GM Ignition Recall

Upton wants to know why existing rules did not catch GM problems.

USA Today (3/28, Spangler, 5.82M) reports House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton wants to know why regulations did not catch problems with General Motors ignition switches sooner. Upton “was the prime sponsor” of 2000 legislation creating regulations for reporting to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He said Thursday, “We were very surprised with the revelations that came forward the last couple of weeks. ... We’re going to see what the time line really was. Who tried to connect the dots and why they weren’t connected.” The Washington Post (3/28, Fletcher, 2.33M) says Upton’s remarks came “as lawmakers prepare to grill” GM CEO Mary Barra and NHTSA officials next week.

        Blumenthal wants GM to advise consumers not to drive affected cars. Reuters (3/28) reports Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Thursday that GM should warn consumers not to drive recalled cars. In a letter to Barra, he wrote, “I urge you to issue a stronger warning to drivers of recalled vehicles of the acknowledged risk they are facing, including a warning not to drive recalled cars. This warning should be issued as soon as possible.”