House Republicans Question Safety of Chevy Volt Batteries

House Republicans railed against the Obama Administration Wednesday during an investigative hearing on General Motors' Chevy Volt, after a probe conducted by the federal auto safety agency ruled that the electric cars' batteries are not prone to causing fires. "The Chevrolet Volt is safe to drive and it has been safe to drive the whole time," asserted David Strickland, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "Not only would I drive it, I would [take] my wife, my mother and my baby sister along for the ride."

The contention ignited after a government investigation was administered that resulted in three fires breaking out after a series of side-impact crash tests were conducted. General Motors, the NHTSA, and Democratic lawmakers all contended that leaking battery coolant may have prompted a delayed ignition (the fires did not occur until days later), and that there is no conclusive evidence that the batteries pose any danger.

However, the final verdict did not satisfy Republicans, largely due to President Barack Obama's relentless push for environmentally-friendly policies. The electric car market, where the Chevy Volt currently holds the spotlight, is one of the President's most touted "green" accomplishments (not to mention, the federal government still lays claim to 26.5 percent of GM's shares). "Whose best interest were you acting in?" Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) charged. "It certainly wasn't the American public."

The White House's "green" agenda creates a conflict of interest, the GOP lawmakers argued, particularly as the President works to usher in new mileage requirements that were negotiated last year. Moreover, the administration doled out hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded subsidies to help foster the Volt's development, including $151.4 million in stimulus funds for a Michigan-based company that produces lithium-ion batteries.

In a preliminary report, Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee expounded on how in 2008, the domestic automobile industry endured a perilous spike in labor costs, as expensive union contracts threatened the viability of Ford, GM, and Chrysler.

The federal government, in its meddlesome fashion, intervened and attempted to prop up the companies to divert the possibility of bankruptcy. This "too big to fail" mentality is what paved the way for the auto bailouts, where the federal government captured a large stake in GM and Chrysler. This, the lawmakers allege, is the "conflict of interest" they are alluding to.