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Morning News

Slater: 'The System Did Not Work as it Could Have'

Aired September 13, 2000 - 9:36 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Joining us now to talk more about the fallout from the Firestone tire recall is Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater. He is joining us from our Washington D.C. bureau.

Mr. Secretary, good morning. Thanks for joining us this morning.

RODNEY SLATER, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: Good morning. It's good to be with you. Thank you.

KAGAN: I know you had a chance to testified yesterday before the Senate Commerce Committee. And you are asking for some help for your agency. What kind of help would you like to get?

SLATER: Well, you are right. Yesterday we had a very good meeting before the committee, and I will tell that I really appreciate Chairman McCain and Ranking Member Hollings, as they, along with the other members of the committee, really worked with us in discussing how we move forward, how we are tough and moving forward on the investigation at hand, but also how we enhance the authority and provide additional resource for NHTSA, the National Transportation Safety Administration,which is within the department, having direct responsibility for highway safety matters. How we strengthen...

KAGAN: Because it's clear, Mr. Secretary, at least in the Firestone situation, that the system did not work?

SLATER: Well, the system did not work as it could have. Clearly, had we had the authority to require, or had manufacturers had the responsibility to submit to us information regarding recalls overseas, then we would have had additional information and could have moved forward faster.

But when we did move in May that resulted in a recall in August, and we've also come back with a consumer advisory dealing with additional tires. So we are moving forward now. But, clearly, the additional authority would have helped, had we had it earlier.

KAGAN: What about the limitations right now you have on fines?

SLATER: Well, we are actually proposed, as we had in a communication with the Congress back in Congress, to actually lift the ceiling completely on the civil penalties that can be leveled in a case like this. Also, extending the period, the time period for recalls on vehicles and tires, things of that nature. And a number of other things that are a part of that particular proposal.

KAGAN: Do you think, bottom line, that these hearings have actually been productive. It seems like there is a lot of finger- pointing and for the, you know, the Mary and Joey Smith, who just want to go ahead and get their tires changed on their Ford Explorer, it can be kind of frustrating to watch these big corporate powers and government powers just kind of duke it out. All they want to do is get their tires changed.

SLATER: Well, that is true. But I tell you that these hearings have been necessary to bring to the table the facts about, you know, the situation surrounding the recall. And we've been able to actually expedite the process of educating the public and also moving forward with the investigation, as a result of the hearings. They've been helpful.

And then, yesterday, to actually have a very productive hearing about how we move forward, how we enhance the authority and provide additional resources for a very important organization like NHTSA, that was very, very good.

Chairman McCain is talking about marking up a measure next week with the hopes of getting it passed before Congress ends its business in a few weeks. That is good, that's movement, that's the process working.

KAGAN: You heard a slight admission by the Firestone people yesterday that perhaps there was a design problem with these tires. But does it surprise you that we are this far down the line, this many deaths, this many accidents, and we still don't know exactly why these tires failed?

SLATER: Well, a lot of times, these investigations take time. Now, clearly, there were things that we could have done here, had we had information, and had we been able to move more quickly that would have at least educated the public about the challenges and the possibility for injuries resulting from a defect in the tires.

But, you know, that being the case, meaning the facts as they were, I think that we are on top of the issue now, I think that we are moving forward. Again, it's good that the parties are really required to come forward, to state their case, and to bring some public airing to the issues. That is a good process and, and from that process, we must move forward to ensure that this does not happen again. And that is what the hearing was about yesterday as well.

KAGAN: And just real quickly, as we wrap, your best advice to folks who still have these tires on their cars?

SLATER: Well, continue to monitor the tires, but also go to the Ford and Firestone dealerships and seek to get the tires replaced. That is, now, possible because of the recall, because of the investigation, and because of the responsibility that we all share in ensuring that the products that people use, they should be able to rely on those products performing as they should. So, go to the dealerships, go to the various manufacturing locations, have the tires changed. And if they aren't available, you know, check other locations and make sure that you get information about the time period, when the tires will be available for replacement.

KAGAN: Rodney Slater, transportation secretary, thank you for your time, sir.

SLATER: Thank you.

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