[Mrfnews] 07NR03 ?News from Washington DC

[mrfnews at mrf.org]

07NR03 ?News from Washington DC

MRF E-MAIL NEWS
Motorcycle Riders Foundation
236 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Suite 510
Washington, DC 20002-4980
202-546-0983 (voice)
202-546-0986 (fax)
http://www.mrf.org (website)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Hennie, MRF Vice-President of Government Relations  
jeff at mrf.org (e-mail)

#07NR03- News From Washington DC



The View from Capitol Hill

March 8, 2007

Last week was the annual AMA Welcome to Washington seminar, and  
Capitol Hill was feeling it after the week was over. The yearly  
seminar had just about thirty AMA members in attendance, many of whom  
were also MRF members. The three-day event aims to take political  
neophytes and transform them into savvy political motorcyclists?  
rights advocates. Like most educational opportunities in life, you get  
out of it what you want. Those individuals who attend the seminar, pay  
attention and ask questions when needed emerge as budding lobbyists  
for all things motorcycle.  The event, like the AMA, focuses on both  
on road issues and a large amount of off road and racing issues as  
well. After three days of exhaustive education, the attendees are  
turned loose on their members of Congress to lobby them on motorcycle  
issues. Congrats to the AMA for another event done well.

ABATE of MN was also in town the same week and let me tell you, they  
brought a posse. Almost twenty bikers walking the halls en masse was a  
welcome sight to this lonely lobbyist.  I had the opportunity to tag  
along with the group to a good chunk of their meetings. The MN  
congressional delegation has a substantial amount of weight this  
Congress.  For example, Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) is the new  
Chairman of the House Transportation Committee. Oberstar does have a  
soft spot for some two-wheeled modes of transportation, mainly  
bicycles; the 73-year-old pledges to put over three thousand miles on  
his bicycle this summer touring the state, again. While we may not  
always line up on safety legislation with Mr. Oberstar, we can always  
count on him to advocate for share the road and awareness campaigns.

ABATE of Wisconsin and ABATE of New Mexico were also in Washington DC  
last week as well. This was a first for the ABATE from the Land of  
Enchantment and definitely not a first for the dairy state. C.J.  
August from New Mexico took some time off while here for a work  
commitment to lobby her Representative and Senators. The folks from  
Wisconsin brought some new faces and some familiar ones as well. MRF  
President Kirk ?Hardtail? Willard and MRF SSMRO rep to the board, Dave  
Dwyer were both part of the crew from WI. I had the opportunity to  
participate with both groups while they successfully lobbied the Hill.  
  Several other MRO?s had representatives in DC last week including  
but not limited to, ABATE of AK, IL and NY. Yours truly wasn?t able to  
tag along with those states but I rest assured knowing they all had  
productive and profitable meetings with their elected officials.

I can?t mention everyone that was out last week so thanks to everybody  
who spent hard earned money and precious time to venture to DC to  
advocate for motorcycling. If you haven?t been to DC to lobby for  
motorcycles you should be asking your self, why not?

Off to the Races
Scott McInnis, former member of Congress from Colorado and also a past  
MRF Champion for introducing the HIPAA loophole fix legislation, has  
tossed his hat into the ring for US Senate.  McInnis recently  
announced that he will be running for the seat to be vacated by  
Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) in 2008. McInnis, an attorney, is widely  
considered to be the frontrunner in the race to succeed the retiring  
Allard. More on this race and others important to the motorcycling  
community as they develop.

Noteworthy News
NHTSA is once again revising some its highway safety program  
guidelines and once again they are including motorcycles in the plan.  
The proposed revisions are not all bad and not all good either. Some  
of the plan embraces awareness campaigns and some of it suggests  
graduated licensing for youth and senior?s automobile drives. Read the  
proposals for yourself by looking up NHTSA Docket 27159.  You can read  
the MRF comments here: http://dmses.dot.gov/docimages/p89/458103.doc  
or here http://dmses.dot.gov/docimages/pdf100/458103_web.pdf


Around the Country.
Washington State: While the jury is still out on whether lane sharing  
is a good thing for motorcyclists or not, Washington State Senator Dan  
Swecker has gone on record supporting the controversial practice. In  
fact so much so, that he introduced a bill (SB 5985) on February 12,  
2007, to allow motorcycle operators to travel between lanes traveling  
in the same direction when traffic is moving less than half of the  
posted speed limit. Motorcyclist would be limited to speeds of 10  
miles per hour above the average speed of traffic when traveling  
between lanes.
Ride free and frequently-
Jeff Hennie

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit  
http://www.mrf.org/subscribe.php

Ride With The LeadersTM by joining the MRF at  
http://www.mrf.org/join.php or call 1-202-546-0983

Registration is easy and secure for MRF Regional and Meeting of the  
Minds conferences. Visit our website at http://www.mrf.org/events.php  
for further details and registration information.

Send in your nominations and donations for the MRF\'s Young Activist  
Scholarship fund today. For complete details, visit  
http://www.mrf.org/yascholarship.php.

Sign up today for the MRF\'s new roadside assistance program by  
visiting http://www.mrf.org/mrfroadside.php The program is available  
to MRF members and non-MRF members.

(c)All Information contained in this release is copyrighted.  
Reproduction permitted with attribution. The Motorcycle Riders  
Foundation, incorporated in 1987, is a membership-based, national  
motorcyclists\' rights organization headquartered in Washington, DC.  
The first motorcyclists\'
rights organization to establish a full-time presence in Washington,  
DC, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is the only Washington voice  
devoted exclusively to the street rider. The MRF established MRFPAC in  
the early 1990s to advocate the election of candidates who would  
champion the cause of rider safety and rider freedom.

The MRF proudly claims state motorcyclists\' rights organizations and  
the very founders of the American riders\' rights movement among its  
leading members. The MRF is involved in federal and state legislation  
and regulations, motorcycling safety education, training, and public  
awareness. The MRF provides members and state motorcyclists\' rights  
organizations with direction and information, and sponsors annual  
regional and national educational seminars for motorcyclists rights  
activists, as well as publishing a bi-monthly newsletter, THE MRF  
REPORTS.


_______________________________________________
mrfnews mailing list
mrfnews at mrf.org
http://mrf.org/mailman/listinfo/mrfnews_mrf.org