Sen. Boxer introduces bill to close 'revolving door' between carmakers and NHTSA

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) introduced legislation Wednesday to close the "revolving door" between government service and automobile companies, which she said allows the automakers to have "undue influence" on actions by the agency that regulates them.

Boxer's bill would require that National Highway Traffic Safety Administration employees who leave the agency wait three years before they can work for automakers in any capacity that requires written or oral communication with NHTSA.

The restrictions would apply to high-ranking NHTSA officials and all employees with the agency who worked with any program related to motor vehicle safety in their final year on the job.

The issue came up repeatedly during recent congressional hearings, when lawmakers learned that former NHTSA employees now working for Toyota successfully negotiated limitations on the scope of federal probes.