Auto Safety Group To Recognize Key Legislators for Improvements in Highway Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. - After concluding a nearly three-year effort to pass a multi-year, multi-billion dollar surface transportation bill, key members of Congress are being recognized on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 for their leadership in promoting enactment of highway, auto, and truck safety provisions in H.R.3, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates), a coalition of consumer, health, safety, and insurance groups, will be hosting an awards breakfast to honor the members of Congress. The breakfast will be held on Capitol Hill and will be attended by other safety, consumer and medical groups who participated in the advocacy efforts.

"As a result of passage of H.R.3, American families can look forward to buying safer vehicles and traveling on safer highways," said Advocates' President Judith Stone. "The legislation will direct government action on long overdue vehicle safety standards, improve truck safety, and encourage state enactment of stronger seat belt, drunk driving, and child restraint laws." In 2004, 42,636 people died on America's roads, and nearly 3 million more were injured, at a cost of more than $230 billion.

The list of award recipients include:

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX)
Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO)
Rep. Mary Bono (R-CA)
Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH)
Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI)
Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI)
Senator James M. Jeffords (I-VT)
Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)
Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA)
Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-MN)
Rep. Charles "Chip" Pickering (R-MS)
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV)
Senator John D. Rockefeller (D-WV)
Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL)
Rep. Robert R. Simmons (R-CT)
Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME)
Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL)
Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY)
Senator John W. Warner (R-VA)

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Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is a coalition of consumer, health, safety and insurance companies working together to advance highway and auto safety.