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motorcycle Riders Foundation
Call to Action
August 8th
2008
Congress
Adjourns for Five-Week Break
Washington DC is shuttered for the next five
weeks to accommodate the congressional tradition
of August recess. Generally the House and Senate
scramble to pass as much legislation as possible
in order to have more accomplishments to point
to when speaking at town hall meetings back in
their home districts. Being able to reassure
constituents that Congress is doing all they can
to alleviate society's problems is key to any US
Representative's re-election campaign. With
overall congressional approval ratings at an all
time low of 14 percent, it's puzzling why
Congress
adjourned having done very little.
Gas prices. The number one issue before Congress
today is energy. That's because it affects every
aspect of life of every single person in the
entire country. One would think that Congress
would at least attempt to address the fuel cost
epidemic at least in passing, if not in earnest.
No
matter what side of the political pasture you
graze in, you have to agree that Congress has
done next to nothing when it comes to rising
energy
costs.
Let's take a look at some of the ideas tossed
around by Congress to address rising fuel
prices. We first should acknowledge that
proposals to
suspend federal gasoline taxes aren't fooling
anyone. Most people are well aware that their
gas taxes go to building critical roads and
bridges. Does anyone really think drivers will
be grateful for a few cents a gallon less at the
pump in return for the next bridge collapse?
The silver bullet, we are told, is cracking down
on oil and gas speculators. While those who deal
in mineral futures may be responsible
for some price inflation, it is a stretch to
think that curbing speculation will dramatically
lower prices at the pump. At least there has
been some bipartisan cooperation in by both
chambers in developing an acceptable approach to
a dubious solution.
Lastly, we have been told that we must dip into
our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to increase
supplies and lower costs. For what little
difference
it might make at the pump, does anyone really
think Americans will sleep easier knowing we've
drained our national emergency fuel supplies so
it
will cost the family a little less to drive to
the beach?
It's clear that a solution would have to be
multi-faceted and encompass finding alternative
forms of energy, finding new petroleum resources
through exploratory drilling, and less
consumption by individuals. Saving energy is no
longer a moral luxury, it's a personal
responsibility.
Which brings us back to what Congress did not do
this summer; pass any energy legislation at
all! It's a common story in Washington when the
majority party silences the minority's voice -
but this year in the House proved to be more
theatrical than ever. When the minority tried to
force a
vote on a drilling issue, the majority
immediately forced a vote on adjournment and won
by party line. Then the majority shut off the
microphones, cameras and lights,
leaving
the minority to continue in silent darkness,
which they did for the next four days, much to
the entertainment of those occupying the full
capacity public gallery. Sometimes fact is
stranger than fiction.
Michelle's Law
The house passed what is being called Michelle's
Law last week; this bill was at one time a
possible vehicle for the HIPAA loophole repair
language (HR 1076). That, unfortunately, did not
happen. Michelle's law, like HR 1076, addresses
a very specific deficiency in our health
insurance federal code. This loophole allows
insurance companies to drop coverage of a child
who has graduated from high school but not
enrolled in a higher education program.
Michelle, a student who was diagnosed with colon
cancer, was advised by her medical provider to
suspend studies and focus on treating her
condition full-time. She decided to stay in
school because if she had dropped out, she would
have been pushed off her parents insurance.
Michelle suffered the ultimate consequence when
she lost her battle with cancer. No Senate
action has occurred on this bill as of press
time.
Because of the sensitive nature of this
particular bill, the committee chose to keep it
a clean bill and not include the HR 1076
language. It is
a frustrating but certainly understandable
decision by the committee leadership and we
commend them for their moral fortitude which can
be rare
in Washington. We also thank the committee for
agreeing to find an appropriate vehicle for
something similar to the HR 1076 language in the
near future. The MRF will make you aware of any
action on this important matter.
August 7th
MRF to meet with RNC
Leadership
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) would
like to announce that the leadership of the
Republican National Committee (RNC) has agreed
to meet with them. The meeting will take place
on Monday, August 11, 2008 at the headquarters
of the RNC in Washington DC. Representing the
MRF will be Jeff Hennie, Vice President of
Government Relations; Dave Dwyer, Sustaining
State Motorcyclists Rights Organization
Representative; and
Michael Kerr, Vice President of the MRF.
The MRF sought to meet with the leadership of
the RNC after a succession of appointees of
President Bush
took positions that the MRF and many in the
motorcycling community
felt were against their best interests. Those
appointees happened to be prominent Republicans
in their own right.
The MRF is seeking a clarification on the
Republican Party's position on the doctrine of
Federalism. The
MRF will be asking whether this administration
and/or future Republican presidential
administrations will adhere to the longstanding
GOP policy of the federal government not
interfering with state issues.
The MRF has also been in touch with the
Democratic National
Committee and would hope to meet with
them as well. A meeting with the campaign staff
of
the presumptive
Presidential nominee of the
Democratic Party
is also being sought by the MRF.
July
30, 2008
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports that
language similar to the HIPAA loophole-fix
language contained in HR 1076 may be offered by
the bill's sponsor to a piece of legislation
being worked on by the US House Energy and
Commerce committee, as previously reported by
the MRF.
While we are not privy to private negotiations
between committee
leadership and the bill's sponsor, we are cautiously optimistic that
language that would be of benefit to
motorcyclists would be included. The MRF has
been aggressively lobbying committee members and
staff to encourage this.
You may recall reading about an amendment
offered in a committee mark up two weeks ago -
that would have closed the loophole - that
allows for insurance companies to refuse
benefits for an injury, based on the source
of the injury.
It's what is known in the insurance industry as
a "source of injury exclusion". The amendment,
offered by Dr. Michael Burgess (R-TX) was ruled
not germane by Chairman Dingell (D-MI) and
struck down.
Upon closer examination, it was brought to light
that in fact the amendment was germane, so
germane that the Chairman admitted he was wrong,
that he was embarrassed by the oversight and
wanted to correct hismistake. At that point the
committee had dispensed of the bill leaving the
fate of the amendment up to the House Rules
committee, the last committee to consider any
legislation before full consideration of the
House.
A few options
remain. Chairman Dingell, the Ranking Republican
on the Committee, Mr. Barton (R-TX) and the
amendment author, Mr. Burgess, have all signed
off on a process agreement and a recommendation
to the Rules committee to include the amendment
before the measure is voted on before the full
House of Representatives.
The MRF will notify you if and when the
legislation comes before the House for a vote.
This positive news puts HR 1076 one step closer
to becoming law. However much remains to be seen
from the Rules committee, the Senate (S 616) and
ultimately the White House.
July 3, 2008
Washington, DC
Mary Peters Offers Motorcycle Community an
Apology:
A Motorcycle Riders Foundation representative
attended a July 1 meeting with United States
Department of Transportation Secretary Mary
Peters, in her office, to discuss among other
issues, the 2010 funds.
Earlier this year, Peters sent proposed
legislation to Capitol Hill that would allow the
2010 funds to be used by states to promote
helmet use (not
law). This is in addition to the other two
areas where the funds are already allotted now;
rider education and motorist awareness programs.
Also in attendance at the meeting were
representatives from the Motorcycle Safety
Foundation and the Motorcycle Industry Council.
The motorcycle community was disappointed, to
say the least, by this new demand on 2010
funding. When Congress included the section
2010 grant programs in SAFETEA-LU it was debated
and decided that helmet use promotion already
occurs under all rider education programs, which
is the proper venue to talk about personal
protective gear.
Secretary Peters explained that the genesis of
the proposed legislation came from a Senate
appropriations hearing where she was taken to
task by
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) on the rising number
of motorcyclist fatalities and the reduction of
state helmet laws. The third term Senator,
who chairs the Senate appropriations
subcommittee on transportation, asked Peters if
she would support the use of the 2010 funds for
helmet
promotion. Peters said she would support using
2010 for that purpose, and in order to preserve
some political cover, Peters sent some shell
language to the Hill. Upon closer review,
Secretary Peters now agrees that the 2010 funds
should not be used for helmet promotion but
should remain for rider education and motorist
awareness campaigns only. She is not backing off
promoting helmet use, but rather is in favor of
finding or creating another pool of funds for
this cause.
Peters then issued an apology for failing to
work with the motorcycle community and pledged
to work more closely, and personally, with the
motorcycle community at large. She then went on
to add that this current administration will
never even consider a national helmet mandate.
The Secretary then offered to send a letter to
all 50 governors asking them to take motorcycle
safety more seriously, to increase funding for
all
motorcycle programs, and to never raid the
dedicated motorcycle safety funds as some
governors have already done.
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation also asked
Peters to explore the creation of a new class of
vehicles for the emerging auto-cycles, or
3-wheeled
enclosed vehicles, that are currently licensed
as motorcycles, and are therefore skirting any
safety standards that are required for autos.
These
non-motorcycles need their own classification in
order to keep any additional fatality data
separate from data collected on "true"
motorcycles.
We at the Motorcycle Riders Foundation thank
Secretary Peters for her apology, and we look
forward to working with her as she finishes out
her
term as Secretary in January of 2009.
May
2, 2008
Secretary Mary Peters officially rang in May as
motorcycle safety month. Thursday morning in
Washington DC
with an official event at the base of the US
Capitol, the Motorcycle
Riders Foundation reports. Alongside her
were the chairs of the US House Motorcycle
Safety Caucus Reps Burgess (R-TX) and Giffords
(D-AZ). There were a few different types of
motorcycles on hand to make for a nice photo op.
However due to a one-two punch of a driving rain
and urgent votes on the House floor, the event
was
cut short.
The message to motorists was clear though even
if the skies were not, May is the beginning of
the riding season for a good portion of the
country and many motorists are still groggy from
the long winter and not used to seeing
motorcyclists out on the road. Therefore start
talking about motorcycles and getting the word
out to share the road. Another message was clear
too; motorcycles are here to stay and with gas
prices and the state of the economy expect to
see more two wheelers everyday.
Michael Burgess
had some of the best quotes though, as he shared
some stories of his first $300 motorcycle as a
youngster and how much he enjoyed the freedom.
"I love the sound of a motorcycle in the
morning, it sounds like freedom!" said the
congressman. He also had some advice on riding
safe. "As a medical doctor and as a
motorcyclist, you do not want to be involved in
a motorcycle crash of any kind." We at the MRF
could not agree more on both counts with the
Congressman.
Secretary Mary Peters had her prop helmet on
hand that was damaged in a collision a few years
ago with her riding partner who also happens to
be her husband. She proclaimed May as Motorcycle
Safety Month and then
extolled the virtues of the 2010 funds, and the
Motorcycle Advisory Council. She then gave a
short commercial for her proposed legislation to
raid the 2010 SAFE TEA LU funds defending her
position saying she's not for helmet
requirement, just helmet use promotion.
Gabrielle Giffords
arrived in a fancy alpinestars-esque leather
riding jacket lending an atmosphere of
motorcycle cool to the event. She mentioned her
House Resolution (HRes 339) that supports the
goals of a motorcycle safety month. That
resolution is likely to be passed by the US
House in the next few weeks. The MRF will keep
you informed on that legislation.
Representative Giffords
owns 3 motorcycles so she can wear that leather
just about any where.
You should be familiar with Representatives
Burgess and Giffords as the two of them just
happen to be the lead sponsors on the HIPAA
loophole fix legislation in the House (HR 1076).
Burgess made some extensive remarks about the
bill saying its "high time to close this
loophole once and for all".
The MSF and AMA also gave some brief remarks and
the MIC did a fantastic job of organizing and
coordinating a top notch event.
May 5, 2008
MOTORCYCLE AWARENESS
MONTH EXTENDS TO OUR ARMED FORCES
Washington, D.C.—Motorcycle safety issues have
aroused the armed forces to take a proactive
approach in educating their men and women in
uniform. In honor of motorcycle awareness
month, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation attended
the second annual National Capital Region Joint
Service Motorcycle Safety Event this past Friday
at the Pentagon.
The two-day educational event is a measure by
the D.O.D. to address the number of fatalities
that have occurred in the past year. All
branches of the military are facing a challenge
with the increase of motorcyclists gearing up
and hitting the roads. MG James Nutall, Deputy
Director of the Army National Guard, stated that
the military is facing an issue that they are
working to contain to help keep riders safe
stating they are dealing with men and women
returning from combat some of whom have come
home with an invincibility complex. The armed
forces require all active military personnel to
take a rider education course and wear more
personal protective equipment then most state
laws require yet they are still experiencing an
increasing trend of fatalities. Some of which is
accounted
for by the sharp increase of readership.
Ceremonies were kicked off with hundreds of
military and civilian motorcyclists gathered to
increase rider education and awareness.
Transportation Secretary, Mary Peters was on
hand to speak at the event. Though
legislation did not go unmentioned in her speech
(see
08LR09-Leaders Report-May), we commend the
Secretary for addressing the military's
motorcycle fatality increase. We hope she can
put some substantial resources into the
countries servicemen and women by working with
the D.O.D. to reverse this trend.
After opening remarks were concluded by the
speakers, the event moved onto a ribbon cutting
ceremony on the Army's new mobile motorcycle
simulator trailer that will be used to visit
military bases across the country as an
additional resource to the motorcycle training
program. The Pentagon parking lots was stocked
with vendors set up displaying different types
of safety equipment as well as different
organizations promoting rider educations
courses.
The highlight of the days activities were the
opportunity for riders to participate in a
motorcycle rodeo as well as a skills
demonstration by the Pentagon Motorcycle
Police. The two day event was wrapped on
Saturday with a few morning activities as well
as a rally ride. Overall, the Joint services
presented a variety of outlets and activities to
help celebrate with the men and women of the
armed forces the different aspects of motorcycle
safety.
 
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Milford, Michigan
48381-0309
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