In response to the record amount of recalls issued in 2014, U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, J. Rockefeller, is introducing a bill (S. 2559) that will give the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) more funding and increased authority when it comes to recalling unsafe vehicles.

• The bill would require the NHTSA to be more transparent with customer satisfaction campaigns, customer advisories, recalls, consumer complaints, warranty claims, field reports, technical service bulletins (TSBs), and anything involving the repair or replacement of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment.
• The NHTSA would be required to regularly report to Congress with information on early warning data studies, the number of safety investigations opened by NHTSA, the duration of each investigation, and the percentage that results in a safety defect or recall.
• The bill would also require the secretary of transportation to prepare a report about the operations of the Council for Vehicle Electronics, Vehicle Software. and Emerging Technologies.
• Finally, the NHTSA would receive increased funding for vehicle safety programs through a manufacturer fee.

The bill is currently before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for further consideration.