Updated 10/09/98, Revised 10/10/98
This is a preliminary first report on the congressional hearing October 8, 1998, before the Technology Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science.

Below are a list of links to the statements of the listed parties and organizations that were represented at the October 8, 1998 hearing. We hope to have more details including the actual conversational text of the hearing available shortly.

Chairwoman Constance A. Morella: Statement of Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Constance Morella, Technology Subcommittee Hearing.
"This reprieve is intended to allow Congress an opportunity to amend the Fastener Quality Act before the current NIST regulations go into effect. This hearing begins that effort. It is my firm belief that, as currently constituted, the Fastener Quality Act is fundamentally flawed and needs significant changes."

Congressman J. Dennis Hastert: Statement of Congressman J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL-14).
"Over this period, fastener quality has dramatically increased. Furthermore, there is no evidence that public safety is at risk -- in fact all the evidence is to the contrary, public safety has actually been greatly advanced."

Congressman Donald Manzullo: Statement of Congressman Donald Manzullo.
"the Fastener Quality Act must address the concerns raised by the small manufacturers within the fastener industry. If their concerns are not addressed, I believe most small firms would favor repeal of the Act.

AIAM: The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers.
"The FQA Imposes Significant Increased Costs for Consumers Without Commensurate Benefits"
"Price Waterhouse conducted a cost study of compliance with the FQA for AIAM. The total cost of compliance for the motor vehicle industry was estimated to be $317 million. This was composed of the costs associated with such items as laboratory costs, record keeping, and lot traceability. This is far above the NIST estimate of $18.9 million for all affected industries."
"the implementing regulation for the FQA places a substantial financial and logistical burden on service part purchasing and distribution."

Caterpillar Inc.: Statement for the record.
"For example, by applying the record keeping requirements for traceability down to the retail level, the Act could impose on Caterpillar an additional $20 million in compliance and administrative costs alone."

Robert Brunner: Statement of Mr. Robert E. Brunner, vice president and general manager of the Shakeproof Automotive Division of Illinois Tool Works Inc. on behalf of the Industrial Fasteners Institute.
"the present FQA is both unworkable and unnecessary in today's private sector fastener environment."
"The paperwork burdens imposed by the Act are overwhelming and do not recognize modern electronic commerce!"
"in March 1989, Mr. Raymond Kammer, then Acting Director of NIST, testified on behalf of the Administration that the FQA was not needed"

Raymond Kammer: Statement of Raymond G. Kammer, Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
"We are actively soliciting -- and will consider seriously -- all suggestions for changes to the Act."

Richard Klimisch: Testimony of Dr. Richard L. Klimisch, American Automobile Manufacturers Association.
"the Fastener Quality Act, in its present form, is unworkable and would cause great disruption to the U.S. economy without providing any significant public safety benefit."
"Because of the high cost of obtaining laboratory accreditation and complying with the documentation requirements of the FQA, some foreign suppliers of proprietary fasteners that are imported only for service parts stated they would cease supplying fasteners when the FQA took effect."

Nick Knappenberger: Statement of Mr. Nick Knappenberger, Engineering Manager, McCoy Bolt, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
"Under its current interpretation, the Fastener Quality Act does nothing to improve or enhance these quality systems."
"the law should be repealed as the current quality control systems have already accomplished the intended end result of the original legislation; and if enacted, will simply add significant costs with no added benefits."