Haley Stevens: “Mr. President, the reason I am objecting to taking up the Department of Transportation appropriations report is that it…”

“Mr. President, the reason I am objecting to taking up the Department of Transportation appropriations report is that it contains a substantive amendment to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act. The legislation was never approved by either House or Senate commerce committees and failed in its attempts to correct indisputable faults with safety data collection and retention practices of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Well over 100 Americans have died, and estimates are that as many as 150 in other countries. This is a very serious safety issue in which American lives are at stake. I am simply asking to take up this legislation. I will be glad to have any amendments and time agreements associated with it--anything that we can do to move this legislation along. The House Commerce Committee yesterday passed similar legislation. We are told it will be passed on the floor of the House by next Tuesday. Why we can't take up this bill, which is designed according to consumer organizations, according to the Secretary of Transportation, according to all outside observers and safety experts, to stop or at least take action to reduce the number of American lives that will be lost on the highways of the United States of America is really hard to understand.”