P.1 

OAR Box 1818 

Prepped by Ollie Stewart 

Document Number: 

51) ll-D-23 

Docket Number: 

A-87-11 

Printed 11/6/2008 3:12:45 PM Sheet 51 of 79 
P.2 

JOHN 0 C4NGELI. MICHIGAN. CHAIRMAN 

RON WYOEN. OREGON 

DENNIS E. ECXART OHIO 

JIM SliTTIRV (ANSAE 

GERRY SKORSKI MINNESOTA 

•IC« IOUCHER VIRGINIA 

JIM COOPER. TENNESSEE 

THOMAS A, LUEEN. OHIO 

OOUG WAlGREN. PENNSYLVANIA 

M<HAfl. P. |AJ*MM. JH 

CHUP COUMIL-iTA*? OtMKTIM 

NORMAN • LENT If W VOR* 

OAN COATS INDIANA 

THOMAS J SLILEY jR VIRGINIA 

MICHAEL G OXLEY OHIO 

OAN SCHAEFER. COLORADO 

MICHAEL IILlRAKIS. FLORIOA 

B.3 . House or KepreBentattoeB 

gtotaoramitm on O-otraight and 3nt)ungationj 

of ttje 

Committee on Cnerjp anb Commerce 

elafifjinuton, B C 20515 

• ••».•* -oi.si j"c i j . L: • 

PHONE iJOll I1J-..4' 

ll-D-23 

July 17, 1987 

The Honorable James E. Burnett 

Chairman 

National Transportation Safety Board 

800 Independence Avenue, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20594 

Dear Mr. Burnett: 

Thank you for your letter of July 14, 1987 concerning the 

authorization hearing and the lap belt issue. I think we now 

understand each other and I look forward to working with you and 

the Board in furtherance of transportation safety. 

safe 

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n motor v 

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ety reser 

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of Manag 

ters. In 

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me sugges 

But EPA 

ndpoint. 

ing the 

ehicles and 

surance 

Traffic 

vations, as 

Environement and 

my judgved which 

t that more 

is not yet 

I know, as shown by your earlier correspondence, that the 

Board is-concerned about this safety issue. I request that the 

Board conduct an independent and careful examination of this 

important safety isssue and provide as promptly as possible a 

report to the Subcommittee. Please keep my Counsel, Mr. David B 

Finnegan, currently informed about the progress of these matters 

If you have questions, please contact Mr. Finnegan. If you have 

problems of cooperation with EPA, or any entity, please advise 

me. 

With best wishes 

John D. Dingell 

Chairman 

Subcommittee on 

Oversight and Investigations 
^ 3 

The Honorable James E. Burnett 

Page 2 

cc: The Honorable Thomas J. Bliley, Ranking Minority Member 

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 

The Honorable Lee M. Thomas, Administrator 

Environmental Protection Agency 

The Honorable Diane K. Steed, Administrator 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

The Honorable James C. Miller III, Director 

Office of Management and Budget 

The Honorable Charles A. Bowsher, Comptroller General 

General Accounting Office 
P.4 

JOHN 0 OINGSLL. MICHIGAN. CHAIRMAN 

'i. 

RON WYOEN. OREGON 

DENNIS B. ECKAJIT OHIO 

JIM SLATTERY KANSAS 

GERRY SIKORSKI. MINNESOTA 

RICK BOUCHER. VIRGINIA 

JIM COOPER. TENNESSEE 

THOMAS A LU(EN. OHIO 

OOUG WALGREN. PENNSYLVANIA 

NORMAN t LENT NEW YORK 

DAN COATS INDIANA 

THOMAS J BLILEY JR , VIRGINIA 

MICHAEL G OXLEY OHIO 

OAN SCHAEFER. COLORAOO 

MICHAEL SILlRAKIS. FLORIOA 

MICHAEL t. lAMfTT . J*. 

CHIEF COUNMUTTUTF DtWCTCM 

A- i-?- w 

ft.£. House of TRepresentatioeu 

^Qteommittzc on ©titrsight awl 3nt)ungations 

of ttje 

Committee on Cnergy anb Commerce 

Washington, 3B£ 20515 

RAYBI.BN -Ok-Sl OF« Ci J1.IL : ' 

PHONE 12011 JJ.J-444! 

Il-D-23 

July 17, 1987 

The Honorable James E. Burnett 

Chairman 

National Transportation Safety Board 

800 Independence Avenue, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20594 

Dear Mr. Burnett: 

Thank you for your letter of July 14, 1987 concerning the 

authorization hearing and the lap belt issue.. I think we now 

understand each other and I look forward to working with you and 

the Board in furtherance of transportation safety. 

In this regard, this Subcommittee has been examining the 

safety of plans to require onboard controls on motor vehicles and 

to reduce the Reid Vapor Pressure of gasoline. The Insurance 

Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic 

Safety Administration have both expressed safety reservations, as 

shown by the enclosed correspondence. Pending at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Office of Management and 

Budget are proposed rules regarding these matters. In my judgment, the safety issues have not been adequately resolved which 

is quite troublesome to the Subcommittee. Some suggest that more 

leadtime is the answer. I am not convinced. But EPA is not yet 

willing to address that question from any standpoint. 

I know, as shown by your earlier correspondence, that the 

Board is-concerned about this safety issue. I request that the 

Board conduct an independent and careful examination of this 

important safety isssue and provide as promptly as possible a 

report to the Subcommittee. Please keep my Counsel, Mr. David B. 

Finnegan, currently informed about the progress of these matters, 

If you have questions, please contact Mr. Finnegan. If you have 

problems of cooperation with EPA, or any entity, please advise 

me. 

With best wishe 

John D. Dingell 

Chairman 

Subcommittee on 

Oversight and Investigations 
P.5 

The Honorable James E. Burnett 

Page 2 

cc: The Honorable Thomas J. Bliley, Ranking Minority Member 

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 

The Honorable Lee M. Thomas, Administrator 

Environmental Protection Agency 

The Honorable Diane K. Steed, Administrator 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

The Honorable James C. Miller III, Director 

Office of Management and Budget 

The Honorable Charles A. Bowsher, Comptroller General 

General Accounting Office