South Carolina Motorcycle Rights Association

Musical Chair(people)

With Congress back in town after an extended summer recess, conversations about who will be in charge come 2025 are swirling. While the Presidential contest is the main event, the narrow margins in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House also have huge implications.

 The party with the majority of seats in Congress holds control of Congressional committees. So, the party with more seats also picks the chairs of the committees. Chairs set the committee agenda, decide what bills to consider and what bills to hold hearings on. Two key committees the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) focuses on, the House Energy and Commerce and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, face leadership changes.

If Republicans hold the House, the Energy & Commerce Committee will have a new head. That’s because current Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington State is retiring. Her retirement leaves open the leadership of one of the most powerful committees in Congress. If the Democrats take the House, former Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey will likely take the gavel back. This committee has jurisdiction over the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Right to Repair bills, so its actions significantly impact bikers.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee also may see a leadership change. Current Chair Sam Graves of Missouri faces a 6-year term limit Republicans place on committee heads. Chairman Graves is considering seeking a waiver to remain the top Republican on the committee, but it is unclear if he will receive that extension. If he is unsuccessful, several other committee Republicans have announced their plans to jump in the race. On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington State is the odds-on favorite to lead the Democrats. With a new highway bill on the horizon, the MRF is watching this race with great interest.

Congress is not a static body. Lawmakers come and go, and their power ebbs and flows. While the cast of characters is ever-changing, the MRF is here to stay. That is why the MRF has boots on the ground in D.C. to be your voice, regardless of who has the reins of power.