Silver State Times

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) led ten House colleagues in a letter to President Biden, urging him to swiftly nominate and work to confirm a permanent Administrator to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA is the central federal body responsible for reducing deaths, injuries, and economic losses due to motor vehicle crashes. The agency has not had a Senate-confirmed leader for longer than three months since 2017. 

In recent years, there has been a startling spike in traffic injuries and deaths, with 42,939 fatalities in 2021 alone – a 10% increase over the previous year and the highest number of deaths in 16 years. In Nevada, 2021 and 2022 rank among the five deadliest years for roadway fatalities over the past three decades. 

“We have heard the message loud and clear from our districts and from constituents of all political leanings: it is past time for our federal government to put politics aside and to confirm a leader for this critical agency,” the members wrote. “We owe it to every American to install steady leadership at NHTSA to ensure our roads are safe, to deliver on the full promise of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and to stem the tide of lives lost on our roads nationwide.” 

In addition to Congresswoman Lee, the letter was signed by Congresswoman Eleanor Norton (DC), Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06), Congressman Henry Johnson (GA-04), Congresswoman Ann Kuster (NH-02), Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Congresswoman Bonnie Coleman Watson (NJ-12), Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Congressman Donald Payne Jr., Congressman Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), and Congressman Josh Harder (CA-09). 

Full text of the letter can be found here and below: 

Dear President Biden, 

We write to express our deep concerns about the state of road safety nationally and our focus on seeing a candidate swiftly nominated and confirmed to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The American people need and deserve a permanent, Senate-confirmed NHTSA Administrator as soon as possible to see through the mission of keeping people safe on America’s roadways. 

Given the most recent NHTSA Administrator nominee’s decision to withdraw their nomination due to Republican opposition, it is critical that the White House act quickly to nominate another qualified individual to lead the agency. During a time of record-breaking traffic deaths that are devastating communities nationwide, we urge you to do everything in your power to advance an NHTSA Administrator nominee through the Senate with no further delay. 

Families across our districts are currently suffering amid a startling spike in car crashes, injuries, and deaths. According to NHTSA, 42,939 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021—a 10- percent increase over the previous year, marking the most deadly year on the roads in over a decade. NHTSA’s current estimates show that 42,795 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2022. In light of these numbers, there can be no doubt that we need steady leadership at NHTSA to immediately address the unacceptable toll car crashes are taking on our communities. 

NHTSA is the central federal body responsible for reducing deaths, injuries, and economic losses due to motor vehicle crashes. At the agency’s helm, the NHTSA Administrator has the critical job of facilitating efforts to improve vehicle safety, helping states improve the safety of their roadways, and advancing innovative new technologies with the potential to make vehicles safer. Yet none of these goals can be effectively executed without a permanent NHSTA Administrator in place, and for far too long, NHTSA has been led by a non-Senate confirmed leader. 

We have heard the message loud and clear from our districts and from constituents of all political leanings: it is past time for our federal government to put politics aside and to confirm a leader for this critical agency. We owe it to every American to install steady leadership at NHTSA to ensure our roads are safe, to deliver on the full promise of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and to stem the tide of lives lost on our roads nationwide.  

Thank you for your attention to the pressing matter of improving road safety and protecting those traveling by car across our country. We appreciate your commitment to swiftly naming a new nominee, urging the Senate to confirm the nomination without further delay, and supporting the new NHTSA Administrator in taking immediate steps to make our roads safer and save lives.  

Original source can be found here.