General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra is expected to tell Congress on Wednesday that the company plans to continue overhauling its operations to make sure a situation like the delayed ignition switch recall doesn't happen again.
DETROIT, MI- General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra is expected to tell Congress on Wednesday that the company plans to continue overhauling its operations to make sure a situation like the delayed ignition switch recall never happens again.
Barra, according to written testimony released today, will address steps the Detroit-based automaker has already taken and discuss her own reaction to the crisis during a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation hearing on Wednesday.
"This isn't just another business challenge," reads Barra's prepared remarks. "This is a tragic problem that never should have happened. And it must never happen again."
Barra, who became CEO Jan. 15, is scheduled to appear before the committee at 10 a.m. Wednesday to discuss the company's exhaustive internal investigation into the delayed ignition switch recall with former U.S. attorney Anton Valukas, who spearheaded the report.
According to Valukas' written testimony, also released today, the Jenner & Block LLP attorney will discuss steps he and his team took to writing the 315-page report and highlight its findings.
General Motors CEO Mary Barra takes her seat on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 1, 2014, prior to testifying before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) "The story of the Cobalt is one of a series of individual- and organizational failures that led to devastating consequences," reads the written testimony. "Throughout the decade that it took GM to recall the Cobalt, there was a lack of accountability, a lack of urgency, and a failure of company personnel charged with ensuring the safety of the company's vehicles to understand how GM's own cars were designed."
Valukas' remarks echo those from the report, which was a product of more than 350 interviews with more than 230 people and analysis of more than 41 million documents.
In March, the committee opened an investigation into GM and NHTSA's response to consumer complaints related to stalling, airbag non-deployment, and ignition switch problems.
On April 1, Barra appeared before the committee to discuss the delayed recall of 2.6 million vehicles due to faulty ignition switches that have now been linked to at least 13 deaths and more than 50 accidents.
During her first trip to Capitol Hill, Barra was questioned by more than 20 members of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation for over 2 1/2 hours regarding the delayed recall.
Barra answered many of the questions from panel members by referring to the internal report, which was released on June 5.
In conclusion, Valukas' 315-page report found evidence of "a pattern of management deficiencies and misjudgments," but no cover up by the corporation.
However, members of the committee are likely to have more questions for Barra and Valukas into the ignition switch recall and the steps that the company expects to take to make sure a situation like the ignition switch recall doesn't happen again.
According to a memo released Monday by the committee regarding the new hearing – entitled "The GM Ignition Switch Recall: Investigation Update" – members still have questions – from how the culture and systemic problems that are identified in the Valukas report develop at GM to if the company's failures affected other investigations and recalls.
Click here for the full written remarks.
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Michael Wayland covers the automotive industry for MLive. Email him at MWayland@mlive.com & follow him on Twitter @MikeWayland or Google+.