Rep. Barrett offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 156.

            A resolution to urge the United States Congress and the U.S. Department of the Army to accelerate federal funding to improve military vehicle safety from rollover accidents.

            Whereas, The United States Department of Defense is seeking to implement fleet management and modernization solutions to meet light tactical vehicle (LTV) requirements while addressing the challenges associated with improving safety, restoring threshold capabilities, maintaining average fleet age, mitigating major component obsolescence, and reducing sustainment and operating costs; and

            Whereas, The Michigan National Guard and Michigan military community have been and will continue to utilize the high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) in their missions to support and protect the United States. Non-armored and up-armored HMMWVs are projected to be in the fleet through 2048; and

            Whereas, Preventable deadly rollover accidents continue in the HMMWV fleet. Data from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Safety Center indicates that a significant number of HMMWV rollover accidents and crashes continue today, resulting in death and injury. Accidents occur outside the United States and also within U.S. borders during peace missions and training exercises, endangering the lives and property of civilians as well; and

            Whereas, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report data indicates that antilock brake systems (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC) reduce fatal rollovers by 74 percent and fatal impacts with objects by 45.5 percent. The United States government has mandated ABS and ESC in all road-going passenger vehicles since 2011, and they are now standard equipment on all passenger cars, light trucks, and vans. The technology has been available to the public since 1987; and

            Whereas, The HMMWV is not currently equipped with ABS or ESC. The HMMWV threshold operational requirements include ABS and ESC for the entire HMMWV fleet. Therefore, these vehicles need to be brought up to operational requirements; and

            Whereas, The Army Product Director Light Tactical Vehicles, the Michigan National Guard, and the industry have successfully developed and tested solutions using commercial off-the-shelf components modified for defense vehicle application. The proven components, obtained from Michigan’s high-volume automotive supply base, can be used to retrofit the entire fleet; and

            Whereas, Installation of these standard automotive safety enhancement systems will considerably lower the number of HMMWV rollovers and loss-of-control crashes, save lives, and reduce costs; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the United States Congress and the U.S. Department of the Army to accelerate federal funding to improve military vehicle safety from rollover accidents; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate; the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives; the Chairman of the United States Senate Armed Services Committee; the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee; the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Defense; the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Defense; the Under Secretary of the Army; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; the Chief of the National Guard Bureau; the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology; and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.