Congressional Hearing Set to
get Information on the Law That Bans the Sale
of Dirtbikes and ATVs For Kids
Pickerington, OH (9/10/2009)
- Federal lawmakers have
scheduled a hearing for Thursday, Sept. 10, to
receive an update on the status of the Consumer
Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA)
that essentially banned the sale of kids' dirtbikes
and ATVs, the American Motorcyclist Association
(AMA) reports.
The AMA is urging all concerned motorcyclists
and ATVers to contact their federal lawmakers
to exempt motorcycles and ATVs from the law, which
took effect in February. The law stopped the sale
of dirt bikes and ATVs designed for children age
12 and under, although the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) subsequently issued a stay of
enforcement of the measure until May 2011.
Under the law, all youth products containing
lead must now have less than 300 parts per million
by weight. The CPSC has interpreted the law to
apply to various components of youth-model motorcycles
and ATVs, including the engine, brakes, suspension,
battery and other mechanical parts. Even though
the lead levels in these parts are small, they
are still above the minimum threshold.
The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer
Protection of the U.S. House Committee on Energy
and Commerce will hold Thursday's hearing, titled:
"Consumer Product Safety Commission Oversight:
Current Issues and a Vision for the Future."
CPSC Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum will be the only
testifier.
This hearing is the first one sponsored by this
subcommittee since the CPSIA passed 13 months
ago. It is important that motorcyclists and ATV
riders let Congress know that they are concerned
about the lead-content requirements of the CPSIA,
and that they want youth-model off-highway vehicles
excluded from those requirements.
Riders should contact their U.S. representatives
and let them know how the CPSIA has created a
severe and unwarranted disruption to families
who ride together responsibly, and a deleterious
effect on youth amateur racing. Because the fastest
way to permanently address this issue is through
legislation, riders should urge their representatives
to support H.R. 1587, introduced by Rep. Denny
Rehberg (R-At Large-Mont.), to exempt youth-sized
motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA.
You can find contact information for your elected
officials by entering your zip code in the "Find
your Officials" box here.
Additionally, a prewritten e-mail is available
for you to send to your representative immediately
by following the "Take Action" option
and entering your information.
ATV riders can do the same by going through the
Rapid Response Center on ATVAonline.com.
It is particularly important to contact members
of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer
Protection. They are U.S. Reps.:
Bobby Rush (D-Chicago-Tinley Park, Ill.), chairman
Jan Schakowsky (D-Chicago-Des Plaines, Ill.) vice
chairwoman
George Radanovich (R-Oakdale-Kerman, Calif.),
ranking minority member
Mary Bono Mack (R-Hemet-Blythe, Calif.)
Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento, Calif.)
Henry Waxman (D-Agoura Hills-Westlake Village,
Calif.) (ex officio)
Diana DeGette (D-Denver, Colo.)
Kathy Castor (D-Tampa, Fla.)
Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala, Fla.)
John Barrow (D-Springfield-Crawfordville, Ga.)
Phil Gingrey, M.D. (R-Marietta-Rome, Ga.)
Bruce Braley (D-Cedar Falls-Dubuque, Iowa)
Ed Whitfield (R-Fulton-Casey, Ky.)
Steve Scalise (R-Hammond-Mandeville, La.)
John Sarbanes, M.D. (D-Baltimore City-Annapolis,
Md.)
John Dingell (D-Detroit, Mich.) (ex officio)
Bart Stupak (D-U.P.-Alpena, Mich.)
Lee Terry (R-Omaha, Neb.)
G. K. Butterfield (D-Roanoke Rapids-New Bern,
N.C.)
Sue Wilkins Myrick (R-Gastonia-Matthews, N.C.)
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-Plainfield-Asbury Park,
N.J.)
Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn-Queens, N.Y.)
Zachary Space (D-Athens-Millersburg, Ohio)
Betty Sutton (D-Lorain-Akron, Ohio)
John Sullivan (R-Bartlesville-Bixby, Okla.)
Tim Murphy (R-Pittsburgh-Greensburg, Pa.)
Joseph R. Pitts (R-Columbia-West Chester, Pa.)
Bart Gordon (D-Robertson-Marshall, Tenn.)
Joe Barton (R-Ennis-Crockett, Texas) (ex officio)
Charles Gonzalez (D-San Antonio-Kirby, Texas)
Gene Green (D-Cloverleaf, Texas)
Jim Matheson (D-St. George-Vernal, Utah)
|
Fighting
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All Terrain Vehicle Association
P.O. Box 800
Pickerington, OH 43147-0800 |
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