MRF Rep Report

“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” – Thomas Paine.

Using attendee input from the 2021 Meeting of the Minds, the MRF’s annual Meeting of the Minds Conference in 2022 should exceed the expectations of even the most demanding attendees. Here’s a few of the topics to expect when you attend:

Membership promotion & retention

Organizational continuity

Legislative strategies

Why Political Action Committees are necessary

Riding skill enhancement

Motorcyclists’ rights activists understand Paine’s quote. They understand the demands required to protect the freedoms associated with motorcycling. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is working to make the 2022 Meeting of the Minds one of the best!

The siege against your rights, your lifestyle, and your motorcycle will not go away easily. Turning back the siege is fatiguing, however the “blessing of freedom” is the reward!

Mark September 22-25 on your calendar for Meeting of the Minds 2022 at the Marriott Des Moines Downtown, 700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines. Call (888) 236-2427 and mention the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) when you make your hotel reservations. The deadline to register for the event itself is Wednesday, September 7th. To register, go to www.mrf.org and click on Events or fill out the form in this newsletter and mail it in.

ABATE of WI will be providing scholarships for up to 20 members willing to bring back what they learn to our membership. This means you could get reimbursed for your registration, hotel, and gas for the event. If you are interested in a scholarship, contact Steve Panten. His info is on the front page of this newsletter. The guidelines for scholarships are in your Red Book or ask your Regional Rep if you are not an officer. Meeting of the Minds is also when the MRF sets its legislative agenda for the upcoming year and decides what items we will be discussing with our federal legislators at Bikers in the Beltway.

So, enduring twelve workshops, twelve presentations, and gathering the tools to promote and protect the rights of motorcyclists may sound fatiguing. We refer to it as drinking from a firehose. However, temporary fatigue is a cheap price to pay for freedom. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation’s 38th Annual Meeting of the Minds Conference will provide freedom loving motorcyclists the essential tools to help protect motorcycling and the freedoms we love. We hope to see you there!

On a different note, the MRF is always vigilant on topics that affect our lifestyle as a biker. HR 7731 is one we’ve been working on, and we need your help. The MRF emailed out the following Call to Action:

In May, President Biden announced the Environmental Protection Agency would temporarily lift the summer restrictions on the sale of gasoline with 15% ethanol (E15). In response Representative Austin Scott (R-GA) and Representative Lois Frankel (D-FL) introduced the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2022 (H.R. 7731).

H.R. 7731 requires more detailed labeling of gas pumps that dispense E15 fuel. Clearer labeling of E15 at the pump will warn consumers about the harmful impacts of misfuelling so consumers can better protect their engines.

Unfortunately, most consumers are not aware that these fuel blends may be causing damage to their vehicle. A recent survey found 3 in 5 consumers mistakenly believe that E15 is safe for use in all their products. Motorcycles, boats, pre-2001 model year vehicles, and outdoor power equipment are especially at risk to E15 blends.

Please tell your Federal Representative that consumer education on E15 is needed and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 7731.

As always, stay vigilant, my friends.

Jen

Jennifer Abraham