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Rep. Darrell Issa, (R-Calif.), on investigating the safety risks of the Chevy Volt and what the Administration knew about the car’s risk of fire.
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I leading that investigation it's of the -- fires and what the White House knew and when it -- it with me now house oversight committee chairman paralyze us.
Congressmen what response if any have you gotten from the administration.
On on this -- Request.
Wheel -- -- the administration seems to be wanting to make this go away but fortunately General Motors CEO has agreed to testify on the 25.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Jim Jordan and and people on our staff.
And and we think it's the right thing they've got skin in the game they've made a big mistake it's clear.
That there was politics involved in if the administration wants to sort of move away from -- okay.
But for General Motors.
As something that they were coerced into doing it was made into a flagship and now fed -- firing failure.
We think it's a good hearing it's a good chance to ought to talk about when General Motors will be independent.
To do -- in General Motors best interest.
You know today Ford is making it very clear that they're not owned by the government and as a result they're charting a course to their own prosperity.
We need every auto company to have that freedom.
And you don't earlier deal when people were talking about -- -- these other points.
I might remind people that when this administration came to office he spent a lot of time talking about people who didn't have skin in the game.
Who were bargaining in and and doing credit default default swaps and so on -- -- no greater group that.
Gambles with somebody else's money with throughout their own skin in the game -- people in an administration handing out failures favors to political.
Friends or people there ideologically aligned -- So I guess the gist of this hearing of the decides what people know when they -- to get to some of the problems with -- vehicles with a battery would.
Under certain conditions just -- I know you're trying to -- -- -- that but about an a number of other safety.
Is -- you think was swept under the rug do you have proof of that I mean a lot of other cars enthusiasts and there are many they'd be -- me.
Every time we profile -- vehicles they say -- -- much ado about nothing what it would use what have you uncovered.
Well what -- If we have all the facts we put out a report.
If we're still looking for facts we asked people -- come before the committee either in front of the camera or behind closed doors for depositions.
And we get the facts right now we have some of the facts and it doesn't look good but our committee has an obligation to make sure we get -- fully -- guess.
It doesn't look good -- congress and by that and I've heard from others and maybe you just can't confirm this one way or the other because it's been zooming is that that.
Almost from the get -- Government authorities knew and and -- GM itself acknowledged that there were these battery issues that it was on reliable and you couldn't get the same readings out of them.
Either in the cold -- when -- affected mileage and wore out very quickly.
Or under duress to distance when hit when it could potentially ignite I don't know it's a lot of that was kept from not only those who would ultimately by the car.
But but from those who were endorsing the -- the taxpayer money to support that technology.
We believe that's true we want to hear -- directly from.
General Motors CEO we also want to make sure we get the documents we requested.
And of course we want to work with the transportation.
Secretary and his people.
To make sure we get it right he's been a straight shooter for this administration.
We want to make sure we get that cooperation.
Let's remember here is one of the big points this may have been a bridge too far too quick for General Motors -- company.
Who unlike Toyota and others have not spent years successfully innovating using lithium ion batteries.
And that may be the biggest point is if you push -- company to make a show car.
You push him from Washington you're almost inviting these problems and then if in fact you ignore the problems you invite fires in disasters so.
I think that's a lot of what we're gonna find we want to make sure we get it right and most importantly we want to see all these auto companies.
Work on safety first.
Under democratic majority we made sure that we held up to the CEO accountable to get it right Toyota student.
Jumped up to the plate made big changes and we want the same thing from General Motors congressman watch closely to see you again thank you very much thank you know.
