Susan Collins

It is clear that the DOT's guidance document needs further refinement to help ensure that automakers are able to bring the safety and mobility benefits of autonomous vehicles into the marketplace.

The potential of the new technology that we're examining today is exciting, cars that drive themselves and avoid accidents.

This hearing will come to order.

I am hopeful that we can avoid that kind of outcome.

We along with policymakers throughout government and the rest of the intelligence community rely on your agency for ground truth.

I have joined with Senator Feinstein in introducing our bipartisan Personal Care Products Safety Act, which would modernize our woefully outdated Federal regulatory system.

Our bill is the product of consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, as Senator Feinstein has mentioned, and it would give the FDA broader oversight.

Consumers should be able to know whether the products that they are applying to their own skin or the skin of their children and their hair are safe.

Indeed, it is my understanding that 1,300 chemicals have been banned from personal care products in Europe and the United States, which is quite a difference as well.

See, I think that is why so many companies actually welcome our bill, because they do not want to harm consumers.

I think it underscores why we need a national standard, because if you're going to be selling across State lines, it is just not feasible to have 50 different approaches to this issue.

It would also give the agency the power to order companies to recall products found to be dangerous.

If there were, could you discuss the limits of FDA's current authority to take action when they do find adverse reactions to personal care products?

As Senator Murray indicated, it is ironic that we have addressed and modernized the FDA in so many other areas but not in this one.

Yet that company, that personal care products company, is not required to report to the FDA about adverse events.

I think this is another real problem because the system is not supposed to work that way.

The idea of a brand name company simply swapping the label on its product and then issuing it as a generic strikes me as greatly reducing the incentive for a true first generic to come on the market.

Essentially what Mylan is doing, as you confirmed, is just changing the label on its product and then selling it for a lower price.

We found that certain drug companies were putting their brand name drugs into restricted distribution systems.

Directing 84 percent of HUD's budget to rental assistance might be reasonable if it were to effectively meet the housing needs of all vulnerable families and individuals.

There are nearly 10,000 public housing units that are at high risk of being lost each year because they are simply crumbling.

Is continued subsidization of public housing in neighborhoods like the ones I described just perpetuating problems and an ineffective use of Federal resources?

Thank you very much, Professor. I very much appreciate the number of years you have spent on this issue and your very specific recommendation.

Ensuring that sufficient funds are provided to renew existing rental assistance has always been a priority.

Protecting and expanding the Housing Credit is critical.