Senate Commerce Committee presses transportation nominees on safety, enforcement and vehicle technology

Senate Commerce Committee members questioned three presidential nominees at a nomination hearing focused on highway, vehicle and pipeline safety, pressing them on declines in enforcement activity, pipeline and cybersecurity risks, freight fraud and how the agencies should approach autonomous vehicles and other safety rules.

The hearing considered President Trump's nominees for administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Derek Barrs; administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Mr. Morrison; and administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Paul Roberti. Committee members including Chairman Cruz and Ranking Member Cantwell asked the nominees about enforcement declines, technology rulemaking and the agencies' readiness to address safety risks.

Why it matters: The three agencies oversee safety for goods movement, passenger vehicles and pipelines that carry hazardous materials. Senators cited statistics and recent incidents they said show enforcement activity and rulemaking have slowed, and they pressed nominees to commit to restoring robust inspections, cyber coordination and timely rulemaking to protect public safety and supply chains.

Committee members opened with performance concerns at each agency. A senator said FMCSA had “closed 78 percent fewer cases this year, compared to last year,” and that PHMSA has opened ‘‘the fewest pipeline enforcement cases during the first 6 months of this administration than any other administration over the past 2 decades.” Senators also cited press reports that NHTSA has opened “25% fewer investigations into vehicle safety this year.” Those figures were raised as the committee pressed nominees on their plans to strengthen inspection, enforcement and recall activity if confirmed.

Nominee commitments and testimony Derek Barrs, introduced as the president's nominee for FMCSA administrator and described in testimony as having a long career in law enforcement and commercial-vehicle safety, said “Safety is paramount.” He told senators he is committed to addressing concerns about drivers and carrier fraud and said he would work with states and law enforcement to strengthen inspections and remove unsafe drivers from the road. Barrs also said he would work with senators on legislation aimed at identifying and stopping freight and carrier fraud and on updates to FMCSA's registration and identity-verification processes.

Mr. Morrison, the nominee for NHTSA administrator, outlined agency priorities including countermeasures to driver behavioral risks, vehicle affordability, and preparing a regulatory framework for emerging technologies such as automated vehicles. In his opening remarks he said, “I believe that the motor vehicle has been instrumental to the success of the American public over the last century,” and described a three-part focus on behavioral countermeasures, vehicle affordability and safety innovation. Morrison told senators he supports using guidance and, when ready, regulation for automated-vehicle safety.

Paul Roberti, nominated for PHMSA administrator, described his background in state regulation and consulting and said he would prioritize a ‘‘transparent and effective approach’’ to inspections and enforcement if confirmed. Roberti told the committee he would work with federal partners on cybersecurity and pipeline control-room resilience and pledged to make enforcement programs a focus: “An effective inspection and enforcement program within an agency, a safety agency like PHMSA, goes to the heart of PHMSA's mission,” he said.

Key topical exchanges - Pipeline enforcement and cybersecurity: Senators repeatedly returned to PHMSA enforcement and recent derailments and spills. Roberti acknowledged pipeline safety gaps and cited past interagency work with the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Energy. He said information sharing and coordination with FBI, DOE, DHS and others must be constant.

- Vehicle safety, recalls and investigations: Senators asked Morrison why NHTSA investigations and mandated rulemakings have lagged. Morrison said the agency must balance safety, cost and consumer acceptance, and that it should use guidance and performance-based standards while preparing to regulate when the technology is sufficiently mature.

- Autonomous vehicles and federal leadership: Multiple senators urged federal leadership to avoid regulatory fragmentation and to preserve U.S. competitiveness in automated-vehicle development. Morrison said the agency should use convening authority, guidance and, eventually, regulation, and he committed to meeting with stakeholders and technical experts.

- Freight fraud, carrier verification and truck parking: Senators pressed Barrs on rising freight fraud and suggested FMCSA's registration updates and identity-verification steps should be accelerated. Barrs said he would work with senators on legislation and with enforcement partners. Senators from Western states raised truck-parking shortages and asked Barrs to pursue funding and engineering solutions.

- Safety technologies and rulemaking deadlines: Senators cited overdue rulemakings and statutory deadlines for NHTSA and PHMSA. Morrison and Roberti each committed to prioritizing staffing and to filling gaps the committee identified; Morrison said he would review staffing and commit to ensuring the agency has the personnel to carry out rulemakings.

Quotes from the hearing - Derek Barrs (President's nominee for FMCSA administrator): “Safety is paramount.” - Mr. Morrison (President's nominee for NHTSA administrator): “I believe that the motor vehicle has been instrumental to the success of the American public over the last century.” - Paul Roberti (President's nominee for PHMSA administrator): “An effective inspection and enforcement program within an agency, a safety agency like PHMSA, goes to the heart of PHMSA's mission.”

Other issues raised Senators also pressed nominees on catalytic-converter theft, side underride guards for trucks, the She Drives Act proposal on female crash-test dummies, impaired-driving technologies (including the HALT Act and pending rulemakings), and the effect of regulatory costs on vehicle affordability. Committee members asked nominees to return with additional information and to respond to written questions by committee deadlines.

What’s next Senators were given until the close of business on Friday, July 18, to submit questions for the record; nominees have until the close of business on Monday, July 21, to respond, according to the committee's closing remarks. The hearing concluded with the committee adjourned and a record established for follow-up written questions and committee oversight.

Ending note Nominees pledged cooperation with the committee and said they would work to address the enforcement, staffing and technology issues raised if confirmed. The hearing focused less on any single legislative decision than on agency direction, staffing and priorities for inspections, enforcement and rulemaking across FMCSA, NHTSA and PHMSA.