(b) (1) Paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall not apply to the sale, the offer for sale, or the introduction or delivery for introduction, in interstate commerce, or importation into the United States, of any motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment after the first purchase of it in good faith for purposes other than resale, or to any person who establishes that he did not know and did not have reason to know in the exercise of due care that such vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment was not in conformity with such standard, or to any person, who, prior to such first purchase, holds a certificate issued by the manufacturer or importer of such motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment, to the effect that such vehicle or equipment conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle standards, unless such person knows that such vehicle or equipment does not so conform. Paragraph (3) of subsection (a) shall not apply to any person who establishes that he did not know and did not have reason to know in the exercise of due care that such vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment was not in conformity with such standard.

(2) A motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment offered for importation in violation of paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall be refused admission into the

United States under joint regulations issued by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary; except that the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary may, by such regulations, provide for authorizing the importation of such motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment into the United States upon such terms and conditions (including the furnishing of a bond) as may appear to them appropriate to insure that any such motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment will be brought into conformity with any applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standard prescribed under this title, or will be exported or abandoned to the United States.

(3) The Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary may, by joint regulations, permit the temporary importation of any motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment, after the first purchase of it in good faith for purposes other than resale, notwithstanding paragraph (2) of this subsection.

(4) Paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall not apply in the case of a motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment that is intended solely for export, and so labeled or tagged on the vehicle or item itself and on the outside of the container, if any, and is exported.

Mr. MAGNUSON.

What do we do about used cars?

We thought for a while that we might require a used car dealer, or the seller of a used car, to put a stamp on the windshield of the car for the buyer to look at, which would state that the car had complied with State safety regulations at its last inspection, but we found that here

we were getting into the complex field of States rights.

We decided that the Secretary should immediately proceed to discuss with the States this matter of used cars, and when they are sold, to see if they cannot come up with some uniform laws, so that the buyer of a used car will at least know

that the car, even though it may be older and not so inherently safe as a new one, did comply at least with the stringent laws of the State itself.

I know that some cars are sold that

should not be allowed on the highways, but the States must devise means, with the cooperation of the Federal Government, to see to it that once they are on the highway, they do comply.

Mr. MAGNUSON.

I should like the Senator from Connecticut to respond to this thought. I share his view of the impact that this legislation might have, not only on the United States but worldwide. I failed to mention that we have provided in the bill for foreign cars, that they must comply with the standards; and we have even allowed them to come in under something like a free-port arrangement, where, if they are not in compliance, dealers can bring them up to standard.

The Senator from Connecticut and I have discussed the fact that we have world conferences on safety at sea, world conferences on safety in the air, and world conferences on safety of explosives and hazardous substances, and

I mentioned that I hope the day will come soon when we will have a world conference on automobile safety. Millions of lives could be saved if that were done.

Mr. RIBICOFF. There is no question that what the Senator says is absolutely true. I can tell from my mail, as I am sure the Senator can from his mail, the deep concern and the impact that this legislation has had on foreign manufacturers, because they want a portion of the American market, and they know that they will not be able to retain a portion of the American market unless 14232 they build safer cars. So unquestionably the work of the Senator and his committee has had a worldwide impact.

Mr. HART.

In this business of auto safety, we should also see that new car design is not the only factor. The competence of the driver is important. The design of the highway is important. The quality of law enforcement is important.

But so is the mechanical condition of the car after it has been on the road a few years.

Consequently, there is one strengthening feature of the bill that I have pushed for in committee and am glad is included.

It is the used-car inspection clause. This bill directs the Secretary of Commerce to report to Congress within a year how we can insure that used cars operated and sold are up to safety standards.

Used-car inspection is not something the Federal Government can or should

embark on directly. It is a matter best handled by strong State inspection programs.

In the fervent and justifiable drive to gain new car safety design, let us not neglect the fact that safety is also endangered by brakes without linings and tires without tread, by faulty wheel alinements and cracked headlights.

This too, I think, would importantly increase the motorist's chances of survival.

If we are at last ready to concern ourselves with the problems of highway safety, then let us commit ourselves on every front where there is a chance of

success.