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General Motors Mary Barra faces US Congress questioning General Motors' Mary Barra faces US lawmakers
(about 2 hours later)
General Motors chief executive Mary Barra is set to appear once more in front of US lawmakers. General Motors chief executive Mary Barra told US lawmakers that she was never informed about problems relating to faulty ignition switches.
Ms Barra appeared in Washington just 11 weeks ago, but questions have lingered over the car giant's botched recall procedures. Facing intense questioning from Congress over GM's handling of the safety scandal, Ms Barra said culture at the carmaker had changed.
She is expected to face intense questioning from lawmakers over GM's handling of the safety scandal. Although she appeared in Washington just 11 weeks ago, questions lingered over GM's handling of the recall.
The firm's failure to recall car models with faulty ignition switches has been linked to at least 13 deaths. Ms Barra reaffirmed the faulty switches had been linked to 13 deaths so far.
She said that Kenneth Feinberg - the man tasked with setting up and administering a compensation fund for victims - would release his criteria for victim compensation by the end of this month.
Ms Barra said that the fund would cover any person who suffered a serious injury due to the ignition defect.
'Culture of secrecy'
In prepared testimony, Ms Barra said the firm accepted a "brutally tough and deeply troubling" report into why the carmaker failed to issue a recall or safety notice earlier, after the problems had been reported nearly ten years ago.In prepared testimony, Ms Barra said the firm accepted a "brutally tough and deeply troubling" report into why the carmaker failed to issue a recall or safety notice earlier, after the problems had been reported nearly ten years ago.
She promised that changes had been made at the firm, and that those responsible for failing to report the problem had been disciplined or fired. She promised that changes had been made to alter GM's "culture of secrecy" and said that those responsible for failing to report the problem had been disciplined or fired.
The report - which was carried out by former US Attorney Anton Valukas - exonerated Ms Barra and other top executives, saying that lower level employees failed to alert them to the safety issue. The report - which was carried out by former US Attorney Anton Valukas - exonerated Ms Barra and other top executives, saying that lower-level employees failed to alert them to the safety issue.
Many lawmakers have expressed scepticism that Ms Barra, who was head of product development for a period before rising to leadership, remained unaware of the problem with the switches. Many lawmakers expressed scepticism that Ms Barra, who was head of product development for a period before rising to leadership, remained unaware of the problem with the switches.
The hearing comes days after GM announced another recall of 3.2 million cars. One lawmaker read an email from 2005 in which a GM employee detailed how she had lost control of the car she was driving after the ignition switch suddenly turned off.
Ms Barra said she had never seen the email.
Still buying
The hearing came days after GM announced another recall of 3.2 million cars.
In total, the firm has recalled 44 million cars this year - significantly more than the total vehicles it sold in 2013.
Safety actions have cost GM a total of $2bn (£1.2bn) this year.Safety actions have cost GM a total of $2bn (£1.2bn) this year.
That includes the $35m the car maker was fined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for its failures to report the safety defect. That was the maximum amount allowed under US law. That includes the $35m the carmaker was fined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for its failures to report the safety defect. That was the maximum amount allowed under US law.
However, US car buyers seem to accept GM's assurances that changes have already been made at the firm.
GM reported its best May sales in seven years a few weeks ago, and its share price is just above what it was when the firm announced the first round of recalls on 13 February.