Bikers Inside the Beltway – The Motorcycle Riders Foundation has completed the preliminary work to pave the way to Washington, D.C., your attendance at Bikers Inside the Beltway will make a difference.
You still have time to take part in this exercise in participatory democracy. Half-a-world away, Ukrainians are not so blessed. They are defending their country from a despot hellbent on destroying the country and any semblance of democracy. Those freedom fighting Ukrainians would gladly trade places with any one of us if that’s all they had to do to preserve their country and freedom.
Is the MRF’s legislative agenda to support anti-profiling, renewable fuel education, and autonomous vehicle standards benchmarks to protect democracy? Compared to what the Ukrainians are doing to defend their democracy, hardly. However, the siege against your rights, your freedom, your lifestyle, and yes, your motorcycles is not going to go away because motorcyclists wish it so. Ukrainians do not have the luxury of traveling to their capitol in Kyiv. Attending Bikers Inside the Beltway and taking part in participatory democracy is still a luxury you should not take lightly.
“Let us refuse to be silent! Speaking freely is a decisive step forward on the road to freedom” – Leyla Zana
Remaining silent and not acting is an option that the MRF will not exercise, and neither should you. Since 1989, the MRF has brought over a thousand motorcyclists to Washington to meet with their members of Congress with the sole mission of promoting a legislative agenda that continues to successfully become law on behalf of all street riding motorcyclists.
Your personal visit to Congress does make a difference. In 2021, co-sponsors on MRF supported legislation rose over 20 percent during Bikers Inside the Beltway. Numbers make a difference. Currently, there are almost ninety co-sponsors on H. Res 366 – an anti-profiling resolution. By joining other freedom loving motorcyclists, you can help increase those co-sponsors and the resolution can move forward.
The MRF’s legislative agenda – beyond the three items listed below -- recommended and approved by SMRO leaders at the 2021 Meeting of the Minds, is not all-inclusive. Changing ethanol 15 to all-year availability demonstrates why the MRF’s legislative agenda is important:
- Profiling: Sustain lobbying efforts for the passage of resolutions or legislation that promotes awareness and prohibition of motorcyclists profiling.
- Renewable Fuels: Advocate for targeted changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Support the universal availability of approved fuel blends, containing no more than 10 percent ethanol by volume. Ensure that consumers are educated on proper fuel usage.
- Autonomous Vehicles: Advocate and monitor any legislation or regulations related to motorcycles concerning connected and autonomous vehicles (AV) including endorsing rulemaking to set new standards specific to seeing, detecting, and properly reacting to motorcycles. Ensure motorcycles are part of all testing and development procedure.
Join us to ensure that the mission of getting our message to Congress does not fail, please consider the following:
- Make your appointments locally or in Washington.
- Familiarize yourself with the briefing points.
- Confirm your appointment locally or in Washington.
- Virtual or in person, make notes on your meeting.
- Share your meeting notes with the MRF.
Numbers do make a difference toward accomplishing the legislative goals of the MRF. All 435 members of the House of Representatives are up for reelection. Thirty-four members of the Senate are up for election. Numbers do make a difference. Like it or not, legislators tend to listen better during election years.
Paving the way for the long haul is what the MRF does to ensure that the future of motorcycling survives. It is not too late to use that “paved way” to help the numbers make a difference.
Rooms are available until May 15, through the hotel direct line 703-684-5900 and use reference code MRF. And while you are there, make plans to attend a meeting of the MRF Board of Directors on May 16 at the Embassy Suites, 1900 Diagonal Road, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Bikers Inside the Beltway 2022 – The Motorcycle Riders Foundation – “Speaking freely is a decisive step forward on the road to freedom”
Yours in Freedom,
Fred
Fredric Harrell
DIRECTOR OF CONFERENCES & EVENTS