OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

SAFELY ENSURING LIVES FUTURE DEPLOYMENT AND RESEARCH IN VEHICLE EVOLUTION ACT

Floor Speech

Date: Sept. 6, 2017
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Transportation

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the SELF DRIVE Act. With this legislation, we have the opportunity to unlock autonomous vehicle innovation and help improve the quality of life for millions.

Today, so many of our neighbors, friends, and family face mobility challenges. Many seniors and people with disabilities are not able to use a car to do errands, go to doctor appointments, and visit loved ones. For millions of people who travel our roads, this technology has the potential to prevent accidents and save lives. That is why we must act to put policies in place that allow Avs to be tested and deployed, with an emphasis on consumer protections.

In my home district of Sacramento and across California, we recognize the promise of AV technology and are developing a pathway for its safe testing and deployment. Sacramento's ATOS lab aims to foster a public- private consortium of government agencies and AV companies by leveraging Sacramento's 5G network, an ideal location. The legislation we are considering today allows California to continue to lead, while protecting roadway safety.

With the SELF DRIVE Act, we are preserving the important AV deployment work happening at the State level and also creating the foundation for a strong Federal framework to build on our progress and protect drivers and pedestrians.

I am also pleased that this bill contains language on legislation I introduced, the MORE Act, which ensures technology companies, auto manufacturers, and new market entrants are on a level playing field for testing Avs.
Just as the development of the personal computer has revolutionized our daily lives, so, too, will the employment of autonomous vehicle technology.

This legislation, which passed the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously, puts us on a path towards innovation that, up until recently, seemed unimaginable. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle as we work together to move this legislation forward.

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