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#04LR08 - MRF LEADERS' REPORT - Ride With The LeadersTM - December 7, 2004

TO: The Leaders of the American Motorcyclists' Rights Movement

FROM: Jeff Hennie, MRF Vice President - Government Relations

It has been almost exactly one month since the American people voted on the direction of our great country and the US Congress still has not gotten their job done. Nearly 2 months after the targeted adjournment both chambers of the US Congress will be back in Washington DC to vote on the final spending measures for the 108th congress. While this seems like a bad situation for the country it gives motorcyclists one more opportunity to clear some legislation off the calendar.

Healthy HIPAA News
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) loophole legislative fix has been passed by the Senate putting the ball in the hands of House of Representatives. The House companion bill has 177 bipartisan co-sponsors, a tremendous showing of support. The bill has not been placed on the official House legislative calendar yet, but the MRF is working with several other groups, including the AMA, to get this done.

Highway Bill
The highway bill has been on life support for months, with the last official conference meeting occurring July 22. Some folks will argue that the bill was mired in too much controversy to have ever been in the running to actually make it into public law. The differences between the House and Senate bills as well as the very basic spending levels created a barren landscape for the transportation bill. The bill has not been pronounced dead, but that should happen soon.

The bill will need to be re-introduced in the 109th Congress. The need for this bill is huge for every American that uses the highway system or mass transit; this fact will sharply underscore the desperate need for improving our crumbling roads and bridges. It remains to be seen if President Bush will back off his promise to veto any bill sent to him that exceeds $300 billion, the original House bill came in at $375 billion, the Senate passed version is somewhat smaller with a price tag of $318 billion. The MRF will continue to work with the Congressional offices that have influence over the drafting of the language to insure all of our motorcycling language remains intact.

Not so NHTSA
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, headed up by Dr. Runge, held the second of their regional motorcycling forums December first and second in Lake George, NY. I was one of about sixty people in attendance at the two-day safety soiree. The make up of the attendees was riders, law enforcement, and safety beurocrats from NHTSA and the various state safety and highway administrators. The states that had representation were; New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and the island of Puerto Rico.

Many of our own MRF members were in attendance as well, Paul Cote and Sarge from Massachusetts and Prospector, Bill Cox and Scott Twitchell from ABATE New York. Here comes the odd part, the conference was a great exchange of information and a healthy dialogue ensued. I was prepared to hear all about the need for state helmet laws, NHTSA's usual song. Well much to my surprise the bulk of the dialogue focused on the need for greater motorcycle awareness programs, read share the road, and the necessity for more state motorcycle training courses. Most of the states represented all voiced a similar story; they need money to increase the availability and accessibility of quality motorcycle training programs.

Another issue was the need to get veteran riders into advanced courses mainly because according to NHTSA numbers the age group with the greatest numbers of fatal crashes in 40-49 year olds. Perhaps the most beneficial portion of the conference was the breakout session where all of the states met individually to discuss the particulars of the motorcycling safety arena. Not being from a state represented I sat in on the New York session. The back and forth between the safety officials and the riders was terrific. The focus was on what can all of us do to save the lives of our brothers and sisters on two wheels.

There was zero finger pointing and not even one round of the blame game. The sincerity of everyone really wanting to help shined like a halogen headlight. It seems the safety community, at least the ones I spoke with, to focus on educating drivers and motorcyclists to prevent accidents instead of dressing to crash safely. From what was reported back to me, all the states had a similar story to tell.

A seemingly philosophical departure from what we normally hear from Dr. Runge's office. I am cautiously optimistic about the future of the mindsets at NHTSA, perhaps what we have been telling them finally sinking in. Probably not, until they do begin to listen we must continue to watch their agendas and actions.

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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.