II

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 5164

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

OCTOBER 11 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 22), 2000

Received

AN ACT

To amend title 49, United States Code, to require reports

concerning defects in motor vehicles or tires or other

motor vehicle equipment in foreign countries, and for

other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Transportation Recall

3 Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation

4 (TREAD) Act’’.

5 SEC. 2. PRESERVATION OF SECTION 30118.

6 The amendments made to section 30118 of title 49,

7 United States Code, by section 364 of the Department of

8 Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,

9 2001 are repealed and such section shall be effective as

10 if such amending section had not been enacted.

11 SEC. 3. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

12 (a) DEFECTS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.—Section

13 30166 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by add14 ing at the end the following:

15 ‘‘(l) REPORTING OF DEFECTS IN MOTOR VEHICLES

16 AND PRODUCTS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.—

17 ‘‘(1) REPORTING OF DEFECTS, MANUFACTURER

18 DETERMINATION.—Not later than 5 working days

19 after determining to conduct a safety recall or other

20 safety campaign in a foreign country on a motor ve21 hicle or motor vehicle equipment that is identical or

22 substantially similar to a motor vehicle or motor ve23 hicle equipment offered for sale in the United

24 States, the manufacturer shall report the determina25 tion to the Secretary.
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1 ‘‘(2) REPORTING OF DEFECTS, FOREIGN GOV2 ERNMENT DETERMINATION.—Not later than 5 work3 ing days after receiving notification that the govern4 ment of a foreign country has determined that a

5 safety recall or other safety campaign must be con6 ducted in the foreign country on a motor vehicle or

7 motor vehicle equipment that is identical or substan8 tially similar to a motor vehicle or motor vehicle

9 equipment offered for sale in the United States, the

10 manufacturer of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle

11 equipment shall report the determination to the Sec12 retary.

13 ‘‘(3) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—The Sec14 retary shall prescribe the contents of the notification

15 required by this subsection.’’.

16 (b) EARLY WARNING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—

17 Section 30166, of title 49, United States Code, is amended

18 by adding at the end the following:

19 ‘‘(m) EARLY WARNING REPORTING REQUIRE20 MENTS.—

21 ‘‘(1) RULEMAKING REQUIRED.—Not later than

22 120 days after the date of the enactment of the

23 Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability,

24 and Documentation (TREAD) Act, the Secretary

25 shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish
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1 early warning reporting requirements for manufac2 turers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment

3 to enhance the Secretary’s ability to carry out the

4 provisions of this chapter.

5 ‘‘(2) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall issue a

6 final rule under paragraph (1) not later than June

7 30, 2002.

8 ‘‘(3) REPORTING ELEMENTS.—

9 ‘‘(A) WARRANTY AND CLAIMS DATA.—As

10 part of the final rule promulgated under para11 graph (1), the Secretary shall require manufac12 turers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle

13 equipment to report, periodically or upon re14 quest by the Secretary, information which is re15 ceived by the manufacturer derived from foreign

16 and domestic sources to the extent that such in17 formation may assist in the identification of de18 fects related to motor vehicle safety in motor

19 vehicles and motor vehicle equipment in the

20 United States and which concerns—

21 ‘‘(i) data on claims submitted to the

22 manufacturer for serious injuries (includ23 ing death) and aggregate statistical data

24 on property damage from alleged defects in
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1 a motor vehicle or in motor vehicle equip2 ment; or

3 ‘‘(ii) customer satisfaction campaigns,

4 consumer advisories, recalls, or other activ5 ity involving the repair or replacement of

6 motor vehicles or items of motor vehicle

7 equipment.

8 ‘‘(B) OTHER DATA.—As part of the final

9 rule promulgated under paragraph (1), the Sec10 retary may, to the extent that such information

11 may assist in the identification of defects re12 lated to motor vehicle safety in motor vehicles

13 and motor vehicle equipment in the United

14 States, require manufacturers of motor vehicles

15 or motor vehicle equipment to report, periodi16 cally or upon request of the Secretary, such in17 formation as the Secretary may request.

18 ‘‘(C) REPORTING OF POSSIBLE DE19 FECTS.—The manufacturer of a motor vehicle

20 or motor vehicle equipment shall report to the

21 Secretary, in such manner as the Secretary es22 tablishes by regulation, all incidents of which

23 the manufacturer receives actual notice which

24 involve fatalities or serious injuries which are

25 alleged or proven to have been caused by a pos-
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1 sible defect in such manufacturer’s motor vehi2 cle or motor vehicle equipment in the United

3 States, or in a foreign country when the pos4 sible defect is in a motor vehicle or motor vehi5 cle equipment that is identical or substantially

6 similar to a motor vehicle or motor vehicle

7 equipment offered for sale in the United States.

8 ‘‘(4) HANDLING AND UTILIZATION OF REPORT9 ING ELEMENTS.—

10 ‘‘(A) SECRETARY’S SPECIFICATIONS.—In

11 requiring the reporting of any information re12 quested by the Secretary under this subsection,

13 the Secretary shall specify in the final rule pro14 mulgated under paragraph (1)—

15 ‘‘(i) how such information will be re16 viewed and utilized to assist in the identi17 fication of defects related to motor vehicle

18 safety;

19 ‘‘(ii) the systems and processes the

20 Secretary will employ or establish to review

21 and utilize such information; and

22 ‘‘(iii) the manner and form of report23 ing such information, including in elec24 tronic form.
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1 ‘‘(B) INFORMATION IN POSSESSION OF

2 MANUFACTURER.—The regulations promulgated

3 by the Secretary under paragraph (1) may not

4 require a manufacturer of a motor vehicle or

5 motor vehicle equipment to maintain or submit

6 records respecting information not in the pos7 session of the manufacturer.

8 ‘‘(C) DISCLOSURE.—None of the informa9 tion collected pursuant to the final rule promul10 gated under paragraph (1) shall be disclosed

11 pursuant to section 30167(b) unless the Sec12 retary determines the disclosure of such infor13 mation will assist in carrying out sections

14 30117(b) and 30118 through 30121.

15 ‘‘(D) BURDENSOME REQUIREMENTS.—In

16 promulgating the final rule under paragraph

17 (1), the Secretary shall not impose require18 ments unduly burdensome to a manufacturer of

19 a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment,

20 taking into account the manufacturer’s cost of

21 complying with such requirements and the Sec22 retary’s ability to use the information sought in

23 a meaningful manner to assist in the identifica24 tion of defects related to motor vehicle safety.
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1 ‘‘(5) PERIODIC REVIEW.—As part of the final

2 rule promulgated pursuant to paragraph (1), the

3 Secretary shall specify procedures for the periodic

4 review and update of such rule.’’.

5 (c) SALE OR LEASE OF DEFECTIVE OR NONCOMPLI6 ANT TIRE.—Section 30166 of title 49, United States

7 Code, as amended by subsection (b), is amended by adding

8 at the end the following:

9 ‘‘(n) SALE OR LEASE OF DEFECTIVE OR NON10 COMPLIANT TIRE.—

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, within

12 90 days of the date of the enactment of the Trans13 portation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and

14 Documentation (TREAD) Act, issue a final rule re15 quiring any person who knowingly and willfully sells

16 or leases for use on a motor vehicle a defective tire

17 or a tire which is not compliant with an applicable

18 tire safety standard with actual knowledge that the

19 manufacturer of such tire has notified its dealers of

20 such defect or noncompliance as required under sec21 tion 30118(c) or as required by an order under sec22 tion 30118(b) to report such sale or lease to the

23 Secretary.

24 ‘‘(2) DEFECT OR NONCOMPLIANCE REMEDIED

25 OR ORDER NOT IN EFFECT.—Regulations under
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1 paragraph (1) shall not require the reporting de2 scribed in paragraph (1) where before delivery under

3 a sale or lease of a tire—

4 ‘‘(A) the defect or noncompliance of the

5 tire is remedied as required by section 30120;

6 or

7 ‘‘(B) notification of the defect or non8 compliance is required under section 30118(b)

9 but enforcement of the order is restrained or

10 the order is set aside in a civil action to which

11 section 30121(d) applies.’’.

12 (d) INSURANCE STUDY.—The Secretary of Transpor13 tation shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility

14 and utility of obtaining aggregate information on a regular

15 and periodic basis regarding claims made for private pas16 senger automobile accidents from persons in the business

17 of providing private passenger automobile insurance or of

18 adjusting insurance claims for such automobiles. Not later

19 than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,

20 the Secretary shall transmit the results of such study to

21 the Committee on Commerce of the House of Representa22 tives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and

23 Transportation of the Senate.
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1 SEC. 4. REMEDIES WITHOUT CHARGE.

2 Section 30120(g)(1) of title 49, United States Code,

3 is amended by—

4 (1) striking ‘‘8 calendar years’’ and inserting

5 ‘‘10 calendar years’’; and

6 (2) striking ‘‘3 calendar years’’ and inserting

7 ‘‘5 calendar years’’.

8 SEC. 5. PENALTIES.

9 (a) CIVIL PENALTIES.—Section 30165(a) of title 49,

10 United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

11 ‘‘(a) CIVIL PENALTIES.—

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A person that violates any

13 of sections 30112, 30115, 30117 through 30122,

14 30123(d), 30125(c), 30127, or 30141 through

15 30147, or a regulation prescribed thereunder, is lia16 ble to the United States Government for a civil pen17 alty of not more than $5,000 for each violation. A

18 separate violation occurs for each motor vehicle or

19 item of motor vehicle equipment and for each failure

20 or refusal to allow or perform an act required by any

21 of those sections. The maximum penalty under this

22 subsection for a related series of violations is

23 $15,000,000.

24 ‘‘(2) SECTION 30166.—A person who violates

25 section 30166 or a regulation prescribed under that

26 section is liable to the United States Government for
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1 a civil penalty for failing or refusing to allow or per2 form an act required under that section or regula3 tion. The maximum penalty under this paragraph is

4 $5,000 per violation per day. The maximum penalty

5 under this paragraph for a related series of daily

6 violations is $15,000,000.’’.

7 (b) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.—

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter IV of chapter

9 301 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by

10 adding at the end the following:

11 ‘‘§ 30170. Criminal Penalties

12 ‘‘(a) CRIMINAL LIABILITY FOR FALSIFYING OR

13 WITHHOLDING INFORMATION.—

14 ‘‘(1) GENERAL RULE.—A person who violates

15 section 1001 of title 18 with respect to the reporting

16 requirements of section 30166, with the specific in17 tention of misleading the Secretary with respect to

18 motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment safety re19 lated defects that have caused death or serious bod20 ily injury to an individual, (as defined in section

21 1365(g)(3) of title 18), shall be subject to criminal

22 penalties of a fine under title 18, or imprisoned for

23 not more than 15 years, or both.

24 ‘‘(2) SAFE HARBOR TO ENCOURAGE REPORTING

25 AND FOR WHISTLE BLOWERS.—
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1 ‘‘(A) CORRECTION.—A person described in

2 paragraph (1) shall not be subject to criminal

3 penalties under this subsection if: (1) at the

4 time of the violation, such person does not

5 know that the violation would result in an acci6 dent causing death or serious bodily injury; and

7 (2) the person corrects any improper reports or

8 failure to report within a reasonable time.

9 ‘‘(B) REASONABLE TIME AND SUFFI10 CIENCY OF CORRECTION.—The Secretary shall

11 establish by regulation what constitutes a rea12 sonable time for the purposes of subparagraph

13 (A) and what manner of correction is sufficient

14 for purposes of subparagraph (A). The Sec15 retary shall issue a final rule under this sub16 paragraph within 90 days of the date of the en17 actment of this section.

18 ‘‘(C) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (a)

19 shall not take effect before the final rule under

20 subparagraph (B) takes effect.

21 ‘‘(b) COORDINATION WITH DEPARTMENT OF JUS22 TICE.—The Attorney General may bring an action, or ini23 tiate grand jury proceedings, for a violation of subsection

24 (a) only at the request of the Secretary of Transpor25 tation.’’.
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1 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The subchapter

2 analysis for subchapter IV of chapter 301 of title

3 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at

4 the end the following:

‘‘30170. Criminal penalties.’’.

5 SEC. 6. ACCELERATION OF MANUFACTURER REMEDY PRO6 GRAM.

7 Section 30120(c) of title 49, United States Code, is

8 amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:

9 ‘‘(3) If the Secretary determines that a manufactur10 er’s remedy program is not likely to be capable of comple11 tion within a reasonable time, the Secretary may require

12 the manufacturer to accelerate the remedy program if the

13 Secretary finds—

14 ‘‘(A) that there is a risk of serious injury or

15 death if the remedy program is not accelerated; and

16 ‘‘(B) that acceleration of the remedy program

17 can be reasonably achieved by expanding the sources

18 of replacement parts, expanding the number of au19 thorized repair facilities, or both.

20 The Secretary may prescribe regulations to carry out this

21 paragraph.’’.

22 SEC. 7. SALES OF REPLACED TIRES.

23 Section 30120(d) of title 49, United States Code, is

24 amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘In the case

25 of a remedy program involving the replacement of tires,
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1 the manufacturer shall include a plan addressing how to

2 prevent, to the extent reasonably within the control of the

3 manufacturer, replaced tires from being resold for installa4 tion on a motor vehicle, and how to limit, to the extent

5 reasonably within the control of the manufacturer, the dis6 posal of replaced tires in landfills, particularly through

7 shredding, crumbling, recycling, recovery, and other alter8 native beneficial non-vehicular uses. The manufacturer

9 shall include information about the implementation of

10 such plan with each quarterly report to the Secretary re11 garding the progress of any notification or remedy cam12 paigns.’’.

13 SEC. 8. SALES OF REPLACED EQUIPMENT.

14 Section 30120 of title 49, United States Code, is

15 amended by adding at the end the following:

16 ‘‘(j) PROHIBITION ON SALES OF REPLACED EQUIP17 MENT.—No person may sell or lease any motor vehicle

18 equipment (including a tire), for installation on a motor

19 vehicle, that is the subject of a decision under section

20 30118(b) or a notice required under section 30118(c) in

21 a condition that it may be reasonably used for its original

22 purpose unless—

23 ‘‘(1) the defect or noncompliance is remedied as

24 required by this section before delivery under the

25 sale or lease; or
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1 ‘‘(2) notification of the defect or noncompliance

2 is required under section 30118(b) but enforcement

3 of the order is set aside in a civil action to which

4 section 30121(d) applies.’’.

5 SEC. 9. CERTIFICATION LABEL.

6 Section 30115 of title 49, United States Code, is

7 amended by inserting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’ before ‘‘A

8 manufacturer’’ and by adding at the end the following:

9 ‘‘(b) CERTIFICATION LABEL.—In the case of the cer10 tification label affixed by an intermediate or final stage

11 manufacturer of a motor vehicle built in more than 1

12 stage, each intermediate or final stage manufacturer shall

13 certify with respect to each applicable Federal motor vehi14 cle safety standard—

15 ‘‘(1) that it has complied with the specifications

16 set forth in the compliance documentation provided

17 by the incomplete motor vehicle manufacturer in ac18 cordance with regulations prescribed by the Sec19 retary; or

20 ‘‘(2) that it has elected to assume responsibility

21 for compliance with that standard.

22 If the intermediate or final stage manufacturer elects to

23 assume responsibility for compliance with the standard

24 covered by the documentation provided by an incomplete

25 motor vehicle manufacturer, the intermediate or final
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1 stage manufacturer shall notify the incomplete motor vehi2 cle manufacturer in writing within a reasonable time of

3 affixing the certification label. A violation of this sub4 section shall not be subject to a civil penalty under section

5 30165.’’.

6 SEC. 10. ENDURANCE AND RESISTANCE STANDARDS FOR

7 TIRES.

8 The Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a rule9 making to revise and update the tire standards published

10 at 49 CFR 571.109 and 49 CFR 571.119. The Secretary

11 shall complete the rulemaking under this section not later

12 than June 1, 2002.

13 SEC. 11. IMPROVED TIRE INFORMATION.

14 (a) TIRE LABELING.—Within 30 days after the date

15 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor16 tation shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to improve

17 the labeling of tires required by section 30123 of title 49,

18 United States Code to assist consumers in identifying tires

19 that may be the subject of a decision under section

20 30118(b) or a notice required under section 30118(c). The

21 Secretary shall complete the rulemaking not later than

22 June 1, 2002.

23 (b) INFLATION LEVELS AND LOAD LIMITS.—In the

24 rulemaking initiated under subsection (a), the Secretary

25 may take whatever additional action is appropriate to en-
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1 sure that the public is aware of the importance of observ2 ing motor vehicle tire load limits and maintaining proper

3 tire inflation levels for the safe operation of a motor vehi4 cle. Such additional action may include a requirement that

5 the manufacturer of motor vehicles provide the purchasers

6 of the motor vehicles information on appropriate tire infla7 tion levels and load limits if the Secretary determines that

8 requiring such manufacturers to provide such information

9 is the most appropriate way such information can be pro10 vided.

11 SEC. 12. ROLLOVER TESTS.

12 Section 30117 of title 49, United States Code, is

13 amended by adding at the end the following:

14 ‘‘(c) ROLLOVER TESTS.—

15 ‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 2 years

16 from the date of the enactment of this subsection,

17 the Secretary shall—

18 ‘‘(A) develop a dynamic test on rollovers by

19 motor vehicles for the purposes of a consumer

20 information program; and

21 ‘‘(B) carry out a program of conducting

22 such tests.

23 ‘‘(2) TEST RESULTS.—As the Secretary devel24 ops a test under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary
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1 shall conduct a rulemaking to determine how best to

2 disseminate test results to the public.

3 ‘‘(3) MOTOR VEHICLES COVERED.—This sub4 section applies to motor vehicles, including passenger

5 cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and trucks,

6 with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds

7 or less. A motor vehicle designed to provide tem8 porary residential accommodations is not covered.’’.

9 SEC. 13. TIRE PRESSURE WARNING.

10 Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment

11 of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall complete

12 a rulemaking for a regulation to require a warning system

13 in new motor vehicles to indicate to the operator when a

14 tire is significantly under inflated. Such requirement shall

15 become effective not later than 2 years after the date of

16 the completion of such rulemaking.

17 SEC. 14. IMPROVING THE SAFETY OF CHILD RESTRAINTS.

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months after

19 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of

20 Transportation shall initiate a rulemaking for the purpose

21 of improving the safety of child restraints, including mini22 mizing head injuries from side impact collisions.

23 (b) ELEMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION.—In the rule24 making required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall

25 consider—
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1 (1) whether to require more comprehensive

2 tests for child restraints than the current Federal

3 motor vehicle safety standards requires, including

4 the use of dynamic tests that—

5 (A) replicate an array of crash conditions,

6 such as side-impact crashes and rear-impact

7 crashes; and

8 (B) reflect the designs of passenger motor

9 vehicles as of the date of the enactment of this

10 Act;

11 (2) whether to require the use of

12 anthropomorphic test devices that—

13 (A) represent a greater range of sizes of

14 children including the need to require the use of

15 an anthropomorphic test device that is rep16 resentative of a ten-year-old child; and

17 (B) are Hybrid III anthropomorphic test

18 devices;

19 (3) whether to require improved protection from

20 head injuries in side-impact and rear-impact crashes;

21 (4) how to provide consumer information on the

22 physical compatibility of child restraints and vehicle

23 seats on a model-by-model basis;
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1 (5) whether to prescribe clearer and simpler la2 bels and instructions required to be placed on child

3 restraints;

4 (6) whether to amend Federal Motor Vehicle

5 Safety Standard No. 213 (49 CFR 571.213) to

6 cover restraints for children weighing up to 80

7 pounds;

8 (7) whether to establish booster seat perform9 ance and structural integrity requirements to be dy10 namically tested in 3-point lap and shoulder belts;

11 (8) whether to apply scaled injury criteria per12 formance levels, including neck injury, developed for

13 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 to

14 child restraints and booster seats covered by in Fed15 eral Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213; and

16 (9) whether to include child restraint in each

17 vehicle crash tested under the New Car Assessment

18 Program.

19 (c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—If the Secretary does

20 not incorporate any element described in subsection (b)

21 in the final rule, the Secretary shall explain, in a report

22 to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and

23 Transportation and the House of Representatives Com24 mittee on Commerce submitted within 30 days after
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1 issuing the final rule, specifically why the Secretary did

2 not incorporate any such element in the final rule.

3 (d) COMPLETION.—Notwithstanding any other provi4 sion of law, the Secretary shall complete the rulemaking

5 required by subsection (a) not later than 24 months after

6 the date of the enactment of this Act.

7 (e) CHILD RESTRAINT DEFINED.—In this section,

8 the term ‘‘child restraint’’ has the meaning given the term

9 ‘‘Child restraint system’’ in section 571.213 of title 49,

10 Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of

11 the enactment of this Act).

12 (f) FUNDING.—For each fiscal year, of the funds

13 made available to the Secretary for activities relating to

14 safety, not less than $750,000 shall be made available to

15 carry out crash testing of child restraints.

16 (g) CHILD RESTRAINT SAFETY RATINGS PRO17 GRAM.—No later than 12 months after the date of the

18 enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation

19 shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to establish

20 a child restraint safety rating consumer information pro21 gram to provide practicable, readily understandable, and

22 timely information to consumers for use in making in23 formed decisions in the purchase of child restraints. No

24 later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of

25 this Act the Secretary shall issue a final rule establishing
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1 a child restraint safety rating program and providing

2 other consumer information which the Secretary deter3 mines would be useful consumers who purchase child re4 straint systems.

5 (h) BOOSTER SEAT STUDY.—In addition to consider6 ation of booster seat performance and structural integrity

7 contained in subsection (b)(7), not later than 12 months

8 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary

9 of Transportation shall initiate and complete a study, tak10 ing into account the views of the public, on the use and

11 effectiveness of automobile booster seats for children, com12 piling information on the advantages and disadvantages

13 of using booster seats and determining the benefits, if any,

14 to children from use of booster with lap and shoulder belts

15 compared to children using lap and shoulder belts alone,

16 and submit a report on the results of that study to the

17 Congress.

18 (i) BOOSTER SEAT EDUCATION PROGRAM.—The Sec19 retary of Transportation within 1 year after the date of

20 the enactment of this Act shall develop 5 year strategic

21 plan to reduce deaths and injuries caused by failure to

22 use the appropriate booster seat in the 4 to 8 year old

23 age group by 25 percent.
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1 SEC. 15. IMPROVING CRITERIA USED IN A RECALL.

2 (a) REVIEW OF STANDARDS AND CRITERIA USED IN

3 OPENING A DEFECT OR NONCOMPLIANCE INVESTIGA4 TION.—The Secretary shall, not later than 30 days after

5 the date of the enactment of this Act, undertake a com6 prehensive review of all standards, criteria, procedures,

7 and methods, including data management and analysis

8 used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administra9 tion in determining whether to open a defect or noncompli10 ance investigation pursuant to subchapter II or IV of

11 chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, and shall un12 dertake such steps as may be necessary to update and im13 prove such standards, criteria, procedures, or methods, in14 cluding data management and analysis.

15 (b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year

16 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary

17 shall transmit to the Committee on Commerce of the

18 House of Representatives and the Committee on Com19 merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report

20 describing the Secretary’s findings and actions under sub21 section (a).

22 SEC. 16. FOLLOW-UP REPORT.

23 One year after the date of the enactment of this Act,

24 the Secretary of Transportation shall report to the Con25 gress on the implementation of the amendments made by
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1 this Act and any recommendations for additional amend2 ments for consumer safety.

3 SEC. 17. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

4 In addition to any sums authorized to be appro5 priated by sections 30104 or 32102 of title 49, United

6 States Code, there is authorized to be appropriated to the

7 Secretary of Transportation for the National Highway

8 Traffic Safety Administration for fiscal year 2001

9 $9,100,000 to carry out this Act and the amendments

10 made by this Act. Such funds shall not be available for

11 the general administrative expenses of the Secretary or the

12 Administration.

Passed the House of Representatives October 10,

2000.

Attest: JEFF TRANDAHL,

Clerk.