II 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2028

To improve tire safety and labeling, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 26, 2004

Mr. DEWINE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL

To improve tire safety and labeling, 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,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Tire Safety Awareness 

5 Act of 2004’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DATE OF MANUFACTURE INFORMATION. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

8 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans9 portation shall, in consultation with the Administrator of 

10 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, un11 dertake to modify the regulations relating to tire safety 

12 that are administered by the Administration through the 
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1 promulgation of regulations that require that such date 

2 of manufacture information is disclosed clearly and under3 standably, in writing, to consumers at the point of sale 

4 on an invoice, sales receipt, or equivalent record. 

5 (b) EXCEPTION.—The date of manufacture informa6 tion required to be disclosed pursuant to the regulations 

7 promulgated under subsection (a) shall not apply to tires 

8 that are— 

9 (1) sold with new motor vehicles; 

10 (2) exempt from testing under Federal Motor 

11 Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 139; or 

12 (3) sold for use on vehicles with a gross vehicle 

13 weight of 10,001 pounds or more. 

14 SEC. 3. REPORT ON TIRE SAFETY. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 

16 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans17 portation shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the 

18 National Academy of Sciences to commission a report to 

19 Congress on the effects of age on light vehicle tires (within 

20 the meaning of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 

21 (FMVSS) 139), including— 

22 (1) a study of the effect on tire safety resulting 

23 from tire aging characteristics, including but not 

24 limited to the chemical breakdown and oxidation 
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1 that occur over time with respect to tires, irrespec2 tive of use; 

3 (2) recommendations on how to best commu4 nicate information, including tire aging characteris5 tics, to consumers, and an assessment of the utility 

6 and benefits of this information with respect to 

7 motor vehicle safety; 

8 (3) an examination of whether the imposition of 

9 limits on the age of tires available for sale in inter10 state commerce would enhance motor vehicle safety; 

11 (4) an examination of— 

12 (A) currently available, scientifically prov13 en technologies that may assist consumers in 

14 assessing tire age; and 

15 (B) the feasibility of developing tech16 nologies in the future that may assist con17 sumers in assessing tire age; and 

18 (5) any other information the Secretary deter19 mines appropriate. 

20 (b) CONSIDERATION OF EXISTING RESOURCES.—

21 The report shall take into consideration relevant scientific 

22 studies performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety 

23 Administration and the American Society for Testing and 

24 Materials Committee F09 on Tires. 
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1 (c) REPORT REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall submit 

2 the report to Congress not later than 3 years after the 

3 date of the enactment of this Act.

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