Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. This amendment seeks to prohibit funding for the implementation of a bill known as the Honoring the Abbas Family Legacy to Terminate (HALT) Drunk Driving Act. I wrote it. I am the sponsor. The HALT Drunk Driving Act honors the Abbas family from Michigan who were tragically killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. It requires NHTSA to do a rulemaking to create rules for impaired driving prevention technology in new vehicles to stop these tragedies from continuing to occur. Thirty-seven alcohol-impaired driving deaths happen every day, equivalent to a death every 39 minutes. Studies show that the HALT Act would save over 10,000 lives annually. Our constituents agree. We need to stop drunk driving by making impairment prevention technology standard in new vehicles. If the technology exists to prevent drunk driving, why wouldn't we consider it? Let me close by saying this amendment and the sponsor mischaracterized what the HALT Act is. It does not mandate kill switches or allow data collection that invades vehicle occupants' privacy. I protect data privacy in vehicles probably more than the sponsor of this does. That is ridiculous. It doesn't monitor how you drive. This amendment is an insult to every American who has been hurt or lost loved ones to drunk driving, including the Abbas family. Let's honor the memory of those affected by drunk driving.”