On July 7, Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) attached an amendment to the House fiscal year 2010 Financial Services Appropriations bill which prohibits the use of funds by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for the implementation and/or enforcement of section 101(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) as it relates to youth-model off-highway motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). To see Rehberg’s press release on his amendment, please click here.

 

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) applauds the Rehberg amendment, and submitted a letter of support that was placed in the Committee Report on June 23. To see the AMA’s letter of support, please click here.

 

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the fiscal year 2010 Financial Services Appropriations bill - with the Rehberg amendment - on July 16 with a vote of 219 to 208. 

 

However, the U.S. Senate’s fiscal year 2010 Financial Services Appropriations bill does not include the Rehberg language, and it has not been considered on the Senate floor. The Senate may not consider the Financial Services Appropriations bill individually, but may soon instead consider a larger all-encompassing bill called an Omnibus Appropriations bill.

 

Therefore, the AMA needs your help to let your lawmakers know how you feel about the lead-content ban and it’s impact on the sale of youth-model off-highway vehicles. Riders should contact their Senators and Representatives and let them know how the CPSIA has created a severe and unwarranted disruption to families who recreate together responsibly, and a deleterious effect on youth amateur racing. Urge your Senators and Representative to support the inclusion of the Rehberg language, already in the House Financial Services Appropriations bill, in the final version of the fiscal year 2010 Financial Services Appropriations bill or the Omnibus Appropriations bill.

 

The quickest way to reach your Senators and Representative is to call them. You can find contact information for your elected officials by entering your zip code on AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Rights > Issues & Legislation. Additionally, a prewritten e-mail is available for you to immediately send to your lawmakers by following the “Take Action” option and entering your information.

 

For more information and ways you can help exclude youth-model motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA, click here.

 

Please contact your Senators and Representative right away and urge them to support the Rehberg language.