[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13021]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            RAECHEL AND JACQUELINE HOUCK SAFE RENTAL CAR ACT

  (Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, in 2004, Raechel and Jacqueline Houck were 
tragically killed in California when their rented Chrysler PT Cruiser 
crashed and caught fire due to a safety defect that was under recall.
  A glaring safety gap in current law allows recalled cars to be rented 
without being repaired, which is why I have introduced H.R. 2198, the 
Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act, so as to close this 
gap and prohibit the renting of vehicles that are subject to safety 
recalls.
  The bill is supported by all major car rental companies and consumer 
safety groups as well as by General Motors and Honda, yet Chrysler and 
Ford continue to oppose this bill for unclear reasons. Chrysler's 
opposition is particularly troubling considering this week's 
announcement that NHTSA is imposing a record $105 million fine and 
vehicle buyback requirement on Chrysler for its failure to adequately 
fix recalled vehicles or to notify vehicle owners in a timely manner.
  While H.R. 2198 wouldn't solve all of Chrysler's recall problems, it 
would at least ensure that American families who rent Chryslers this 
summer will know they are safe. This is a commonsense idea. I hope 
Chrysler voices its support for the bill and helps me bring it to the 
House floor soon for a vote.

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