Political Quotes

“Mr. President, last August, California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor, his wife, 13 year old daughter, and brother-in-law were killed in a tragic car accident that shocked the community of San Diego and the nation. Their vehicle, a rental Lexus ES350, reached speeds of 120 mph as the family desperately called 911 in vain for help. This tragedy should not have occurred, and sadly, it is just one of many examples across California and the country of accidents involving Toyota and Lexus vehicles. These accidents raise serious questions about the effectiveness of the recalls and whether Toyota and federal regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, took appropriate and timely action to protect the public. At the Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the Toyota recalls this past March, I called attention to reports that former NHTSA employees now employed by Toyota worked to limit Toyota's recall. In fact, Toyota's own internal documents stated that the company had achieved a ``win'' by ``negotiating an equipment recall'' on the Camry and Lexus ES vehicles that saved Toyota $100 million. It is a shocking example of a company counting profit wins at the expense of the public's health and safety. The revolving door that exists between government regulators at NHTSA and the auto industry is unacceptable, and it puts consumers at risk.…”