This past Tuesday, hundreds of motorcyclists from around the country converged on Washington, D.C. for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation’s (MRF) annual Bikers Inside the Beltway grassroots lobby event. During this event, motorcyclists visit every legislative office with a packet of information on priority issues. This year, Bikers Inside the Beltway occurred just as committees were meeting to finalize the surface transportation reauthorization bill, which happens every five (5) years. This unusual juxtaposition created opportunities for significant input on the upcoming bill.
The MRF now applauds both the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee for advancing H.R. 8870, the BUILD America 250 Act (the highway bill), with measures supporting motorcyclists. The finalized bill will likely contain four of the MRF’s top legislative priorities for America’s motorcyclists when voted on by the full House of Representatives.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced provisions extending authorization for the Motorcyclist Advisory Council (MAC), ensuring riders continue to have a formal voice in federal transportation discussions. The legislation also strengthens protections against motorcycle profiling by expanding existing language. It prohibits profiling based on the appearance, mode of transportation or attire commonly associated with motorcycling culture. Special thanks to Representative Andre Carson of Indiana and Representative Chris Pappas of New Hampshire for their last-minute efforts to ensure these victories.
In addition, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over portions of the highway bill, included several motorcycle-related priorities supported by the MRF. Among those provisions are enhanced protections for the Right to Repair, language ensuring emergency braking technologies can detect motorcycles, and the inclusion of the Know Before You Drive Act (H.R. 7377), which helps ensure consumers are informed about what their vehicle’s automation technologies can and cannot do before purchasing a vehicle.
The MRF recognizes the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) for its efforts in support of these measures, particularly the input of Zach Farmer. Additionally, the support of the Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket (IMA), whose leader, Bob Kay, remains an outspoken advocate on the Right to Repair and Right to Modify, helping protect riders’ ability to access repair information, replacement parts, and independent service options.
The MRF also gratefully acknowledges the ongoing efforts of state motorcyclist rights organizations nationwide, as well as the National Council of Clubs (NCOC), the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), the National Council of Informed Riders (COIR), and independent riders everywhere, for their engagement and advocacy efforts on these issues.
“Without riders contacting lawmakers, attending meetings, and remaining engaged in the legislative process, these victories would not have been possible,” said MRF President Kirk “Hardtail” Willard. “This is the first step. It is a big step, but the work is not finished. The full House of Representatives must still pass this legislation, and the United States Senate must retain these protections and priorities for bikers in its version of a highway bill, before it can ultimately be signed into law by the President.”
While the developments of the past week mark an important milestone, the process is far from complete. The MRF will continue working with lawmakers in both chambers of Congress to ensure the rights, safety, and freedoms of America’s motorcyclists remain protected throughout the highway bill process.
We also had representatives from Abate of Ohio with boots on the ground, canvasing the halls for Ohio!
