Barra returns to the Hill after ‘incompetence’ report

General Motors CEO Mary Barra is returning to Capitol Hill on Wednesday for the first time since being grilled by lawmakers in the spring over her company’s handling of widespread auto recalls. 

Barra told lawmakers in March that she was “deeply sorry” for GM’s failure to swiftly recall vehicles with a dangerous ignition switch flaw after lawmakers accused the company of delaying issuing the warning to drivers to avoid paying for repairs. 

She promised then to return after GM conducted an internal report of the recalls, which the company said it completed earlier this month. 

{mosads}GM said in its internal review that the company had a pattern of “incompetence and neglect” that led to its failure to recall nearly two million late-model defective cars.

The company fired 15 people after the release of the report, but GM said its investigation cleared top executives, including CEO Mary Barra. 

Barra is scheduled to testify Wednesday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. 

She told the panel in March that she was making changes to GM’s culture since she learned about the recalls shortly after becoming the company’s chief at the beginning of this year. .

“Today’s GM will do the right thing. That begins with my sincere apologies to everyone who has been affected by this recall, especially the families and friends who lost their lives or were injured. I am deeply sorry,” Barra said then.

Lawmakers on the panel were not as forgiving as Barra likely hoped during the March hearing.

“GM knew about this problem in 2001,” Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) said during the earlier meeting. “They were warned again and again over the next decade, but they did nothing.”