GM CEO Mary Barra back before lawmakers

WASHINGTON – Can Mary Barra fix General Motors?

That’s likely to be the underlying theme of many of the questions thrown at the automaker’s CEO when she’s in front of Congress for a second time today. A House subcommittee is investigating GM’s mishandled recall of millions of small cars for a deadly defect in ignition switches.

Lawmakers have signaled that they’ll ask Barra whether more significant safety problems could be lurking within GM, and about the actions she’s taking to make safety a priority at the nation’s biggest automaker.

Following the small car recall, Barra authorized an internal investigation of the matter and a companywide safety review. The investigation found that a pattern of incompetence and neglect within GM were to blame for the delay. GM has issued 44 recalls this year that cover almost 18 million cars in the U.S. in an effort to convince customers that it’s focused on safety. It says more are possible.

Anton Valukas, the former federal prosecutor who led GM’s internal investigation, will also appear before the subcommittee. Panel members will likely ask Valukas to explain any differences in the findings of their investigation and his.

Associated Press