i'm john bazella, ceo and president of the association of gloibl automakers.portant tool to make sure that safety concerns are promptly identified, investigated and remedied. the bill before the sub committee builds on this law. whistle-blow whistle-blower issues have been built in because they realize that the manufacturer and employees are the first line of defense in remdying safety concerns. our member companies have instituted internal controls that allow employees to communicate with their employer about any problem that could impair product quality or safety. for example, manufacturers train their employees specifically on product defect and safety issues and have dedicated safety officers who are responsible for following up on concerns rayise by employees. in addition, manufacturers have established hotlines to allow employees to communicate such problems. such systems allow the company to take appropriate remedial steps in many cases before the affected vehicles leave the factory. but no system is foolproof. we recognize that whistle blower statutes