[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 45 (Friday, April 2, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REAUTHORIZATION OF THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CLIFF STEARNS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 2, 2004

  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, at the request of the Honorable Norman 
Mineta, Secretary of Transportation and distinguished former member of 
this House, I am pleased to introduce the Administration's requested 
legislation reauthorizing the National Highway Transportation Safety 
Administration. I include with this statement a copy of the letter 
transmitting this legislation to Speaker Hastert by the Secretary.
  I particularly want to commend the Administrator, Dr. Jeff Runge, for 
his fine leadership of the Agency.
  I have concerns with some aspects of this proposal, but I believe it 
deserves a fair hearing.
  I believe that provisions in the legislation facilitating the 
President's hydrogen initiative, provisions promoting international 
harmonization of safety standards, and provisions to encourage the 
development of crash avoidance technologies are particularly 
meritorious.

                              The Secretary of Transportation,

                                   Washington, DC, March 12, 2004.
     Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
     Speaker of the House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Speaker: I am pleased to transmit to you for 
     introduction and referral to the appropriate committee a 
     proposed bill: To authorize appropriations for the motor 
     vehicle safety and information and cost savings programs of 
     the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for fiscal 
     years 2005-2007, and for other purposes.
       The bill includes two titles. Title I, ``Motor Vehicle 
     Safety,'' contains an authorization of appropriations for the 
     motor vehicle safety law (chapter 301 of title 49, United 
     States Code) administered by the Department's National 
     Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and seven 
     additional sections that would amend that law. Title II, 
     ``Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings,'' contains an 
     authorization of appropriations for the motor vehicle 
     information and cost savings law (part C of subchapter VI of 
     title 49, United States Code) administered by NHTSA and five 
     additional sections that would amend that law.
       Highway and motor vehicle safety programs and enforcement 
     have succeeded in reducing the highway fatality rate despite 
     significant increases in the number of vehicles and the 
     number of vehicle miles traveled. Our most recent data show a 
     rate of 1.5 fatalities per 100 million miles traveled, nearly 
     half the rate of 20 years ago. The bill's proposed 
     authorizations would provide the resources needed to continue 
     this record of success for fiscal years 2005-2007.
       Title I (``Motor Vehicle Safety'') would authorize 
     appropriations for NHTSA's motor vehicle safety programs of 
     $125,221,000 in fiscal year 2005, and such sums as may be 
     necessary in fiscal years 2006 and 2007.
       Title II (``Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings'') 
     would authorize appropriations for NHTSA's motor vehicle 
     information and cost savings programs of $14,080,000 in 
     fiscal year 2005, and such sums as may be necessary in fiscal 
     years 2006 and 2007.
       The bill contains a number of amendments to the motor 
     vehicle safety and information and cost savings laws, 
     including provisions to (i) authorize the Secretary to 
     participate and cooperate in international activities that 
     enhance motor vehicle and traffic safety, (ii) authorize $5 
     million a year to support the President's Hydrogen Fuel 
     Initiative and the FreedomCAR Program by a safety research 
     initiative for alternate fuel vehicles that includes risk-
     assessment studies of hydrogen-fueled and other alternatively 
     fueled vehicles, the development of test and evaluation 
     procedures and performance criteria to assess the likelihood 
     of potential failures that could indicate unsafe conditions, 
     and the development of suitable countermeasures; and (iii) 
     authorize $10 million a year for research into vehicle-based 
     driver-assistance technologies such as electronic stability 
     control, telematics, radar braking and similar vehicle 
     advances, and to develop safety standards and consumer 
     education programs, to ensure that appropriate safety 
     benefits are derived from these technologies. Additional 
     details describing these and other amendments are provided in 
     the enclosed analysis.
       The Office of Management and Budget advises that it has no 
     objection, from the standpoint of the Administration's 
     program, to the submission of this proposed legislation to 
     Congress, and that its enactment would be in accord with the 
     program of the President.
           Sincerely yours,
     Norman Y. Mineta.

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