Capitol Connection Latest Legislative Updates from the Hill and Around the Country

ARA Recommends Access to Bulk Recall Data, Along with OEM Part Numbers and Build Sheet Data at NHTSA Industry Event

RA actively participated in a NHTSA one-day workshop of leading trans- portation officials, automotive industry representatives, safety advocates, and researchers to brainstorm on how to achieve a recall completion rate of 100 percent. Throughout the “Retooling Recalls” event, in both the general and small group breakout sessions, ARA staff made the compelling argument to the over 100 stakeholders present that only with bulk access to recall data along with OEM parts numbers and build sheet data would NHTSA be able to reach its stated 100 percent recall remedy rate goal and fulfill its statutory obligations to ensure the safety of the nation’s drivers. As a result of this participation, the

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final reports of the breakout sessions – as stated clearly in the closing general session comments and recording posted on NHTSA’s website – all include a vari- ation of the recommendation, as stated, “to provide access to bulk recall data along with OEM parts numbers and build sheets.”

Please go to www.youtube.com/watch? t=10&v=8zogZPk1nDY to view the sum- mary of the session recommendations. Stakeholders and the public were invit- ed to submit comments on the workshop and the identified topics to NHTSA by May 31, 2015. In its written submission, ARA underscored the need for access to bulk data in any recall plan as stated in the session recommendations.

Federal Fleet Repair Bill Passes U.S. Senate

he U.S. Senate passed a bill entitled the “Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act of 2015” which encourages the consideration of remanufactured vehicle parts for the repair and maintenance of the Federal fleet of 588,000 vehicles. The bill directs the heads of each Federal agency “to encourage” the use of these parts only if it reduces the cost of maintaining the vehicles and does not lower the vehicle’s performance or delay the return of the vehicle to service. Freshman Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and James Lankford (R-OK) introduced this measure this year in the Senate – after they had introduced an identical measure in the last Congress when they both served in the U.S. House. The new Senate bill was approved in committee without a hearing or amendments and then passed by the full Senate with no real debate or floor vote. There is a companion measure in the House which has not been scheduled for action at this point in time. The Congressmen based their bill on a study conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) which found savings in using remanufactured parts in repairs.

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ARA staff met with the staff of the Senators when they were in the House in the last Congress when this measure was first introduced to request that OEM recycled parts be added to the bill as appropriate options for repairs of the federal fleet. The Congressional staff were interested in learning more about recycled original equip- ment manufacturer parts, and specifically about certification standards and warranties that apply to recycled parts. ARA is continuing its education efforts of staff and has once again requested that the bill include OEM recycled parts as options in federal fleet repairs.

66 Automotive Recycling | July-August 2015

DOT Secretary Recommends That Automakers Provide OEM Part Data to Recyclers

n response to a question posed by Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Highway Subcommittee following a February hearing, Depart- ment of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx stated his support for automotive manufacturers to share part information with professional automotive recyclers and also noted that manufacturers should provide this information in an efficient and easy-to-use format directly to recyclers and others who need the information.

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ARA looks forward to sharing the Secretary’s support with the automakers and will continue to urge them to adopt this so that professional automotive recy- clers can access part data to help pro- mote the safety of our nation’s drivers.

ARA CEO Wilson Addresses Automakers at Corporate Responsibility Summit

Group’s (AIAG) Corporate Responsi- bility Summit in Novi, Michigan. AIAG was founded by Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors in 1982 as a not-for- profit organization and membership has grown to include companies such as Toyota, Honda and Nissan, and part suppliers and services providers. His presentation, “Data Transparency as the Key for Sustainability in Automotive End- of-Life Vehicles,” provided an overview of the important link between automak- ers and their role in the sustainable practice of harvesting parts for reutiliza- tion. Wilson discussed the importance of professional automotive recyclers secur-

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ichael Wilson addressed attendees at the Automotive Industry Action