 11:10:03 EXECUTED, BUT NOT FOR THE VERY CAR THAT ULTIMATELY THE S 350 11:10:08 THAT LED TO THE LOSS OF LIFE. TODAY WE WILL BE ASKING TWO 11:10:13 QUESTIONS. HOW COULD NITSA IN THIS MODERN 11:10:16 AGE IN WHICH I CAN GOOGLE SECRETARY LE HOOD'S NAME AND GET 11:10:20 PICTURES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO GET INFORMATION AND BIOAND 11:10:24 ALMOST ANYTHING FROM DATABASES AROUND THE GLOBE HOW IS IT NITSA 11:10:34 DOES NOT HAVE A SYSTEM TO KNOW ABOUT EVERY REPORT WHETHER IT'S 11:10:37 A STICKY ACCELERATOR IN GREAT BRITAIN OR WHETHER IT IS A 11:10:41 TROUBLED SYSTEM IN CANADA OR WHETHER IT IS A DIFFERENT, BUT 11:10:47 SIMILAR VEHICLE IN JAPAN, NITSA IS NOT PREPARED TO ACT. 11:10:52 SOME WOULD SAY WE SHOULD IN FACT ADD TO OUR BODY OF LAWS I'M 11:11:07 DELIGHTED TO HAVE PLY FRIEND AND FORMER COLLEAGUE HERE BECAUSE IT 11:11:12 WILL BE ON HIS WATCH THE SECRETARY OR THE DEPARTMENT OF 11:11:16 TRANSPORTATION AND WILL BE A GOOD ORGANIZATION DEALING WITH 11:11:19 THE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS OR A GREAT ORGANIZATION LEARNING FROM THE 11:11:24 MISTAKES OF THE PAST. I THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THE 11:11:31 HEARING AND I YIELD BACK. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR STATEMENT. 11:11:34 THIS TIME WE LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST WITNESS FROM THE 11:11:39 HONORABLE RAYMOND H. LE HOOD FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF 11:11:43 TRANSPORTATION. IT'S A TRADITION THAT WE SWEAR 11:11:50 ALL OF OUR WITNESSES. STAND AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. 11:11:57 DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND 11:12:01 NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? >> I DO. 11:12:03 >> LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THE WITNESS ANSWERED IN THE 11:12:06 AFFIRMATIVE. YOU MAY BE SEATED. 11:12:08 YOU MAY BEGIN. >> THANK YOU, RANKING MEMBERS 11:12:15 AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND BEFORE 11:12:19 YOU TODAY TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANT ISSUE OF TOYOTA'S 11:12:22 RECENT SAFETY RECALLS. EVER SINCE I WAS SWORN IN AS 11:12:26 SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 13 MONTHS AGO, I SAID THAT SAFETY 11:12:30 IS THE DEPARTMENT'S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. 11:12:35 I WOULD LIKE TO THINK WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT TIME AND TIME 11:12:37 AND TIME AGAIN WHEN THE TERRIBLE CRASH AT THE WASHINGTON METRO 11:12:42 SYSTEM CLAIMED NINE LIVES AND INJURED DOZENS OF OTHERS LAST 11:12:46 SUMMER, WE INTRODUCED LEGISLATION THAT I WOULD 11:12:49 ENCOURAGE ALL OF TO YOU COSPONSOR AND GIVE US OVERSIGHT 11:12:54 OVER TRANSIT. WE WERE PROHIBITED FROM HAVING 11:13:00 THAT RESPONSIBILITY. WHEN AIR FLIGHT 3407 CRASHED IN 11:13:04 BUFFALO, WE LEARNED RIGHT AWAY WHAT MANY OF THE PROBLEMS WERE 11:13:09 AND WE DID NOT WAIT ONE YEAR FOR THE NTSB TO CONCLUDE THE 11:13:16 INVESTIGATION AND WE BEGAN IMMEDIATELY TO ENHANCE AIRLINE 11:13:19 SAFETY AND PILOT TRAINING HOLDING 12 SAFETY SUMMITS AROUND 11:13:22 THE COUNTRY. SPRING THE FAA WILL ISSUE A RULE 11:13:29 TO COMBAT PILOT FATIGUE AND BEGAN TO OVERHAUL CERTIFICATION 11:13:35 QUALIFICATIONS. ONE OF THE HALL MARKS OF MY TIME 11:13:43 HAS BEEN WORK ON DISTRACTED DRIVING. 11:13:45 WITH ALL OF YOU WITH CELL PHONES AND BLACKBERRIES, I WANT YOU TO 11:13:48 KNOW I'M ON A RAMPAGE ABOUT PEOPLE TALKING AND TEXTING WHILE 11:13:53 DRIVING A PUS, TRAIN, OR PLANE AND AN AUTOMOBILE. 11:13:57 IT'S A MENACE TO SOCIETY AND WE RECENTLY EXERCISED AUTHORITY TO 11:14:02 BAN TRUCK DRIVERS FROM PARTICULARING WHILE DRIVING. 11:14:15 THE THREE RECALLS INVOLVING TOYOTA ARE AMONG THE LARGEST IN 11:14:20 AUTOMOBILE HISTORY AFFECTING MORE THAN SIX MILLION PEOPLE IN 11:14:22 THE COUNTRY. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A WORD TO 11:14:25 CONSUMERS. IF YOU NOTICE THE GAS PEDAL OR 11:14:28 BRAKE IS NOT RESPONDING AS IT NORMALLY WOULD, CONTACT YOUR 11:14:32 TOYOTA DEALER NOW. RECENTLY THEY INVOLVED THREE 11:14:35 ISSUES. ONE, ACCELERATOR, PEDAL 11:14:39 ENTRAPMENT BY FLOOR MATS THAT LEAD TO UNCONTROLLED 11:14:42 ACCELERATION AT HIGH SPEEDS AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE YOUR 11:14:45 FLOOR MATS OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE UNTIL YOUR CAR HAS BEEN 11:14:50 REPAIRED FOR THIS PROBLEM BY AN AUTHENTIC TOYOTA DEALER. 11:14:55 2nd, ACCELERATOR PEDALS STICKING OR RETURNING SLOWLY AFTER BEING 11:15:01 DEPRESSED IF THE PEDAL IS HARDER OR SLOWER THIS IS KNOWN AS A 11:15:12 STICKY PEDAL. THE PEDAL HAS THESE SYMPTOMS, 11:15:14 CONTACT THE TOYOTA DEALER IMMEDIATELY. 11:15:18 THE GAS PEDAL BECOMES STUCK FOR ANY REASON, PUT THE CAR IN 11:15:21 NEUTRAL AND BRING IT TO A STOP IN A SAFE PLACE AND CALL YOUR 11:15:26 DEALER. FINALLY WITH THE TOYOTA PRIUS 11:15:29 FOR MODEL YEAR 2010 AND THE LEXUS HS 250, IF YOU EXPERIENCE 11:15:35 A CHANGE IN YOUR CAR'S BRAKING PERFORMANCE, CONTACT YOUR TOYOTA 11:15:38 DEALER. I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THE 11:15:43 NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION HAS THE MOST 11:15:49 EFFECTIVE DEFECT INVESTIGATION PROGRAM IN THE WORLD. 11:15:57 THEIR JOB IS TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS AND LOOK FOR DEFECTS. 11:16:04 NITSA RECEIVES 30,000 COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS AND TAKE EVERY 11:16:08 ONE SERIOUSLY. WE LOOK AT EVERY ONE. 11:16:11 WE DON'T SET ANY OF THEM ASIDE. WE REVIEW THEM QUICKLY TO MAKE 11:16:18 SURE THAT IF THERE IS A SERIOUS ISSUE, WE WILL LOOK AT IT. 11:16:29 THEY RESULTED IN 524 RECALLS INVOLVING 23 MILLION VEHICLES. 11:16:38 # THE INVESTIGATIONS OPENED, THERE 11:16:54 34 OPENING DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS. 11:16:58 FIVE OF WHICH INVOLVE TOYOTA. EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, OFFICIALS 11:17:01 HAVE PUSHED TO TOYOTA TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION SO THAT 11:17:04 CONSUMERS WILL BE SAFE. UNHAPPY WITH TOYOTA'S 11:17:08 RESPONSIVENESS TO OUR SAFETY CONCERNS, THE ACTING 11:17:14 ADMINISTRATOR AND TWO ASSOCIATES FLEW TO JAPAN IN DECEMBER OF' 09 11:17:20 TO CLARIFY FOR MANAGEMENT WHAT THE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS ARE TO 11:17:25 SAFETY DEFECTS IN VEHICLES SOLD HERE IN AMERICA. 11:17:28 IN JANUARY OUR NEW ADMINISTRATOR THEY TOLD IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS 11:17:42 WE EXPECT PROMPT ACTION FOLLOWING DISCLOSURE OF THE 11:17:45 STICK PEDAL PROBLEM. THEY ANNOUNCED THAT RECALL TWO 11:17:48 DAYS LATER. I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH 11:17:52 MR. TOYOTA FROM HERE TO JAPAN AND I'M SO PLEASED HE ACCEPTED 11:17:57 THE INVITATION TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. 11:18:02 WITH POTENTIAL DEFECTS ON THE ROAD, THEY PRESSED HARD TO 11:18:06 EXPEDITE THESE. IF THEY HAD OPENED A FORMAL 11:18:10 INVESTIGATION AND TOYOTA HAD RESISTED A RECALL, THAT WOULD 11:18:13 HAVE CONSUMED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME EXTENDING THE PERIOD IN 11:18:18 WHICH OWNERS ARE AT RISK. BY ENGAGING TOYOTA DIRECTLY AND 11:18:22 PERSUADING THE COMPANY TO TAKE ACTION, THE AGENCY AVOIDED A 11:18:26 LENGTHY INVESTIGATION THAT WOULD HAVE DELAYED FIXES FOR A YEAR OR 11:18:30 MORE. LAST WEEK I ANNOUNCED WE ARE 11:18:32 INVESTIGATING WHETHER TOYOTA ACTED QUICKLY ENOUGH IN 11:18:35 REPORTING THE DEFECTS AS WELL AS WHETHER THEY TOOK APPROPRIATE 11:18:39 ACTION TO PROTECT CONSUMERS. WE ASKED THEM TO TURN OVER A 11:18:43 WIDE RANGE OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT WILL SHOW US WHEN AND HOW THEY 11:18:46 LEARNED ABOUT THE SAFETY PROBLEMS. 11:18:50 NH TSA WILL ENSURE THEY WILL DO ALL THEY PROMISED TO MAKE 11:18:54 VEHICLES AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE ALL POSSIBLE CAUSES. 11:18:59 WHILE THE RECALLS ARE IMPORTANT STEPS IN THAT DIRECTION, WE 11:19:02 DON'T MAINTAIN THAT THEY ANSWER EVERY QUESTION. 11:19:05 SOME BELIEVE THAT ELECTROMAT MAGNETIC INTERFERENCE HAS A 11:19:13 DANGEROUS EFFECT ON THESE VEHICLES, ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT 11:19:17 AWARE OF ANY INCIDENTS PROVEN TO CAUSE SUCH INTERFERENCE, NH TSA 11:19:22 IS DOING A THOROUGH REVIEW. WE WILL GET IN THE WEEDS ON 11:19:26 THIS. WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO 11:19:29 FIND OUT IF ELECTRONICS ARE A PART OF THE PROBLEM. 11:19:34 IF WE FIND A PROBLEM, WE WILL MAKE SURE IT'S RESOLVED. 11:19:39 I HAVE BEEN ASSURES BY MR. TOYOTA THAT IT TAKES U.S. 11:19:45 SAFETY CONCERNS VERY SERIOUSLY AND THAT SAFETY IS THE COMPANY'S 11:19:50 TOP PRIORITY. WE WILL HOLD HIM TO THAT. 11:19:53 FINALLY, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, THERE IS A REASON WE 11:19:57 INVESTIGATE SAFETY DEFECTS AND PUSH AUTO MAKERS TO DO THE RIGHT 11:20:00 THING. I LISTENED TO THE 911 TAPE OF 11:20:03 THE SAYLOR FAMILY'S HARROWING LAST MOMENTS. 11:20:09 A HIGHWAY PATROL DIED WITH HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER AND HIS 11:20:12 BROTHER-IN-LAW WHEN THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK IN THE 11:20:15 LEXUS THEY WERE DRIVING CRASHED AT MORE THAN 120 MILES PER HOUR. 11:20:19 LAST EVENING AFTER I FINISHED MY TESTIMONY BEFORE THE ENERGY AND 11:20:24 COMMERCE COMMITTEE, I MET WITH THE FAMILY TO OFFER OUR SYMPATHY 11:20:28 AND ANY ASSISTANCE WE CAN GIVE TO THEM. 11:20:32 IT WAS A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY AND I HOPE NO OTHER FAMILY HAS TO 11:20:37 ENYOU DUR THAT. MR. CHAIRMAN, LET ME CONCLUDE BY 11:20:41 SAYING THIS. I WAS SWORN IN ON JANUARY 23rd 11:20:44 OF '09. I TRAVELLED TO 36 STATES IN 80 11:20:52 CITIES. EVERYWHERE I HAVE GONE I TALKED 11:20:56 ABOUT SAFETY. THAT HAS TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE 11:20:59 PRIORITY WHETHER IT'S IN TRAINS, PLANES, OR AUTOMOBILES. 11:21:03 YOU LOOK AT ANY STATEMENT I HAVE MADE OR SPEECH I HAVE GIVEN, 11:21:07 THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING ABOUT SAFETY IN IT. 11:21:11 WE WILL NOT SLEEP AT DOT AND WORK 24-7 AT NH TSA THAT EVERY 11:21:20 TOYOTA IS SAFE TO DRIVE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SAFETY 11:21:24 OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AT DOT AND AT NH TSA. 11:21:29 I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. 11:21:30 >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SAFETY IS SO IMPORTANT. 11:21:38 LET ME RAISE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS WITH YOU QUICKLY. 11:21:42 THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS SENT TO NH TSA 11:21:51 REGARDING TOYOTA VEHICLES. BEFORE THE CRASH THAT KILLED 11:21:54 MEMBERS OF THE SAYLOR FAMILY IN AUGUST OF 2 THOUSAND 9, THERE 11:22:00 WERE ALMOST 2,000 COMPLAINTS AT A TIME OF THE TOYOTA'S FLOOR MAT 11:22:06 RECALL IN 2007. THE AGENCY HAD RECEIVED MORE 11:22:10 THAN 1,300 COMPLAINTS. WHY DID IT TAKE THEM SO LONG TO 11:22:18 ACT? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD SAY 11:22:21 THIS. I HAVE BEEN IN THE JOB MORE THAN 11:22:24 A YEAR. PRIOR TO MY TIME WHICH WOULD 11:22:28 HAVE BEEN PRIOR TO JANUARY 23rd OF '09, IF THERE ISSUES I CAN'T 11:22:35 ANSWER, I WILL GET BACK TO YOU FOR THE RECORD. 11:22:37 I WILL TELL YOU THIS, 30,000 COMPLAINTS COME TO NH TSA EVERY 11:22:42 YEAR AND WE LOOK AT EVERY ONE OF THEM. 11:22:46 WE THINK EVERY ONE IS IMPORTANT. SOME COME FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE 11:22:50 DRIVING CARS AND SOME COME FROM THE INDUSTRY. 11:22:52 WE LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND PEOPLE IN THE 11:22:59 AUTOMOBILE BUSINESS. SOMETIMES THEY FILE COMPLAINTS 11:23:02 WITH US. THEN WHEN WE SEE A PATTERN, WE 11:23:06 WILL DO AN INVESTIGATION OR WE WILL LOOK AT IT. 11:23:09 IF OUR INVESTIGATION SHOWS THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL, IT WILL BE 11:23:16 DONE. THAT HAS BEEN THE WORK OF NH 11:23:20 TSA. WITH RESPECT TO YOUR SPECIFIC 11:23:23 QUESTION DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO 11:23:26 IS PUT IT ON THE RECORD AFTER I REALLY CAN GET THE FACTS FOR 11:23:29 YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 11:23:40 AGAIN, I KNOW YOU RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT SAFETY IS. 11:23:48 DO YOU THINK IT'S TO DRIVE A TOYOTA TODAY? 11:23:51 >> I WILL SAY THIS. IF PEOPLE CHECK OUR WEBSITE WE 11:23:57 HAVE LISTED EVERY TOYOTA THAT IS UP FOR RECALL. 11:24:03 I WANT ANYBODY THAT HAS ONE OF THOSE CARS TO TAKE IT TO THEIR 11:24:07 DEALER AND TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS FIXED. 11:24:19 WE AGAIN ARE GOING TO WORK 24-7 AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE 11:24:26 UNTIL EVERY TOYOTA IS SAFE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS TO DRIVE. 11:24:34 >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMIT AND DEDICATION IN THIS REGARD. 11:24:37 I YIELD TO THE RANKING MEMBER. >> THIS IS ON, MR. ISSA. 11:24:44 >> IT DROPPED OFF ALL OF A SUDDEN. 11:24:46 IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU, I'M SURE. 11:24:49 MAYBE THEY CAN GIVE ME THE OTHER ONE. 11:24:50 >> SWITCH TO THE OTHER MIKE. >> VERY PRESIDENTIAL. 11:25:08 I WILL PICK UP WHERE THE CHAIRMAN LEFT OFF. 11:25:11 SOME COMPANIES INCLUDING TOYOTA, YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE AND 11:25:15 PUNCH IN THE ONE PIECE OF INFORMATION WITH ANYONE IN 11:25:18 POSSESSION OF A CAR CAN SEE. AT YOUR WEBSITE, YOU HAVE TO PUT 11:25:22 IN MAKE AND MODEL. YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOUR TRIM 11:25:26 LEVEL, ET CETERA, ETC. CAN YOU COMMIT TO US THAT IN THE 11:25:30 FORESEEABLE FUTURE, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 11:25:33 COULD AND IF YOU AGREE, SHOULD HAVE EVERY AUTOMOBILE SOLD IN 11:25:39 AMERICA, A VIN NUMBER ON FILE SO IF SOMEBODY PUNCHES IN THE 11:25:43 NUMBER, THEY CAN SEE EVERY RECALL AND EVERY PIECE OF SAFETY 11:25:46 INFORMATION THAT YOU KNOW OF THAT NEEDS TO BE APPLIED TO THAT 11:25:50 VEHICLE? >> GIVEN THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF 11:25:53 TIME, I WILL COMMIT TO YOU THAT WE SHOULD MAKE THAT INFORMATION 11:25:58 AVAILABLE. IN THE SIMPLEST POSSIBLE WAY FOR 11:26:02 EVEN PEOPLE WHO ARE MAYBE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPUTER OR 11:26:06 WHATEVER. WE SHOULD MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO 11:26:08 PEOPLE. >> I APPRECIATE THAT AND A LOT 11:26:10 OF MY QUESTIONS FROM OPENING REMARKS ARE ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO 11:26:15 PROACTIVELY FOR THE FUTURE. WE WILL ALL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR 11:26:18 YOU AND NH TSA AND FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PAST, BUT 11:26:23 LET ME GO TO ANOTHER ONE. CURRENTLY NH TSA AS I UNDERSTAND 11:26:30 IT HAS 41, 42, 49 IN THE HIGH YEAR THOUSAND INQUIRIES OR 11:26:36 COMPLAINTS. THE AUTO COMPANIES HAVE THEIRS. 11:26:39 IF AN AUTO COMPANY REACHES A THRESHOLD THEY HAVE A 11:26:42 REQUIREMENT TO SEND THAT IN THE U.S. 11:26:44 IF A COMPANY HAS A RECALL IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, THEY HAVE AN 11:26:56 OBLIGATION TO INFORM NH TSA. YOU ARE FAMILIAR ABOUT THE OPEN 11:27:01 SOURCE SYSTEM IS. CAN YOU ME TODAY THAT THERE IS 11:27:06 ANY TECHNOLOGICAL REASON OR COMMON SENSE REASON THAT IN FACT 11:27:12 WE SHOULD NOT, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT H TSA SHOULD NOT SEE 11:27:19 ALL CLAIMS FROM ALL OF THE FIRST WORLD PARTNERS AND OBVIOUSLY TO 11:27:23 BE ARRANGED AND ALL THE COLLATERAL MATERIAL FROM THE 11:27:26 PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SELL VEHICLES IN THE COUNTRY. 11:27:29 MEANING, IS THERE A REASON YOU HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A 11:27:33 RECALL TO GET INFORMATION? GREAT BRITAIN CAN HAVE A RECALL, 11:27:37 BUT THEY HAD A SIMILAR STICKY PEDAL THEY DIDN'T SEE AS 11:27:41 SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT ONLY HAPPENED THERE ON RIGHT 11:27:44 HAND DRIVE CARS. YET WHEN WE WERE GETTING A SMALL 11:27:50 AMOUNT, HAD HE HAD THAT INFORMATION LIKE ANY OPEN SOURCE 11:27:56 BRINGING TOGETHER OF INFORMATION, AN AGENCY OF THE 11:27:59 GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE AN ALERT THAT WOULD HAVE 11:28:02 BEEN SENT TO THE AUTO COMPANY FOR THEIR ATTENTION AND 11:28:05 RESPONSE. DO YOU SEE ANY REASON THAT'S NOT 11:28:08 SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE PART OF A GREAT ORGANIZATION RATHER THAN 11:28:13 A GOOD ONE? >> I AGREE IT SHOULD BE PART OF 11:28:16 IT. WE BELIEVE IN TRANSPARENCY. 11:28:19 I BELIEVE INFORMATION CAN BE POWERFUL. 11:28:20 THE MORE THE BETTER. >> THE TOYOTA BLADE SOLD IN 11:28:35 JAPAN THAT HAD A PEDAL SIMILAR TO THIS EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT 11:28:39 AN AUTOMOBILE IN WHICH THEY SHORTENED THE PEDAL BECAUSE OF 11:28:43 ENTRAPMENT. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT? 11:28:45 >> I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT. >> I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU 11:28:51 WOULD RESPOND FOR THE RECORD OF HOW IN THE FUTURE A SIMILAR 11:28:55 AUTOMOBILE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY THAT DOES HAVE A CHANGE CAN HAVE 11:28:59 A CHANGE CONSISTENT IN THE U.S. AS I SAID IN OPENING REMARKS 11:29:05 WEEK TOOK SHORTCUTS WITH NH TSA'S ACQUIESCENCE AND 11:29:11 AWARENESS, WE TOOK A SHORTCUT ON THE MAP WHILE IN JAPAN THEY 11:29:16 REDUCE AND INCREASED THE CLEARANCE ON THE PEDAL. 11:29:20 THE DIFFERENCE IS THE DIFFERENCE THIS SAN DIEGO OF THAT FAMILY 11:29:22 STILL BEING ALIVE. THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST 11:29:27 IMPORTANT QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU AND CONSISTENCY AND 11:29:36 DISSIMILAR PARTS AROUND THE WORLD. 11:29:40 IT IS WITHIN EXISTING LAW TO BRING ABOUT A REAL CHANGE SO 11:29:44 THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN? >> I TAKE YOUR POINT AND IT'S A 11:29:48 GOOD POINT. YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT. 11:29:50 >> I APPRECIATE THAT. IF AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE 11:29:54 YOU SEE THE POTENTIAL NEED FOR MORE AUTHORITY OR MORE SPECIFIC 11:29:59 LEGISLATION THAT YOU WOULD ALSO COME BACK TO US? 11:30:02 >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU AND THANK YOU 11:30:04 AGAIN. I YIELD BACK. 11:30:05 >> THANK YOU THE GENTLEMEN FROM CALIFORNIA. 11:30:07 I YIELD FIVE MINUTES TO THE GENTLEMEN FROM PENNSYLVANIA. 11:30:20 >> I ASSUME THIS IS GOING TO BE MORE UPLIFTING SESSIONS THAT YOU 11:30:28 HAD SINCE IN OFFICE. I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE 11:30:32 GREATEST ATTENDANCE I HAVE SEEN IN THE HALL WAYS AND OF THE 11:30:35 PRESS. >> I WOULD AGREE. 11:30:38 >> OBVIOUSLY WE STRUCK A NERVE. THIS COMMITTEE AND THE 11:30:42 OCCURRENCE THAT HAPPENED IN CALIFORNIA. 11:30:43 I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO CONGRATULATE YOU. 11:30:57 EXACTLY WHAT THIS COMMITTEE AND THE OFFICE EXPECTED YOU TO DO. 11:31:01 EARLIER I WAS WATCHING THE RANKING MEMBER ON CNBC AND HE 11:31:09 MADE AN INTERESTING PROPOSAL TO WHAT HE DISCUSSED WITH YOU 11:31:14 TODAY. MAYBE IF THAT PROPOSAL COULD BE 11:31:18 ENCAPSULATED WITH GREATER AUTHORITY, BUT EVEN ABOVE AND 11:31:20 BEYOND THE AUTO INDUSTRY THAT WE FIND A WAY SINCE WE ARE IN A 11:31:27 GLOBAL MARKET PLACE FIND THIS AND FOR AVAILABILITY TO NOT ONLY 11:31:37 THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT CITIZENS OF THE 11:31:39 WORLD. I COMMENTED TO THE STAFF AFTER I 11:31:42 SAW THIS, BUT I LOVE PORTUGUESE SARDINES. 11:31:52 IF SOMEONE DIED FROM POT LIMP, I HAVE NO WAY IN THE WORLD OF 11:31:55 KNOWING WHERE TO GO OR WHO TO INFORM. 11:31:59 IT'S TIME NOW THAT WE THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT 11:32:05 IN A IF ANYTHING PRODUCTIVE CAN COME OUT OF THE HEARING, IT'S 11:32:16 THAT WE TAKE THIS POSITIVE ACTION. 11:32:20 I WILL JOIN YOU IN THE SPONSORSHIP OF AUTHORIZATION FOR 11:32:23 THE AUTO INDUSTRY AND ALL INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES TO GET 11:32:26 THIS TYPE OF REPOSITORY INFORMATION MADE AVAILABLE AND 11:32:30 UTILIZE THE INTELLIGENCE NETWORK AND INFORMATION TO THIS COUNTRY 11:32:34 TO COMMERCIALIZING IT, IF WE WILL. 11:32:37 TO YOU, MR. SECRETARY, THIS HAS BEEN A TRAGIC EXPERIENCE I THINK 11:32:47 FOR TOYOTA. I'M SURE IF I WERE A STOCKHOLDER 11:32:55 OR JAPANESE THAT THE PRIDE THEY HAVE WITH THAT COMPANY IN THEIR 11:32:59 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, THIS IS SOMETHING NO ONE WANTED TO SEE 11:33:03 HAPPEN. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS HANDLE 11:33:07 THIS SITUATION WITH A FORM OF CLASS, IF YOU WILL. 11:33:13 I HOPE WE DON'T UTILIZE IT TO BEAT UP OR E OR OVEREXEMPTION 11:33:21 SIZE OR EXACERBATE FEELINGS THAT MAY OCCUR BETWEEN THE TWO 11:33:25 NATIONS. >> WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT. 11:33:27 WE HAVE ALL DONE IT. ALL OF YOU FEEL THIS WAY. 11:33:29 WE HAVE DONE IT UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF SAFETY FOR PEOPLE 11:33:32 WHO OWN TOYOTAS. >> THAT'S A GOOD MESSAGE. 11:33:36 IF WE CAN PUT IT OUT THERE, WE WANT TO DRIVE FROM THE THEORY 11:33:39 AND THE FACT IS THE BEST PURPOSES IN THE WORLD TO 11:33:45 ACCOMPLISH THINGS IN THE FUTURE SO THAT IT DOESN'T OR WON'T 11:33:51 HAPPEN AGAIN. WE DON'T WANT TO EXAGGERATE 11:33:54 SITUATIONS THAT GO BEYOND REASONABLENESS. 11:33:57 I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTEND 11:34:00 ARNS AND I PLEDGE TO YOUING TO W THE RANKING MEMBER THAT WE WILL 11:34:05 TAKE SUCH ACTION AS POSSIBLE TO SEE A POSITIVE RESULT. 11:34:08 >> WE WILL WORK WITH YOU ON THAT. 11:34:10 >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I RECOGNIZE THE GENTLEMEN FROM 11:34:13 INDIANA, MR. BURTON, FORMER CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE. 11:34:16 >> LET ME PREFACE REMARKS BY WELCOMING YOU HERE RAY AND 11:34:19 MR. SECRETARY. WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A LONG, 11:34:22 LONG TIME AND KNOW YOU TO BE AN HONORABLE MAN. 11:34:26 THE QUESTIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH QUESTIONING YOUR INTEGRITY. 11:34:29 I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT. THERE WAS AN INVITATION MADE TO 11:34:35 MR. STRICKLAND TO TESTIFY AND THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE "LOS 11:34:38 ANGELES TIMES" TODAY THAT INDICATED THAT BECAUSE OF YOUR 11:34:46 REQUEST, MR. STRICKLAND WAS ASKED NOT TO TESTIFY. 11:34:48 IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT? >> LOOK, MR. BURTON, 11:34:52 MR. STRICKLAND HAS BEEN ON THE JOB 40 DAYS. 11:34:58 I HAVE BEEN ON THE JOB 13 MONTHS. 11:34:59 I WILL NOT HAVE THE ADMINISTRATOR APPEAR AND I'M 11:35:05 TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. AS I SAID IN MY TESTIMONY, 11:35:08 SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE. I'M GOING TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. 11:35:11 IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO CRITICIZE NH TSA OR THE DEPARTMENT, I WILL 11:35:18 BE HANDLE. THAT'S MY JOB. 11:35:19 I WILL NOT DUCK IT AND GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY WHO HAS OLDSMOBILE 11:35:23 BEEN ON THE JOB 40 DAYS. WHEN I TALK TO MR. TOWNS AND 11:35:27 MR. ISSA, IT WAS CLEAR THEY WANTED ME TO COME AND I WANTED 11:35:31 TO COME WHEN WE ORIGINALLY TALKED. 11:35:34 I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT CONFUSION OCCURRED. 11:35:36 THAT'S THE REASON FOR IT. >> DON'T GET MAD AT ME, RAY. 11:35:42 THAT WAS THE "LOS ANGELES TIMES". 11:35:46 # >> JUST BECAUSE I RAISED A 11:35:58 DECIBEL IN MY VOICE, DOESN'T MEAN I'M MAD. 11:36:01 >> DON'T GIVE ME THAT STUFF. THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT 11:36:09 WHETHER OR NOT THERE MIGHT BE A KIND OF A SWEETHEART ARRANGEMENT 11:36:12 WITH THE PEOPLE WHO PRECEDED YOU WORKING AT NH TSA. 11:36:17 THERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, AT LEAST TWO EMPLOYEES WHO NOW WORK 11:36:22 FOR TOYOTA. THEY ARE ON THE TOYOTA PAYROLL. 11:36:28 I HAVE THEIR NAMES HERE. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT AT 11:36:31 ALL? >> I READ REPORTS THAT WAS AND 11:36:33 WE LOOKED INTO IT. WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES IS THAT IF 11:36:38 YOU HAVE BEEN AN EMPLOYEE AT D.O.T. AND YOU GO TO WORK FOR A 11:36:46 COMPANY THAT DOES WORK WITH D.O.T., YOU CANNOT COMMUNICATE 11:36:53 OR PARTICIPATE IN THE WORK THAT YOU DID WITH THIS COMPANY. 11:36:57 IF YOU GO TO WORK FOR A COMPANY, IF YOU GO TO WORK FOR TOYOTA, 11:37:02 YOU CANNOT COMMUNICATE ON ISSUES YOU DEALT WITH THE D.O.T. 11:37:06 FOR EXAMPLE, IF THOSE EMPLOYEES WORKED AT NH TSA WHICH THEY DID, 11:37:12 THEY CAN'T COME BACK AND BE TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS. 11:37:15 THEY CAN TALK ABOUT A HIGHWAY PROJECT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT I 11:37:21 SUPPOSE, BUT HERE'S MY PLEDGE TO ALL OF YOU. 11:37:25 IF ANYBODY KNOWS THERE IS VIOLATIONS, LET ME KNOW. 11:37:28 I WILL REFER TO THE IG. THERE WILL BE AN INVESTIGATION. 11:37:36 THERE HAS BEEN NO MORE HIGHER STANDARDS SET FOR ETHICS THAN 11:37:39 THIS ADMINISTRATION. AT THE FIRST CABINET MEETING, 11:37:43 THE PRESIDENT MADE IT CLEAR. I DON'T WANT ETHICAL PROBLEMS 11:37:47 WITH ANYBODY. >> THIS PRECEDED THE YOU, BUT 11:37:53 CHRISTOPHER NOW TOYOTA'S ASSISTANT MANAGER OF TECHNICAL 11:37:56 AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DID WORK FOR THE AGENCY AND ACCORDING TO 11:38:01 GENERAL MOTORS, FORD, AND CHRYSLER, THEY DON'T HAVE 11:38:05 ANYBODY WHO FORMALLY WORKED FOR NH TSA WHO WORKED FOR THEM IN 11:38:10 THOSE CAPACITIES. YOU ARE SAYING THESE 11:38:12 GENTLEMEN -- >> THEY CAN WORK FOR TOYOTA, BUT 11:38:16 THEY CANNOT COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT ISSUES THEY WORKED ON. 11:38:19 THEY CAN'T DO THAT. THEY CAN TALK TO PEOPLE IN OTHER 11:38:24 MODES. FAA OR OTHER MODES. 11:38:26 THEY CANNOT COME BACK AND TALK TO OUR FOLKS ISSUES -- 11:38:31 >> THE ONE THING I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT THE APPEARANCE IS ONE OF 11:38:34 THE THINGS THAT RIGHT NOW I THINK THE PUBLIC IS CONCERNED 11:38:37 ABOUT. A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT WORK AT 11:38:40 NH TSA IN A PUBLIC RELATIONS POSITION THEY CAN TALK TO PEOPLE 11:38:46 AT NH TSA AND THE APPEARANCE MAY BE THAT THEY ARE INFLUENCING 11:38:52 DECISION-MAKING GOING ON. >> I AGREE WITH YOU ON THIS, 11:38:55 MR. BURTON. I THINK THIS LAW PROBABLY SHOULD 11:38:57 BE TIGHTENED UP. I REALLY DO. 11:39:00 I AGREE WITH YOU. PERCEPTION IS REALITY. 11:39:02 ANYBODY THAT HAS BEEN IN POLITICS KNOWS THAT. 11:39:06 I TAKE YOUR POINT ON THIS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I 11:39:10 STILL LOVE YOU, RAY. >> THANK YOU. 11:39:16 >> THE GENTLEMEN YIELDS BACK? I NOW RECOGNIZE THE GENTLEMEN 11:39:20 FROM MARYLAND. REPRESENTATIVE CUMMINGS. 11:39:23 >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MR. LA HOOD. 11:39:27 IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FIND 11:39:33 OURSELVES IN QUITE A DEELEMENTSA HERE. 11:39:36 ON THE ONE HAND WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING 11:39:44 HERE. WE DO HAVE ONE OF THE MAIN 11:39:47 TRADING PARTNERS, JAPAN INVOLVED. 11:39:51 WE HAVE A SAFETY OF CITIZENS. MANY CONSTITUENTS WHO SPEND 11:39:58 THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO BUY AN AUTOMOBILE. 11:40:03 THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPECT TO BE SAFE. 11:40:09 TO THAT END THERE WAS VERY TELLING TESTIMONY BEFORE THE 11:40:16 COMMERCE COMMITTEE. WE KNOW YOU WERE THERE AND HEARD 11:40:18 ABOUT IT WHERE THE PRESIDENT OF TOYOTA SALES USA WHEN ASKED 11:40:27 ABOUT THE ISSUE WHETHER IT'S A STICKY PEDAL OR THE MAT PROBLEM, 11:40:33 WHETHER RECALLS IN REGARD TO THOSE ISSUES WOULD SOLVE THE 11:40:38 PROBLEM, HE WAS NOT SURE. ARE YOU FAMILIAR? 11:40:41 >> YES, SIR. I WAS THERE AND I HEARD HIS 11:40:42 TESTIMONY. >> AS I SAT HERE AND LISTENED TO 11:40:47 YOU AND YOU TALKED ABOUT -- YOU SAID GO TO THE WEBSITE AND YOU 11:40:52 SAID IF THEY WERE PEOPLE HAVING CERTAIN PROBLEMS, THEY SHOULD GO 11:40:56 TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEN I HEARD YOU IN ANSWER TO 11:41:00 THE CHAIRMAN'S QUESTION -- I DON'T THINK YOU EVER REALLY 11:41:06 ANSWERED THE QUESTION BECAUSE HE ASKED YOU WHETHER OR NOT YOU 11:41:09 CONSIDERED A TOYOTA TO BE SAFE. YOU ARE OUR SAFETY GUIDE JUST AS 11:41:13 YOU JUST SAID. YOU SAID IT, I DIDN'T. 11:41:15 I BELIEVE YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY. 11:41:18 THE QUESTION STILL BECOMES FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU AS OUR 11:41:22 SAFETY GUIDE. >> LET ME ANSWER YOU VERY 11:41:26 DIRECTLY. FOR THOSE CARS THAT ARE LISTED 11:41:27 ON OUR WEBSITE, D.O.T..KOF FOR RECALL TO GO BACK, THOSE ARE NOT 11:41:34 SAFE. WE DETERMINED THEY ARE NOT SAFE. 11:41:39 >> ALL RIGHT. >> WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO LOOK AT 11:41:41 THE ELECTRONICS IN THESE CARS. BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE TOLD US THEY 11:41:46 BELIEVE THERE IS AN ISSUE AND WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT. 11:41:48 WE WILL HAVE A COMPLETE REVIEWO THE ELECTRONICS. 11:41:52 FOR NOW, ANY CAR THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE 11:41:57 DEALER TO BE FIXED WOMEN DETERMINED THOSE ARE NOT SAFE 11:41:59 BECAUSE OF A FLOOR MAT PROBLEM, BECAUSE OF A STICKY PEDAL. 11:42:05 >> IT'S THE AND THAT I'M WONDERING ABOUT. 11:42:08 IN OTHER WORDS, YOU JUST SAID YOU DIDN'T CONSIDER THOSE SAFE, 11:42:11 BUT AGAIN WE HAD THEM SAYING YESTERDAY THAT -- I'M NOT TRYING 11:42:17 TO ATTACK YOU. >> I'M NOT OFFENDED BY ANY OF 11:42:20 THIS. COME ON. 11:42:21 I'M NOT. >> WE NEED TO BE CLEAR. 11:42:23 WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE DRIVING THESE CARS EVERY DAY. 11:42:27 I'M WONDERING, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT -- IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DO, 11:42:32 THERE IS SOMETHING BEYOND JUST THOSE TWO THINGS AS MR. LENTS OF 11:42:38 TOYOTA USA TESTIFIED YESTERDAY. ONE MORE QUESTION. 11:42:45 IF THOSE AUTOMOBILES ARE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST BECAUSE THAT'S 11:42:51 WHAT I'M GOING TO WONDER ABOUT. WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO? 11:42:54 >> THERE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THERE ELECTRONICS PROBLEMS WITH 11:42:59 TOYOTA. THAT'S THE REASON WE ARE GOING 11:43:00 TO DO A REVIEW. FOR NOW, WE DON'T HAVE EVIDENCE 11:43:07 RIGHT NOW TO SAY CONCLUSIVELY THAT THERE THESE ELECTRONICS 11:43:11 PROBLEM WHERE IS WE WILL GET INTO IT AND GET IN THE WEEDS. 11:43:14 THERE WERE PEOPLE IN THE COMMITTEE THAT HAD SOME STUDIES 11:43:18 THAT SHOWED THAT THERE WERE ELECTRONICS PROBLEMS. 11:43:22 WE WANT THAT INFORMATION. THE ONLY THING I WILL SAY TO THE 11:43:27 TOYOTA DRIVERS F YOUR CAR IS LISTED, TAKE IT TO THE DEALER 11:43:30 AND GET IT FIXED. PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO 11:43:33 LOOK AT OTHER ISSUES BECAUSE WE HAD COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 11:43:37 ELECTRONICS. >> DO WE HAVE ENOUGH PERSONNEL 11:43:39 TO DO THAT? >> YES, SIR. 11:43:41 I WILL TELL YOU THIS. THE PRESIDENT IN HIS BUDGET 11:43:46 PROPOSED 66 NEW EMPLOYEES FOR NH TSA. 11:43:50 WE HAVE 125 ENGINEERS AND WE DO HAVE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS ALSO. 11:43:56 THE ANSWER IS THE PRESIDENT HAS PROPOSED IN OUR BUDGET 66 NEW 11:44:02 EMPLOYEES FOR NTHSA. >> WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT LOOKING 11:44:06 AT PROBLEMS, YOU SAID WHEN YOU SEE A PATTERN, CAN YOU TELL US 11:44:09 WHAT A PATTERN IS? IN OTHER WORDS, YOU SAID IF YOU 11:44:12 SEE A PATTERN, YOU TAKE THE NEXT STEP. 11:44:15 >> I WOULD SAY IF WE GET, I DON'T KNOW, 50 COMPLAINTS ON AN 11:44:22 AUTOMOBILE. SAY WE GET 10 COMPLAINTS, WE 11:44:24 LOOK AT THOSE SERIOUSLY. IF THOSE 10 COMPLAINTS APPEAR TO 11:44:28 BE SERIOUS, WE WILL BEGIN TO LOOK INTO IT. 11:44:31 >> THANK YOU. I SEE MY TIME EXPIRED. 11:44:34 >> THANK YOU GENTLEMEN FROM MARYLAND. 11:44:36 I NOW RECOGNIZE THE GENTLEMEN FROM FLORIDA, CONGRESSMAN MICA. 11:44:42 >> MR. CHAIRMAN, WHEN I RECEIVED THE NOTICE FOR TODAY'S HEARING, 11:44:48 THIS IS FROM THE COMMITTEE AND THIS SAYS THE PANEL INCLUDES 11:44:54 DAVID STRICKLAND, THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NH TSA. 11:44:58 HE HAS ONLY BEEN ON THE JOB FOR A LIMITED NUMBER OF DAYS, BUT 11:45:03 IT'S IMPORTANT HE TESTIFY. I WOULD ASK CONSENT THAT HE BE 11:45:07 ALLOWED TO TESTIFY AND BE SWORN IN AS A WITNESS. 11:45:14 >> IT WAS CHAINED EARLIER THAT THE SECRETARY INDICATED THE FACT 11:45:18 THAT THE DECISION WAS MADE, HE WAS ON THE JOB 40 DAYS. 11:45:21 THAT'S IT IS REASON HE IS NOT HERE. 11:45:23 THEY ASSURES US THAT THE DECISION IN TERMS OF THE FINAL 11:45:26 DECISION WAS HIS AND HE IS PREPARED TO ASSUME THAT 11:45:31 RESPONSIBILITY. ONCE HE SAID THAT, I BECAME 11:45:33 COMFORTABLE WITH IT. IF HE IS GOING TO ASSUME THE 11:45:38 RESPONSIBILITY, THEN OF COURSE WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT WITH THE 11:45:41 RANKING MEMBER, WE ACCEPTED THAT AND OF COURSE I THINK WE SHOULD 11:45:45 MOVE FORWARD. >> I DO UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS 11:45:49 HERE AND HE IS AVAILABLE. I NEVER MET HIM BEFORE, BUT I 11:45:54 READ HIS RESUME. THIS IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT 11:46:00 WEBSITE AND SAID HIS WORK INCLUDED -- HE WAS WITH THE 11:46:04 SENATE COMMITTEE ADVISING THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS LED 11:46:08 TO INCLUSION WITH SEVERAL SAFETY MANDATES INCLUDING THE 11:46:13 ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL MANDATE FOR EVERY PASSENGER 11:46:16 VEHICLE. HE DOES HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF 11:46:19 EXPERTISE. IF WE LOOK AT THE SAFETY OF 11:46:23 EQUIPMENT, I THINK IT APPEARS HE NOT ONLY IS KNOWLEDGEABLE, BUT 11:46:29 ALSO HAD EXPERIENCE IN PASSING LEGISLATION OR INFLUENCING 11:46:34 REGULATION IN THAT REGARD. I CAN WITHDRAW MY REQUEST, BUT 11:46:39 AGAIN I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT HE IS NOT A WITNESS. 11:46:45 I WAS LED TO BELIEVE AGAIN THAT HE WAS ON THE WITNESS STAND. 11:46:48 >> WOULD THE GENTLEMEN YIELD? >> I DON'T WANT TO GET OUT -- 11:46:54 >> I WILL BE BRIEF. MR. CHAIRMAN, WE ARE 11:46:58 ANTICIPATING HAVING ANOTHER PANEL IN A WEEK OR TWO. 11:47:00 WOULD YOU AGREE TO WORK WITH US ON THE POSSIBLE INCLUSION 11:47:07 BECAUSE WE WILL BE CALLING PROBABLY BUSH ADMINISTRATION 11:47:10 PEOPLE AND WE CAN SEE THE POTENTIAL OF THAT AT THE END OF 11:47:13 THIS HEARING. >> I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH 11:47:15 THAT AT ALL. LET'S FACE IT, WHAT WE ARE 11:47:18 TALKING ABOUT HAPPENED ON THE OTHER WATCH. 11:47:21 OF COURSE WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT. 11:47:23 THE OINT IS THAT I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE EMPHASIS SHOULD BE IN 11:47:27 TERMS OF TRYING TO MAKE CERTAIN WE TALK TO THEM. 11:47:31 I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM ASKING THEM TO COME FORWARD AND THE 11:47:35 POINT IS THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD TODAY. 11:47:37 WE HAVE THE SECRETARY WITH US. >> I WILL WITHDRAW MY MOTION IF 11:47:45 IT'S ACCEPTABLE. WE WILL WORK WITH YOU. 11:47:49 IF I'M NOW RECOGNIZED. >> I RECOGNIZE THE GENTLEMEN FOR 11:47:53 FIVE MINUTES. >> NH TSA IS THE PRIMARY 11:48:01 NATIONAL SAFETY TRANSPORTATION SURFACE SAFETY TRANSPORTATION 11:48:07 AGENCY IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. 11:48:10 RIGHT, MR. LA HOOD? >> THAT IS CORRECT. 11:48:15 EVERY ACCOUNT I HAVE HEARD TO DATE SAYS THAT NH TSA AND TOYOTA 11:48:22 FAILED. THE CHAIRMAN SAID IT IN OPENING 11:48:24 STATEMENTS YESTERDAY. WE HEARD THAT -- EYELESS I CAN'T 11:48:28 TALK TO THE ADMIB STRAIGHTER TODAY, BUT WE WILL GET AN 11:48:31 OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM HIM. YOU OPENED YOUR COMMENTARY 11:48:38 RIGHTFULLY SO WITH SAFETY BEING YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF 11:48:42 THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. 11:48:46 AM I CORRECT? >> THAT'S CORRECT. 11:48:49 >> YOU NOW SET THE POLICY AND YOU HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A NOB OF 11:48:55 MONTHS. I'M SOMEWHAT BAFFLED BY THE 11:48:59 BUDGET REQUEST OF THE ADMINISTRATION FROM 2010 TO 11:49:06 2011. THE BUDGET REQUEST THAT CAME OUT 11:49:08 A FEW DAYS AGO. WITH THE SMALLEST REQUEST FOR 11:49:12 INCREASE IN BUDGET FOR OUR PRIMARY SAFETY AGENCY. 11:49:16 IT WAS ONLY $5 MILLION. YESTERDAY I SAID THE 11:49:22 TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE THAT MY DAD USED TO SAY IT'S NOT HOW 11:49:25 MUCH YOU SPEND, BUT HOW YOU SPEND IT. 11:49:27 IF YOU SPEND IT WISELY. I THINK YOU KNOW THE CONCERN AND 11:49:33 I HAD ABOUT SAFETY AND MAKING THAT A PRIORITY, PARTICULARLY IN 11:49:38 TRANSPORTATION AND IN NH TSA IN PARTICULAR. 11:49:41 IT'S A RELATIVELY MODEST AMOUNT. IT'S ONE OF THE LOWEST INCREASES 11:49:48 REQUESTED. ANY REASON FOR THAT? 11:49:53 >> WE THINK THAT ADDING 66 NEW PEOPLE AT NH TSA GETS US WHERE 11:49:58 WE NEED TO BE IN TERMS OF STAYING ON TOP OF SAFETY ISSUES. 11:50:02 >> YOU HAVE 632 CURRENT POSITIONS. 11:50:05 HOW MANY FOR THAT. >> DOES MR. STRICKLAND, MR. 11:50:09 STRICKLAND OR YOUR STAFF? >> I'LL BE HAPPY TO GET BACK TO 11:50:12 YOU FOR THE RECORD. >> OKAY. 11:50:14 AND I WOULD LIKE, MR. CHAIRMAN, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE 11:50:17 NUMBER OF FTE VACANCIES IN NHTSA BE INCLUDED IN THE RECORD. 11:50:23 >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. >> THE ISSUE OF THE REVOLVING 11:50:28 DOOR OF PEOPLE GOING FROM NHTSA TO THE INDUSTRY, IT WAS STATED 11:50:33 THAT THERE IS NO COMMUNICATIONS, WHAT YOU STATED, ALLOWED BETWEEN 11:50:37 THEM. I HAVE A COPY OF AN E-MAIL IN 11:50:43 2008 BETWEEN SCOTT YOHN OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF 11:50:47 TRANSPORTATION AND THE FORMER NHTSA EMPLOYEE WHO WORKS FOR 11:50:52 TOYOTA. ARE YOU AWARE THAT THIS TYPE 11:50:55 OF -- THESE TYPES OF COMMUNICATIONS WENT BACK AND 11:50:58 FORTH? >> I SAW THAT E-MAIL. 11:51:02 >> BUT YOU DID ADMIT THAT WE SHOULD TIGHTEN THINGS UP. 11:51:06 I THINK THAT WAS YOUR TERM. >> ABSOLUTELY. 11:51:09 >> AND IS THERE NOW A TWO-YEAR BAN OR ONE-YEAR BAN OR ARE YOU 11:51:14 FAMILIAR WITH THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE REVOLVING DOOR -- 11:51:16 >> TWO-YEAR BAN. >> OKAY. 11:51:18 SO I WOULD BE GLAD TO HEAR YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND SUPPORT YOUR 11:51:23 RECOMMENDATION TO TIGHTEN THIS, BUT -- 11:51:26 >> I'LL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT. 11:51:28 >> I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT THIS DOCUMENT FOR -- TO THE RECORD TO 11:51:32 SHOW THAT IN FACT THERE HAS BEEN COMMUNICATIONS AND THAT WE DO 11:51:37 NEED TO CLOSE THE REVOLVING DOOR IF IT IS JUST LIMITED TO 11:51:43 TOYOTA -- >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. 11:51:46 >> THANK YOU. IT DOESN'T MATTER. 11:51:49 SO I HAVE SOME DISAPPOINTMENT, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO GET IN 11:51:51 ALL THE SPECIFICS OF WHERE THOSE BODIES ARE DIRECTED OR 11:51:56 REQUESTED. IT IS NOT MY INTENTION TO TRY TO 11:51:58 EMBARRASS THE DEPARTMENT. IT IS MY INTENTION TO MAKE 11:52:01 CERTAIN THAT YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THE JOB THAT YOU 11:52:05 NEED TO DO TO ENSURE SAFETY. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU COULD 11:52:11 RECOMMEND TO EITHER OUR TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE OR 11:52:14 GOVERNMENT REFORM IN THE WAY OF ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY, PERSONNEL 11:52:17 OR RESOURCES THAT WOULD ALLOW -- >> REGARDING SAFETY? 11:52:24 >> YES. >> I WOULD LOVE EVERYBODY TO 11:52:28 SUPPORT THE BILL THAT MR. OBERSER INTRODUCED. 11:52:32 THAT WOULD GIVE US OVERSIGHT OVER TRANSIT SYSTEMS. 11:52:39 AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE TO LOOK 11:52:42 AT THAT BILL. IT IS A GOOD BILL. 11:52:43 AND IT GIVES US THE AUTHORITY WHICH WE'RE PROHIBITED FROM 11:52:46 DOING TO GET INTO THE SAFETY BUSINESS WITH RESPECT TO TRANSIT 11:52:50 ORGANIZATIONS. >> WELL, AND TRANSIT IS ONE 11:52:51 THING AND, AGAIN, FEDERAL AGENCY HAS SAY OVER AMTRAK AND FREIGHT 11:52:58 RAILS, WHICH HAVE PROBABLY THE WORST SAFETY RECORD, BUT IF YOU 11:53:03 TOOK ALL THE FATALITIES IN PUBLIC TRANSIT OVER THE YEARS, 11:53:09 AND COMPARED IT TO THE ONE -- THE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN 11:53:13 CITED TODAY IN THIS ONE AUTOMOBILE PART, I THINK YOU -- 11:53:19 WE HAVE A PROBLEM. >> MR. MICA, I DON'T MINIMIZE 11:53:22 ANY FATALITY. I THINK ONE FATALITY IS -- ARE 11:53:25 TOO MANY FATALITIES. AND WHEN EIGHT PEOPLE ARE 11:53:28 KILLED, HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ON AMERICA'S METRO SYSTEM, 11:53:31 SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR SAFETY. 11:53:33 WE WANT TO DO THAT. AND I HOPE WE CAN HAVE YOUR 11:53:36 SUPPORT TO DO IT. >> FINALLY, I WOULD VENTURE TO 11:53:40 SAY THERE IS AN ARTICLE IN TODAY'S "POST" THAT IF THEY -- 11:53:44 IF WE HAD -- WE DO HAVE EQUIPMENT THAT COULD PROVIDE 11:53:52 THAT SAFETY. OUR MONEY WOULD BEST BE 11:53:58 EXPENDED -- >> YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW THE 11:53:59 PRESIDENT PROPOSED $150 MILLION IN THE 2011 BUDGET FOR RAMADA, 11:54:06 FOR EQUIPMENT. >> THE GENTLEMAN'S TIME IS 11:54:12 EXPIRED. >> $5 MILLION FOR THE NHTSA 11:54:13 BUDGET, THE LOWEST AMOUNT I HAVE IN RECENT HISTORY. 11:54:15 THANK YOU. >> GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED. 11:54:17 I NOW YIELD TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM OHIO. 11:54:20 BUT LET ME JUST SAY BEFORE GO THAT, WE HAVE THREE VOTES AND, 11:54:26 OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE VOTES. 11:54:29 I WANT TO ASSURE YOU OF THAT. SO AS SOON AS YOU VOTE, YOU NEED 11:54:33 TO COME RIGHT BACK BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE. 11:54:35 WILL THE GENTLEMAN FROM OHIO IS RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES. 11:54:39 >> I THANK THE CHAIRMAN. WELCOME, SECRETARY LaHOOD. 11:54:43 >> THANK YOU. >> CBS HAD AN EXCLUSIVE WHERE 11:54:48 THEY WERE ABLE TO GAIN SOME INTERNAL DOCUMENTS THAT SHOWED 11:54:52 THAT TOYOTA REDESIGNED SOFTWARE IN 2005 IN RESPONSE TO 11:55:02 COMPLAINTS THAT CARS WERE ACCELERATING UNEXPECTEDLY. 11:55:03 ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THOSE DOCUMENTS? 11:55:05 >> NO, SIR. I'M NOT. 11:55:07 >> IS THIS THE KIND OF ISSUE THAT NHTSA HAS THE ABILITY TO BE 11:55:20 ABLE TO GET INTO? >> YES, SIR. 11:55:23 >> SO ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THAT KIND OF A REPORT? 11:55:26 >> YES, SIR. >> ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS MADE 11:55:35 IN THAT REPORT IS THAT THE -- BY AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER -- IS 11:55:40 THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH S 11:55:47 SYSTEMS DESIGN WITH RESPECT TO TOYOTA AND I WOULD ASSUME BY 11:55:53 REFERENCE TO THEIR ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. 11:55:58 DOES YOUR DEPARTMENT HAVE THE TECHNICAL ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO 11:56:07 ANALYZE SYSTEMS, DESIGN, ENGINEERING, MECHANICAL, 11:56:13 SOFTWARE, HARDWARE, AND ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY 11:56:16 TO BE ABLE TO COME TO A CONCLUSION AS TO WHAT THE NATURE 11:56:22 OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WOULD BE. 11:56:24 >> YES, SIR, WE DO. AND WE TAKE OUR RESPONSIBILITY 11:56:31 SERIOUSLY. WE HAVE 125 ENGINEERS. 11:56:33 WE HAVE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS. WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THE 11:56:36 WEEDS IN A VERY THOROUGH COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON THE 11:56:42 ELECTRONICS. BECAUSE THAT ISSUE HAS BEEN 11:56:43 RAISED ENOUGH THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT. 11:56:45 BEEN RAISED BY PEOPLE WHO DRIVE TOYOTAS, BEEN RAISED BY MEMBERS 11:56:49 OF CONGRESS AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. 11:56:51 >> THE DISTANCE BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND JAPAN IS WELL 11:56:58 ESTABLISHED. BUT THE QUESTION IS WHAT KIND OF 11:57:01 ABILITY DO YOU HAVE TO SEND THOSE WHO HAVE THE TECHNICAL 11:57:06 SKILLS TO ANALYZE DOCUMENTS TO JAPAN TO GET TOYOTA'S 11:57:12 CORPORATION IN BEING ABLE TO REVIEW RECORDS OF RESEARCH FROM 11:57:17 LET'S SAY 2004, 2005, ON THESE MODELS, INTERNAL DOCUMENTS, THAT 11:57:23 WOULD TEND TO SHOW WHETHER OR NOT TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF ANY OF 11:57:27 THESE PROBLEMS. HAVE YOU SENT PEOPLE, 11:57:30 SPECIFICALLY, TO DO THAT AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, DO YOU INTEND TO AS 11:57:35 PART OF YOUR FINDINGS AND YOUR INVESTIGATION? 11:57:37 >> WE HAVE ASKED FOR A VOLUMINOUS AMOUNT OF 11:57:46 INFORMATION. IF WE NEED TO GO JAPAN AND MEET 11:57:48 WITH THEIR ENGINEER AND GET MORE INFORMATION, THAT WILL BE A PART 11:57:50 OF OUR REVIEW. >> AND SO -- BUT YOU NO DOUBT 11:57:56 ARE AWARE THAT AS A ESTABLISHED AND RESPECTED AUTOMOBILE 11:58:03 MANUFACTURER THAT TOYOTA WOULD HAVE RESEARCH DOCUMENTS WITHIN 11:58:07 THEIR CONTROL THAT WOULD SHOW THE FUNCTION OF VARIOUS 11:58:11 COMPONENTS -- >> OF COURSE. 11:58:12 >> -- OF THEIR SYSTEM. >> YES, OF COURSE. 11:58:14 >> I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT, MR. CHAIRMAN, OR MADAM CHAIR, 11:58:17 THAT WE HEAR FROM THE SECRETARY ON THIS BECAUSE HIS DEPARTMENT 11:58:22 DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THIS. 11:58:26 AND WHILE WE AS MEMBERS GET THESE DOCUMENTS, WE CAN ANALYZE 11:58:28 THEM, WE HAVE HELP IN BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND. 11:58:31 ON THE TIME THAT I HAVE REMAINING, FOR THE INSTRUCTION 11:58:35 OF THE MEMBERSHIP AND THE PUBLIC, COULD YOU WALK US 11:58:39 THROUGH HOW COMPLAINTS ARE INVESTIGATED. 11:58:42 YOU KNOW, WHO DOES THE INVESTIGATION? 11:58:46 CAN YOU ENABLE US TO LEARN -- IS THIS ALL IN-HOUSE? 11:58:52 DO YOU OUTSOURCE ANY OF YOUR INVESTIGATIONS? 11:58:55 >> ALMOST ALL OF OUR INVESTIGATIONS ARE DONE IN-HOUSE 11:58:57 BY OUR EXPERTS. PEOPLE FILE COMPLAINTS WITH US. 11:59:01 AND WE TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY. WE LOOK INTO SEGMENT [1] 2010/02/24 ************************************************ Toyota Hearing 2/24/10 Witness : Ray LaHood Chmn Town's opening statement 11:00:26 terrifying death was not a freak accident, people complained about sudden acceleration and what people are wondering, will I be next? 11:00:53 received 2500 driver complaints about sudden acceleration, state farm reported over 900 cases, nhtsa did very little about it, Toyota ignored or minimized it, first blamed it on floor mats, I remain skeptical, problems at nhtsa and Toyota 11:02:41 evidence company concerned more w profit than safety 11:04:10 ntsa failed taxpayers, Toyota failed their customers , now have 39 deaths to give that some perspective, 27 deaths in pinto explosions if camry and prius were airplanes, they would be grounded 11:04:56 is it safe to drive these cars, can nhtsa say problem identified and fixed, can America trust nhtsa? Darryl Issa opening statement 11:07:54 recently Toyota began airing TV commercial in which they said good cos fix the mistakes, great cos learn from them, today asking those very questions, good or great company 11:11:42 Ray LaHood sworn in 11:12:18 safety is the no. 1 priority 11:15:29 nhtsa most effective defect program in the world, nhtsa receives more than 30,000 complaints every year take every one seriously, we will investigate, nhtsa resulted in 524 recalls involving 23 mil vehicles, we haven't sat on her hands, when people complain we investigate** 11:17:00 acting admin nhtsa flew to japan 11:18:07 by engaging Toyota directly avoided lengthy investigation, investigating whether Toyota acted quickly enough, will continue to make sure Toyota is doing all it promised 11:19:10 we will get in the weeds on this, do everything we can to see if electronics are part of the problem 11:19:49 I listened to the Saylor's 911 tape, met w saylor family to offer our sympathy, I hope no other family has to endure that 11:20:29 sworn in jan 09, traveled to 36 states, everywhere I've gone, I talked about safety, that has to be our first priority, we will not sleep at DOT and work 24/7 at nhtsa to make sure every Toyota is safe to drive** Q & A chmn to LaHood 11:21:59 why did it take nhtsa so long to act? 11:22:11 been in job a little over a year. 30,000 complaints come in every year and we look at every one of them, when we see a pattern we will do an investigation 11:23:31 safe to drive a Toyota today? 11:23:38 if people check our website we have listed every Toyota up for recall, take it to the dealer and make sure it gets fixed, we are going to work 24/7 continue until every Toyota is safe Issa questions Lahood 11:25:14 in the foreseeable future, dot should have every auto sold in America a vin no on file so they can see every recall 11:25:38 commit to you, we should make that info avail in the simplest possible way 11:26:51 any tech reason or common sense reason why we shouldn't transparently see all collateral material, any reason to wait until recall to get info? 11:28:00 it should be part of it, believe in transparency 11:29:15 between open source info can u commit to me to bring about real change so this doesn't happen again? 11:29:42 you have my commitment Kanjorski 11:33:37 don't want to excoriate our friends and exaggerate Burton 11:34:48 I'm taking resp for this, safety is no 1 I'm going to be resp, that's my job, not going to duck it 11:35:30 don't get mad at me Ray, that was the LA Times 11:36:26 if you've been an emp at DOT and go to work w co u cant participate in the work you did with this company 11:37:10 if anybody here knows that's there's violations, I'll alert the IG , no higher ethics 11:38:44 law should be tightened, perception is reality 11:38:56 thanks very much and I still love you Ray Cummings 11:39:22 on one hand very careful about what we're doing, main trading partners, other hand safety of our citizens spending thousands on auto and they have a right to expect to be safe, very telling testimony yesterdayon one hand very careful about what we're doing, main trading partners, other hand safety of our citizens spending thousands on auto and they have a right to expect to be safe, very telling testimony yesterday 11:41:02 you are our safety guy 11:41:11 for those cars listed on our website for recall, those are not safe, we believe we need to look at electronics, complete review but for now any car on website, we've determined those are not safe 11:43:44 the president proposed 66 new employees for nhtsa Mica and chmn debate whether head of nhtsa, Strikland, should testify, only been on the job 40 days 11:46:27 disappointed he's not a witness 11:48:45 baffled by budget request from administration with the smallest increase in budget , any reason for that? 11:49:40 adding 66 people gets us where we need to be 11:50:22 revolving door from nhtsa to car manufacturer, email?, is there now a 2 year ban? 11:52:00 any other recommendations 11:52:29 encourage every one to look at that bill to expand authority 11:53:12 don't minimize fatalities, one too many, when 8 killed on metro, somebody needs to look out for safety, we want to do it Kucinich 11:56:24 get into weeds on electronics because that's issue has been raised enough 11:57:30 we have asked for volumes of info from Toyota and if we need to go to japan we will 11:58:46 investigations done in house by our experts , interview people etc Souder