After Efforts from Markey, Klobuchar and Blumenthal, Department of Justice Sues Volkswagen for Emissions Violations

Press Release

After efforts from U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Edward Markey (D-MA), the Department of Justice (DOJ) today announced a civil suit against Volkswagen over the company's use of emissions-cheating software to skirt federal emissions tests. Klobuchar and Blumenthal sent a letter to the DOJ in September urging the agency to take strong civil and criminal actions against Volkswagen for any violations following the German carmaker's actions that misled hundreds of thousands of American consumers and resulted in tens of thousands of tons of additional pollution emissions.

"With every rigged emissions test, Volkswagen harmed public health, polluted our air, and deceived American consumers," Klobuchar said. "We cannot let this stand. That is why Senator Blumenthal and I called on the Department of Justice to take strong actions against Volkswagen, and today's civil action makes clear that this kind of deliberate deception will not be tolerated by the American public."
"A civil complaint is a positive step, but the Department of Justice also must vigorously pursue criminal charges against Volkswagen executives who knowingly ignored federal emissions standards, deceived regulators and poured untold amounts of toxins into the air we breathe," Blumenthal said."I call on the Justice Department to make sure Volkswagen executives are held accountable for their complicity in this purposeful deception."

"Volkswagen should be held accountable to the fullest extent possible for illegally using defeat devices to mislead consumers and cheat emissions controls,"Markey said. "I am pleased that the Department of Justice continues to pursue civil charges against the company, and I believe criminal charges should also be brought in light of Volkswagen's deception. The administration also should reverse any fuel economy or other benefits Volkswagen might have enjoyed as a result of its illegal behavior."

Klobuchar has been a leader in the U.S. Senate in protecting consumers and holding those responsible for wrongdoing accountable. Following these revelations, Klobuchar called on Volkswagen to take immediate action to address issues caused by its deceptive diesel emissions testing process. She urged the company to issue a recall that was comprehensive and covered all affected models and years, execute a robust public awareness campaign, and develop a process through which customers can be compensated for the costs of reduced fuel economy and lower resale values. After a call to action from Klobuchar, the EPA announced changes to its diesel emissions testing process. In addition, Klobuchar took to the Senate floor to urge the EPA to explain why its emission standards approval process did not detect this deceptive software and call on the agency to establish robust safeguards to prevent automakers from gaming the system again.