Janice Schakowsky: “I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership. I understand that everyone has car dealerships in their districts and they…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership. I understand that everyone has car dealerships in their districts and they are an important part of our economy, but this amendment serves one purpose and one purpose only: allowing car dealers and rental car companies to evade responsibility. Just like rental car companies, car dealerships rent and lease vehicles regularly. And just like rental car companies, car dealerships should not be renting or leasing cars that are subject to a safety recall without first repairing the defect. These are safety recalls on cars the auto manufacturers themselves have deemed necessary to repair. Can you imagine bringing your car to a dealer to get a deadly Takata airbag replaced and then being given a loaner car with the same deadly Takata airbag to drive while your car is being repaired? That is the situation that this amendment would allow. Of all those subjected to the Safe Rental Car Act, car dealerships are in the best position to fix these recalled cars quickly. Instead of this amendment, which weakens the Senate provision, the Rules Committee should have made in order the gentlewoman's amendment expanding the provision to ensure used cars are not sold until recalls are fixed. Whether or not renting cars is the company's primary business makes no business. A defective car is a defective car.…”