Senators Grill New GM CEO Mary Barra During Hearings On Defective Cars

WASHINGTON (AP) — General Motors CEO Mary Barra is back before Congress, where members of a Senate subcommittee are expressing doubts that the culture at the nation's No. 1 automaker has really changed.

On Tuesday, Barra tried to convey to a House committee that GM is now more focused on safety, saying mistakes made in the past wouldn't happen at "today's GM."

But Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., on Wednesday said the new GM, which emerged from bankruptcy in 2009, had ample time to recall cars equipped with a faulty ignition switch that is linked to at least 13 deaths. GM began recalling the cars this February.

"Even under the new GM banner, the company waited nine months to take action after being confronted with this egregious violation of public trust" McCaskill said.

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