MRF Rep Report

Another very successful Bikers in the Beltway is in the books! ABATE of WI had one of the largest representations of constituents in Washington DC in May and conducted meetings with Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Congressmen Scott Fitzgerald, Tom Tiffany, Mike Gallagher, Bryan Steil, Glenn Grothman, and Mark Pocan. Almost all those meetings were in-person and directly with the legislators themselves. We were able to get verbal commitments from several of them that they will sign onto the bills we presented to them, including Congressman Fitzgerald signing onto HR366, the Motorcyclist Anti-Profiling Resolution. That leaves only one Congressperson who is unwilling to stand up against the profiling of motorcyclists.

Another House and Senate Resolution we discussed was HR3281 and S2736, known to us as the RPM Act. In short, the Clean Air Act was never intended to apply to motor vehicles modified for competition use only. Whether it be stock car racing, dirt bike racing, or anything in between, we all know that racing involves performance, which in turns necessitates modifications. We thanked Reps. Grothman and Kind and Senator Baldwin for already being cosponsors of the RPM Act and asked the rest of the legislators to sign on to protect the rights of vehicle modification for racing purposes.

There is now a House Resolution number for the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act—HR7731. Most consumers are not aware that the EPA prohibits the use of any ethanol fuel blend higher than 10% in small engines including boats, lawnmowers, chainsaws, snowmobiles, and of course, motorcycles. The reason it is illegal to use is because it is known to cause damage to small engines. HR7731 seeks to educate the public about E-15 and the proper use of it. It would require clear labeling at gas pumps warning consumers to check their owner’s manual before using E-15 fuel.

We thanked Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin and Congressman Glenn Grothman for being members of the Motorcycle Caucus. Congressman Fitzgerald showed interest in join this as well. The caucuses host education seminars and press events that shine a light on the issues facing the motorcycle community.

Once again, we asked all our legislators to consider reexamining the 40+ year old definition of a motorcycle and how too many vehicles on the roads currently are being inappropriately labeled as such. We were able to get this corrected in the state of Wisconsin but really need to see it done at a federal level in order to have a consistent definition nationwide.

We discussed autonomous vehicles and their inability to detect motorcycles. We requested that any legislation brought forth in regard to autonomous vehicles and automated driving systems ensure that motorcycles are mentioned by name on how these vehicles are going to be required to identify and respond to us.

One final item of note we discussed was the shortfalls of the Highway Trust Fund and how they intend to increase revenue for future infrastructure projects. We reminded the legislators that motorcycles are much lighter and more fuel efficient than other vehicles on the roads and that needs to be taken into consideration when discussing programs like a vehicle miles traveled tax.

If you found yourself glazing over at some point during this report, I realize that is a significant amount of information to process. Each legislative office was given a folder of handouts with detailed information on each of the above topics and we intend to follow up with them to answer any additional questions. We also have Rocky, the MRF’s paid lobbyist who works in DC, there to be our boots on the ground when we cannot. Rocky has been invaluable in keeping our legislative agenda on track and keeping the connections with our federal legislators. However, the most effective way to get results is to have actual constituents (us!) meet face to face with our legislators as much as possible.

It’s certainly not feasible for us to be riding and flying to DC on a regular basis but all of our legislators will be back in their home districts quite a bit this summer. They will be attending parades, fairs, and picnics. If they are up for election, they will be campaigning. This is YOUR opportunity to discuss with them our legislative concerns in the motorcycling world. If you ever have any questions or need clarification on the stance of ABATE of WI or the MRF on a particular item, you can call, text, or email me anytime. The legislative agendas are also on our websites: www.abatewis.org and www.mrf.org.

As always, stay vigilant, my friends!

Jennifer Abraham