[Mrfnews] 07LR20 - Leaders Report- November

[mrfnews at mrf.org]

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)



Motorcycle Riders Foundation holds successful Washington DC Press Conference

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) held a press conference in the
Cannon House Office building the morning of November 15, 2007.  The event
was the capstone of a multi-week lobbying effort to encourage members of
Congress to send letters to the National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) to ask them to reconsider their recent recommendations for
motorcycle safety.  The intense lobbying effort brought over 25% of the
MRF's sustaining member organizations to Washington DC.  Those
organizations sent over 60 motorcycle lobbyists to attend over 100
individual meetings with members of Congress and staff.

To date those meetings have yielded 10 letters from Congressmen to the
NTSB, and the MRF predicts that number will continue to grow.  The list of
Congressmen sending letters so far includes Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA),
Randy Kuhl (R-NY), Chairman David Obey (D-WI), John Shimkus (R-IL), Tim
Walberg (R-MI), Baron Hill (D-IN), Zach Wamp (R-TN), Mark Kirk (R-IL),
Walter Jones (R-NC) and Leonard Boswell (D-IA).

The purpose of the press conference was to inform the public of the MRF's
position on the NTSB's recommendations and to express appreciation to the
Congressmen sending letters on behalf of motorcyclists.  The event was
also an opportunity for members of Congress to go on the record in support
of responsible and appropriate motorcycle safety measures.

Congressman Zack Wamp (R-TN), in attendance at the event, had this to say
about owning, riding and modifying motorcycles, "This is a slice of
American history.  And I hope that in this day of political correctness,
we don't forget that.  Exactly what bikes mean in terms of American
history and liberty and freedom and all those things that we hold dear. 
Because this is something that the people around the rest of the world
look at America and identify us with and it's important to preserve it."

Perhaps Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI), who was also in attendance, said
it best when he said, "While we can debate the issue of the necessity of a
helmet or the lack of a necessity of a helmet, it would be better that we
debated the issues and work together on putting something between the ears
as opposed to on our head.  Those are the issues of concern that make a
difference."

The MRF would like to extend sincere thanks all of the members of Congress
who attended the press conference.  In addition, the MRF would like to
thank the other organizations in attendance, including the Motorcycle
Industry Council (MIC), the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) and the
NTSB, as well as the numerous reporters and photographers who covered the
event.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation would like to thank everyone who came to
DC to lobby this important issue and also to those who worked on this
issue from their home states.


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(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.