A January 14 congressional hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, featuring chief executive officers (CEOs) of the nation’s largest automakers, was abruptly postponed, with no new date announced.
The upcoming Detroit Auto Show was cited as a contributing factor, though reports also suggest concerns about an imbalance in the seniority of witnesses. The CEOs of Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis had been confirmed to testify, along with Tesla’s Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, a designation some invited witnesses reportedly viewed as not equivalent in corporate executive stature.
The highly anticipated hearing would have marked the first appearance of the “Big Three” automakers’ CEOs before Congress since the 2008 financial crisis, when the auto industry faced near-bankruptcy. Once rescheduled, the hearing is expected to focus on vehicle affordability, electric vehicles, and recent changes to emissions standards. It is also expected to help set the stage for the forthcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization, a major piece of legislation that establishes policies, priorities, and funding for a wide range of transportation programs, including the Highway Trust Fund.
