[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 137 (Monday, August 2, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S5616]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2214. Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself and Mr. Markey) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2137 proposed by Mr. 
Schumer (for Ms. Sinema (for herself, Mr. Portman, Mr. Manchin, Mr. 
Cassidy, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Collins, Mr. Tester, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. 
Warner, and Mr. Romney)) to the bill H.R. 3684, to authorize funds for 
Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

        Strike section 24222 and insert the following:

     SEC. 24222. SAFETY WARNING FOR OCCUPANTS OF HOT CARS.

       (a) Occupant Safety.--
       (1) In general.--Subchapter II of chapter 301 of title 49, 
     United States Code (as amended by section 24208(a)), is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``Sec. 30130. Occupant safety

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Passenger motor vehicle.--The term `passenger motor 
     vehicle' has the meaning given the term in section 32101.
       ``(2) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
     of Transportation.
       ``(b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a final 
     rule prescribing a motor vehicle safety standard that 
     requires all new passenger motor vehicles with a gross 
     vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less to be equipped 
     with a system that--
       ``(1) detects the presence of an unattended occupant in the 
     passenger compartment of the vehicle; and
       ``(2) engages a warning to reduce death and injury 
     resulting from vehicular heatstroke, particularly incidents 
     involving children.
       ``(c) Limitation on Capability of Being Disabled.--The 
     motor vehicle safety standard prescribed under subsection (b) 
     shall require that the system described in that subsection 
     cannot be disabled, overridden, reset, or recalibrated in 
     such a way that the system will no longer detect the presence 
     of an unattended occupant in the passenger compartment of the 
     vehicle and engage a warning.
       ``(d) Means.--
       ``(1) In general.--The warning required under the motor 
     vehicle safety standard prescribed under subsection (b) shall 
     include a distinct auditory and visual warning to notify 
     individuals inside and outside of the passenger motor vehicle 
     of the presence of an unattended occupant, which shall be 
     combined with an interior haptic warning.
       ``(2) Consideration.--In developing the warning referred to 
     in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall also consider including 
     a secondary additional warning--
       ``(A) to notify--
       ``(i) operators that are not in close proximity to the 
     vehicle; and
       ``(ii) emergency responders; and
       ``(B) to provide the geographical location of the passenger 
     motor vehicle in a manner that allows for an emergency 
     response.
       ``(e) Compliance Deadline.--The rule issued pursuant to 
     subsection (b) shall require full compliance with the motor 
     vehicle safety standard prescribed in the rule not later than 
     2 years after the date on which the final rule is issued.''.
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for subchapter II of 
     chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code (as amended by 
     section 24208(b)), is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

``30130. Occupant safety.''.

       (b) Study.--
       (1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       (A) Child restraint system.--The term ``child restraint 
     system'' has the meaning given the term in section 571.213 of 
     title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor 
     regulation).
       (B) Independent third party.--The term ``independent third 
     party'' means a person that does not receive any direct 
     financial assistance from a manufacturer (as defined in 
     section 30102(a) of title 49, United States Code), that 
     produces or supplies--
       (i) equipment for the systems mandated in section 30130 of 
     title 49, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)(1)); 
     or
       (ii) child restraint systems.
       (C) Passenger motor vehicle.--The term ``passenger motor 
     vehicle'' has the meaning given the term in section 32101 of 
     title 49, United States Code.
       (2) Independent study.--
       (A) Contract.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
     which a final rule is issued pursuant to section 30130(b) of 
     title 49, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)(1)), 
     and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall enter into 
     a contract with an independent third party to conduct the 
     study described under subparagraph (B).
       (B) Study.--
       (i) In general.--Under the contract between the Secretary 
     and an independent third party under subparagraph (A), the 
     independent third party shall carry out a study on 
     retrofitting passenger motor vehicles introduced into 
     interstate commerce before the effective date of the rule 
     required pursuant to section 30130(b) of title 49, United 
     States Code (as added by subsection (a)(1)), with 
     technologies and products that meet the safety need addressed 
     by the motor vehicle safety standard prescribed under that 
     section.
       (ii) Elements.--In carrying out the study required under 
     clause (i), the independent third party shall--

       (I) identify technologies and products--

       (aa) manufactured for use in passenger motor vehicles 
     introduced into interstate commerce before the effective date 
     of the rule required by section 30130(b) of title 49, United 
     States Code (as added by subsection (a)(1)); and
       (bb) that reduce death and injury resulting from vehicular 
     heatstroke, particularly incidents involving children; and

       (II) make recommendations for manufacturers of such 
     technologies and products to undergo a functional safety 
     performance assessment to ensure that the technologies and 
     products perform as designed by the manufacturer under a 
     variety of real-world conditions.

       (3) Publication; public comment.--Not later than 2 years 
     after the date on which the Secretary enters into a contract 
     under paragraph (2)(A), and every 2 years thereafter, the 
     Secretary shall--
       (A) publish the results of the study required under 
     paragraph (2)(B) in the Federal Register; and
       (B) provide a period for public comment of not longer than 
     90 days after the date on which the results of the study are 
     published pursuant to subparagraph (A).
       (4) Consumer information.--Not later than 120 days after 
     expiration of the public comment period described under 
     paragraph (2)(B) and on review of the public comments, the 
     Secretary shall provide information for consumers through the 
     website of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
     on the performance of the technologies and products described 
     in paragraph (2)(B)(ii) to retrofit existing passenger motor 
     vehicles.
       (5) Submission to congress.--On issuance of the 
     recommendations required under paragraph (2)(B)(ii)(II), the 
     Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
     and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy 
     and Commerce of the House of Representatives the study and 
     recommendations required by paragraph (2)(B)(ii)(II), 
     including any public comment received under paragraph (3)(B).
                                 ______