Representative Mike Kelly Issues Statement on GM’s Safety Enhancements for the Volt

Representative Mike Kelly Issues Statement on GM’s Safety Enhancements for the Volt

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (PA-03) issued the following statement on the announcement today from General Motors Co. that it will conduct a Customer Satisfaction Program to further protect the Volt battery from the possibility of an electrical fire occurring days or weeks after a severe side crash:

“GM has a terrific tradition of customer service, and I’m comforted by the fact that they have taken the safety concerns raised over the Chevy Volt with the seriousness it deserves. I am a firm believer in GM’s ability to produce a safe and marketable electric vehicle, but they shouldn’t be developing it at taxpayer expense.

“I introduced legislation last month that would end the taxpayer subsidy of electric vehicles because taxpayers shouldn’t pay for product marketing and development that could just as easily be paid for by the manufacturers themselves, and they certainly should not subsidize a product that not only lacks market demand, but whose safety is still being called into question. Our nation is $15 trillion in debt, and we’ve got to start spending taxpayer dollars more wisely and cost-efficiently.

“While the step taken today by GM is in the right direction, there still are unanswered questions regarding GM’s disclosure of the first fire back Spring 2011, and why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration didn’t issue a report on the Volt’s fire risk until November 2011. My colleagues and I on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, including Chairman Darrell Issa and Rep. Jim Jordan, have sent a letter to GM and a letter to NHTSA regarding the matter, and we eagerly await their response.”

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