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MRF E-MAIL NEWS Motorcycle Riders Foundation
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12NR05 - MRF News Release - How’s the Federal Highway Bill?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 March 2012

Contact: Jeff Hennie, Vice President of Government Ralations and Public Affairs

How’s the Federal Highway Bill?

It's been a tumultuous few weeks, with Washington focusing all of its attention on the federal highway bill.  The mammoth piece of legislation that paves new roads and fixes crumbling bridges has been a ghost for the past three years, when the old law expired. Since 2009, the bill has lurched from temporary extension to temporary extension, and the most recent expires at the end of this month. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) believes that another extension is a foregone conclusion at this point. The only question is how long will it be. Here is a quick rundown of where we are and where we have been.

The Senate passed a bill (S 1813) out of committee back in December. That bill is awaiting consideration by the full Senate, but it failed a cloture motion earlier this week. A vote against cloture is a vote to keep debating the bill and not begin voting on the bill. Failing a cloture vote is oftentimes the beginning of the end. Not always though, as we may see with this bill. Sources close to the MRF are saying that a deal has been reached between Senate Democrats and Republicans, and votes on amendments may wrap up next week. The Senate bill spends $109 billion over two years and has no anti-motorcycle language or helmet language of any kind.

Meanwhile, over on the House side, their version (HR 7) of the highway bill has an even more bizarre story. The House bill would spend $260 billion over five years. This bill also has zero anti-motorcycle language. It does have the language from HR 904 rolled into it, banning motorcycle-only checkpoints. Although the annual cost is actually less with the House bill, the overall cost proved to be too much for some Republicans in Congress, and they planned a revolt. The threat of the revolt was enough to force Speaker Boehner to divide the bill into three smaller bills; an odd choice of strategy. None of those bills have been brought to the floor. Supposedly there is so much rancor that the House may now take up the smaller Senate bill as a supplement, as it's more likely to get signed into law before the end of the month.  But even that is long shot.

In other news, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell signed into law a piece of legislation that bans law enforcement agencies from conducting motorcycle-only roadside checkpoints. The ban takes effect July 1, 2012.

The MRF will keep you updated on the progress of the federal highway bill, and all federal motorcycling issues.

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Ride With The LeadersTM by joining the MRF at http://www.mrf.org/join.php or call 1-202-546-0983Registration 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://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1109489455496&s=3471&e=001mNpJjMx3eP5GqHu7AOVaGHflV763hkH9Ycanx0ybMNvueBWOjysDY4Kd-qzGDiVC_mgMviqDMJNREnfek9pIH2tmMAqJCcQYI8Tk6r6QJJHIhyvrAO-9IQ==.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.© 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.

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Twelve things that a motorcycle can teach...
1. The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rear view mirror.
2. Four wheels might move the body...but two wheels move the soul.
3. I'd rather be riding my motorcycle and thinking about God than sitting in Church and thinking about my motorcycle.
4. Life may begin at 30...but it doesn't get interesting until about 95...mph.
5. Midnight bugs taste just as bad as noontime bugs.
6. Sometimes it takes a whole tank of gas before you can think straight.
7. A bike on the road is worth two in the shed.
8. Young riders pick a destination and go... old riders pick a direction and go...
9. When you are riding lead, don't spit.
10. Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt at 75 mph can double your vocabulary.
11. I've never seen a motorcycle parked outside a psychiatrist's office.
12. Only Bikers know why dogs stick their heads out car windows.