agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

G.M. Chief to Appear Before House Panel Once Again

June 12, 2014
3 min to read


The chief executive of General Motors and the former prosecutor hired by the company to investigate why it failed to recognize a fatal defect in Chevrolet Cobalts and other small cars will testify before a House subcommittee next Wednesday, reported The New York Times.


The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on oversight and investigations will call Mary T. Barra, the chief executive, and Anton R. Valukas, the former United States attorney whose report on June 5 was a scathing critique of management culture. The company dismissed 15 employees, including at last three senior corporate lawyers, and disciplined five in the wake of the report.

Ad Loading...


In April, Ms. Barra endured withering criticism from lawmakers when she testified before the same House panel, as well as a Senate subcommittee the following day. She deferred questions at least 54 times, saying she could not talk freely until the internal investigation was complete.


“Next week, we will have the chance to get those answers and compare the company’s findings with our own,” said Representative Fred Upton, a Michigan Republican and the chairman of the full committee, in a statement with Representative Tim Murphy, a Pennsylvania Republican who is chairman of the subcommittee.


The committee staff is poring over hundreds of thousands of pages of documents.


“Mr. Valukas’s exhaustive report revealed disturbing truths about G.M.’s systemic and cultural failures that allowed this problem to go undiagnosed for over a decade,” the two Republicans said, “but many questions remain unanswered about the recalls and resulting changes within the company.”


Representative Diana DeGette of Colorado, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, will ask about how G.M. is approaching the problem of its poor internal communications, with one group of engineers not knowing what another is doing, a problem Ms. Barra referred to as “silos.”

Ad Loading...


Ms. DeGette will also ask about compensation for crash victims, her staff said. But G.M. has delegated that issue to another outside expert, Kenneth Feinberg, a lawyer who specializes in allocating payments to victims in disasters. Mr. Feinberg has not yet given his recommendations on whom G.M. should pay, and how much, for the Cobalt crashes. His recommendations are expected this month.


Another question likely to surface is who was fired or disciplined, and who was not.


The Senate panel also plans a follow-up hearing, but not until summer.


In a statement, G.M. said Ms. Barra was looking forward to talking with lawmakers.


“Ms. Barra wants to return to Congress and update the House Energy and Commerce Committee members on the actions G.M. is taking in response to the ignition switch recall,” the company said in a statement. “As outlined by Ms. Barra last week, these efforts include fixing the failures identified in the Valukas report, building a culture centered on safety, quality and excellence, and doing what’s right for victims and their families.”

More Industry

Blue and white RV parked on beach facing the ocean.
Industryby Lauren LawrenceSeptember 3, 2026

RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint

Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.

Read More →
Photo of two men and one woman on a discussion panel
Industryby Hannah MitchellSeptember 1, 2026

Agent Acumen

An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.

Read More →
Gloved hand holding two wrenches next to “Turn Overdue into Opportunity” Graphic
Industryby Lauren LawrenceAugust 27, 2026

Missed Maintenance Creates Opportunity

As families get back on the road and into daily school routines, service drives have an opportunity to capture customers who are behind on recommended vehicle maintenance.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Mitsubishi shadow line-up
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 25, 2026

Mitsubishi Unveils U.S. Plan

The automaker announced a strategy that includes an expanded lineup and dealership presence, along with more ‘rugged’ and electric models.

Read More →
Photo of a laptop, cellphone and eyeglasses on a desk next to an office window
IndustryAugust 24, 2026

Selling to Grow

The question of whether you should sell your agency and if so, when, is up to you. But it’s a question worth asking to ensure you keep the business on the right path for yourself, employees and clients.

Read More →
Mechanic holding a vehicle diagnostic device while standing above an open car hood
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 24, 2026

Recalled Vehicles Hit 5-Year High

Though the number of events has fallen so far this year, impacted units are up significantly. Meanwhile, regulators consider consumer notification changes.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
outside of car dealership with cars parked in front
Industryby Lauren LawrenceAugust 20, 2026

Auto Group Acquires Top-Performing Rooftop

Car Pros sold its Kia Huntington Beach location to Sutherlin Automotive Group, marking the buyer’s third location in Southern California.

Read More →
Cars from the rear on a Shanghai freeway
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 19, 2026

China as Pacesetter

Automotive leaders huddled on where North America stands in the global picture and how it can strengthen its position against the Asian juggernaut’s surging industry.

Read More →
Orange BMW car on empty road.
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 14, 2026

BMW Concept Car Makes Fuel to Burn

The prototype developed in concert with a South Carolina university engineering team generates more solar energy than it uses in a typical daily commute.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Six men standing for photo outside of car dealership
Industryby Lauren LawrenceAugust 13, 2026

South Carolina Auto Group Downsizes

Florida-based group Holler-Classic has acquired four rooftops, its first in South Carolina, from Dick Smith Automotive Group.

Read More →
Ad Loading...