UPDATE | Barra pledges ‘GM will do the right thing’

In her prepared testimony before a House subcommittee, General Motors CEO Mary Barra promised Congress and the public that the company would identify why problems with a faulty ignition switch installed in some of its cars went overlooked for a decade.

“Today’s GM will do the right thing,” she said

The defective part had the potential to turn out of the run position, cutting off power steering and deactivating the air bags. It has been linked to 13 deaths.

According to a report released by a House subcommittee on Sunday, two fixes were proposed, but both suggestions were nixed.

“Sitting here today, I cannot tell you why it took so many years for a safety defect to be announced for this program, but I can tell you that we will find out,” Barra said.

“It came to light on my watch, so I am responsible for repairing it,” said Barra, who took over as CEO in January.

Barra has named the company’s first vice president for global vehicle safety to identify and resolve safety issues.

She said the recent recalls for issues unrelated to the ignition switch recall demonstrate the company’s commitment to safety.

She has authorized a “thorough and unimpeded investigation” into GM’s handling of the ignition switch recall.

For more on this story, see vindy.com or Wednesday’s Vindicator.