I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5312 
To amend chapter 1 of title 9 of the United States Code with respect 
to arbitration of certain controversies. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 7, 2008 
Ms. LINDA T. SA´NCHEZ of California (for herself, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. COHEN, 
Mr. WATT, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, 
Mr. KUCINICH, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. WEXLER, and Mr. 
DELAHUNT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend chapter 1 of title 9 of the United States Code 
with respect to arbitration of certain controversies. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Automobile Arbitration 
Fairness Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS FOR ARBITRATION OF CERTAIN 
CONTROVERSIES.—Chapter 1 of title 9, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘§ 17. Requirements applicable to certain controver-
sies 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘motor vehicle’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 30102 of title 49; and 
‘‘(2) the term ‘motor vehicle consumer sales or 
lease contract’ means a contract under which a per-
son regularly engaged in the business of selling 
motor vehicles sells or leases a motor vehicle to an 
individual. 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIRED
CONSENT.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of this chapter or of any other 
law (excluding chapters 2 and 3 of this title), a con-
troversy described in subsection (c) may not be set-
tled by arbitration unless, after such controversy 
arises, all the parties to such controversy agree in 
writing to settle such controversy by arbitration. 
‘‘(2) REQUIRED EXPLANATION OF ARBITRATION 
AWARD.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this chapter or of any other law (excluding chapters 
2 and 3 of this title), at the request of any of such 
parties made after such controversy arises and be-
fore an award is made in an arbitration agreed to 
in accordance with paragraph (1), such award shall 
include a brief, informal discussion of the factual 
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and legal basis for the award, but formal findings of 
fact or conclusions of law shall not be required. 
‘‘(c) CONTROVERSY
DESCRIBED.—Subsection (b) 
shall apply with respect to a controversy arising out of 
a motor vehicle consumer sales or lease contract as en-
tered into, amended, altered, modified, renewed, or ex-
tended on or after the date of the enactment of the Auto-
mobile Arbitration Fairness Act of 2008, or out of a re-
fusal to perform the whole or any part of such contract.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions in chapter 1 of title 9, United States Code, is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘17. Requirements applicable to certain controversies.’’. 
Æ 
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