Shielding All Federal Employees and Consumers from Actionable Recall Situations Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.2231 | Sponsor: Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja (D-IL)
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
Shielding All Federal Employees and Consumers from Actionable Recall Situations Act of 2021 or the SAFE CARS Act
This bill restricts the sale, lease, or use of recalled motor vehicles by federal agencies.
Specifically, if an agency has received notification that a motor vehicle or related equipment owned by the agency contains a defect related to motor vehicle safety or does not comply with an applicable motor vehicle safety standard, the agency may not sell or lease the vehicle unless specified steps are taken to remedy the defect or noncompliance or must notify the purchaser or individual leasing the vehicle.
The agency must make all reasonable efforts to prevent the use of such vehicle, subject to certain exceptions, until the defect or noncompliance has been remedied.

To prohibit the sale, lease, or use of recalled motor vehicles by 
               Federal agencies, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Shielding All Federal Employees and 
Consumers from Actionable Recall Situations Act of 2021'' or the ``SAFE 
CARS Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON SALE, LEASE, OR USE OF RECALLED MOTOR VEHICLES 
              BY FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) Motor Vehicles Owned by Federal Agencies.--If the head of an 
agency of the Federal Government has received notification under 
section 30119 of title 49, United States Code, that a motor vehicle 
owned by the agency, or an item of replacement equipment used in or on 
the vehicle, contains a defect related to motor vehicle safety or does 
not comply with an applicable motor vehicle safety standard prescribed 
under chapter 301 of such title--
            (1) the head of the agency may not--
                    (A) sell the vehicle unless--
                            (i) if a remedy for the defect or 
                        noncompliance has been made available by the 
                        manufacturer at the time of sale, the defect or 
                        noncompliance has been remedied as required 
                        under section 30120 of such title; or
                            (ii) if a remedy for the defect or 
                        noncompliance has not been made available by 
                        the manufacturer at the time of sale, the head 
                        of the agency notifies the purchaser of the 
                        vehicle of the defect or noncompliance before 
                        the time of sale; or
                    (B) enter into an agreement to lease the vehicle to 
                an individual or entity unless--
                            (i) if a remedy for the defect or 
                        noncompliance has been made available by the 
                        manufacturer at the time when the agreement is 
                        entered into, the defect or noncompliance has 
                        been remedied as required under section 30120 
                        of such title; or
                            (ii) if a remedy for the defect or 
                        noncompliance has not been made available by 
                        the manufacturer at the time when the agreement 
                        is entered into, the head of the agency 
                        notifies the individual or entity of the defect 
                        or noncompliance before such time;
            (2) in the case in which the head of the agency has entered 
        into an agreement to lease the vehicle to an individual or 
        entity, and such agreement has not expired at the time of the 
        notification, the head of the agency shall--
                    (A) notify such individual or entity that the 
                agency has received such notification; and
                    (B) in the case in which such individual or entity 
                is not the head of an agency of the Federal Government, 
                encourage such individual or entity to make all 
                reasonable efforts to--
                            (i) have the defect or noncompliance 
                        remedied as required under section 30120 of 
                        such title; and
                            (ii) prevent the use of such vehicle until 
                        the defect or noncompliance has been remedied 
                        as required under section 30120 of such title; 
                        and
            (3) the head of the agency shall make all reasonable 
        efforts to prevent the use of such vehicle by individuals of 
        the agency until the defect or noncompliance has been remedied 
        as required under section 30120 of such title, unless the head 
        of the agency makes a written determination that use of the 
        vehicle by individuals of the agency is necessary for a 
        critical mission purpose and that such purpose outweighs any 
        risks to health and safety caused by using the vehicle before 
        the defect or noncompliance is remedied as required under 
        section 30120 of such title.
    (b) Motor Vehicles Leased by Federal Agencies.--If an entity 
notifies the head of an agency of the Federal Government that such 
entity has received a notification under section 30119 of title 49, 
United States Code, that a vehicle leased by the entity to the head of 
the agency, or an item of replacement equipment used in or on the 
vehicle, contains a defect related to motor vehicle safety or does not 
comply with an applicable motor vehicle safety standard prescribed 
under chapter 301 of such title, the head of the agency shall make all 
reasonable efforts to prevent the use of such vehicle by individuals of 
the agency until the defect or noncompliance has been remedied as 
required under section 30120 of such title, unless the head of the 
agency makes a written determination that use of the vehicle by 
individuals of the agency is necessary for a critical mission purpose 
and that such purpose outweighs any risks to health and safety caused 
by using the vehicle before the defect or noncompliance is remedied as 
required under section 30120 of such title.
                                 <all>