Virginia Freedom Riders :: Freedom Forums

Sharon · Road Warrior Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 201

Some Culpeper activists are making plans to attend this meeting. If you would like to hook up and travel with us please let me know.

MRF E-MAIL NEWS Motorcycle Riders Foundation
236 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Suite 510
Washington, DC 20002-4980
202-546-0983 (voice)
202-546-0986 (fax)
http://www.mrf.org (website)

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jeff Hennie, Vice President of Government Relations
Email: jeff@mrf.org

July 11, 2008

Senator Letourneau To Represent MRF at Congressional Hearing

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports that a hearing will be held by
the United States House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure. It will be conducted in the Subcommittee on Highways and
Transit. Congressman Peter DeFazio of Oregon - who is a good friend of
motorcyclists - chairs that sub-committee. The tile of the hearing is,
"Improving Highway Safety Assessing the Effectiveness of NHTSA's Highway
Safety Programs." At issue will be the rising number of motorcycle
fatalities. The hearing will be held at 10AM on July 16th in room 2167 of
the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington DC.

This is a rather routine hearing for the subcommittee. A hearing of this
type is typically held once every two year session of Congress to gather
information on what the agency side of Washington is up to. The hearing
was not called specifically to examine motorcycle safety but it will be a
key point of the hearing. At this time, the hearing will not address any
specific legislation nor will any legislation be voted on or even
considered.

Panelists will include the Advocates for Highway Safety, a group funded
almost exclusively by big insurance companies. As a wing of the insurance
industry, they are always trying to increase their profits under the guise
of safety. It's a thinly veiled attempt to save insurance providers from
having to pay out on a claim. Less fatalities on the highways is certainly
a good thing, however, the insurance companies don't want to save lives as
much as they want to save money.

The MRF was contacted by the subcommittee to provide a witness who could
speak to motorcycle safety from another point of view. The committee staff
requested that Washington based lobbyists not testify at the hearing -
thus excluding MRF Vice President of Government Relations Jeff Hennie from
direct participation.

The MRF is proud to say that New Hampshire State Senator Robert Letourneau
will be representing the motorcyclists on the panel. Senator Letourneau is
a member of the state Motorcycle Rider Education Advisory Board and the
Governor's Motorcycle Safety Task Force. Letourneau is Chairman of the New
Hampshire Civil War Memorial Commission as well as a motorcyclist for the
past 41 years. Letourneau also recently completed an experienced rider
education course so he practices what he preaches. Senator Letourneau is
known in the motorcycling world as "Radio Bob" and is a stalwart of the
rights movement.

The MRF invites you to attend the hearing if you live in the DC metro area
or are up for a ride to DC. Should you wish to attend the July 16th
hearing in 2167 of the Rayburn building please let us know. Email
Jeff@mrf.org or call 202-546-0983 and let us know you will be coming. We
hope to hear from you. While this subcommittee is friendly towards
motorcyclists, it's always good to have a few bikers in the room.

For more information on the hearing and the sub-committee members, you can
visit them on the internet at http://transportation.house.gov.
_________________
Sharon Keaton
VA Freedom Riders
ABATE of VA