WASHINGTON. D.C. – Ahead of a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform scheduled for this Wednesday entitled, “Toyota Gas Pedals – Is the Public at Risk?” the Committee’s Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-CA), said today that he plans on requesting that the panel’s Chairman Edolphus Towns (D-NY) include former transportation officials who served in the Bush Administration to be a part of the hearing or for the Chairman to schedule a subsequent hearing for the following week that includes them.

“While we are only in the early stages of our Committee's investigation, it is very clear that there are significant questions surrounding the actions of transportation officials and regulators who served during previous Administrations and whether their response to concerns raised by consumers about deficiencies in Toyota vehicles was adequate,” Issa said.  “The only way we can ensure that government and industry are responding appropriately and effectively to consumer concerns, is to diligently assess how they have acted in the past.  The American people have a right to know if any other factors beyond public safety were taken into consideration for the decisions of Toyota and government regulators to intervene or dismiss consumer concerns"

Issa plans to send a letter to Chairman Towns on Monday morning formally requesting the inclusion of former Bush Administration officials including Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, NHSTA Administrators Nicole Nason and David Kelly.

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