OHV and lead-related legislation (good news)

[Dan Diego 40]

I rec'd this email update from Congressman Hunter's office today. Among other things, H.R. 2715 will allow kids to ride whatever bikes they want (even KTMs...ewwww!).

Dear Dan:

As someone who enjoys recreational off-roading, I wanted to update you on some important news. I think you will agree this is a good first step in protecting America's small businesses from government over-regulation.

The House recently passed legislation which provides the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) with greater authority and discretion in enforcing federal consumer product safety laws, particularly as it pertains to the lead clause contained in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008. As you may recall, this federal law was originally passed by Congress with the good intentions of protecting children against over-exposure to lead. Unfortunately there were unintended consequences when the CPSC banned a variety of products spanning from off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and OHV parts to items as innocuous as pencils and school supplies. This enforcement was a direct threat to many small businesses in our community that were facing the prospect of taking a large part of their inventory off the shelves of their stores.

It is for this reason that I was pleased to vote in favor of H.R. 2715, which passed the House by a margin of 421-2 on August 1, 2011. This common sense reform received bipartisan support and provides the CPSC the flexibility necessary to ensure that the CPSIA achieves its goal of protecting children against lead while, at the same time, not apply this regulation to products that do not fall into a category of risk. Currently, H.R. 2715 has been referred to the Senate for consideration and, given the bipartisan approach of this bill, I am very hopeful that action will be taken on it in the near future.

Thank you for the opportunity to update you on this important issue. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this or any other issue, please do not hesitate to let me know and I encourage you to visit www.hunter.house.gov where you can email me and sign up to receive updates and an e-newsletter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Duncan Hunter

Member of Congress

Please visit my website at hunter.house.gov to sign up for my e-newsletter and receive electronic updates.

[KTMrad 513]

Thanks Dan.

Please keep an eye on similar related issues in the AMA Press Release forum...HERE is another post about this bill.

Yes, good news !

[KTMrad 513]

And this bill has gone to the prez to be signed.......

Bill to exempt kids' off-highway vehicles from lead law sent to president

August 01, 2011

The U.S. Senate has approved a House bill to exempt kids' off-highway vehicles (OHVs) from the lead law that essentially bans the sale of those machines at the end of the year, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports.

The bill, H.R. 2715 introduced by Reps. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.) and G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), cleared the full House by a 421-2 vote on Aug. 1, and then earned approval in the Senate the same day. The bill now goes to President Obama to be signed into law.

"We're extremely pleased that members of both parties in both houses of Congress have agreed to exempt kids' dirtbikes and all-terrain vehicles from the lead law that would have effectively banned them at the end of the year," said AMA Washington Representative Rick Podliska.

"It is time for this nearly three-year ordeal to be over so America's motorcycling and ATV-riding families can once again ride with the peace of mind that their lifestyle will no longer be threatened by this misguided lead law," Podliska said. "I particularly want to thank Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) for their tireless efforts to exempt youth OHVs from the lead law. Their efforts have paid off."

The legislation exempts OHVs -- including kids' dirtbikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) -- from the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008.

The CPSIA bans the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under that contains more than a specified amount of lead in any accessible part. It also requires all children's products undergo periodic testing by independent laboratories approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which is responsible for implementing the law.

The CPSC has delayed enforcing key portions of the law until after the end of the year. Unless the CPSIA is changed by then, the sale of child-sized dirtbikes and ATVs will effectively be banned.

The CPSIA was designed to ban small toys with high lead content. But because of broadly written language in the law, it has been interpreted to apply to all products for kids 12 and under, including dirtbikes, ATVs, bicycles, clothing and books.

The AMA has been at the forefront of the fight to exclude child-sized motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA for more than two years. The association has participated in news events to focus media attention on the issue, lobbied on Capitol Hill, and organized campaigns to encourage riders and parents to contact their federal lawmakers and key decision-makers to exempt kids' OHVs from the CPSIA.

As a result, every single member of Congress, as well as members of the CPSC, has received powerful statements from members of the AMA and the All-Terrain Vehicle Association (ATVA), which is a partner organization of the AMA.

The AMA magnified these efforts through its "Kids Just Want to Ride" campaign. To read more of what the AMA has done for the past three years in its efforts to exempt kids' OHVs from the CPSIA, go to http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/KeepKidMotorcyclesAndATVsLegal.aspx.

[bikeslut 1]

"I just want to ride it... I promise not to lick it"

One of the greatest shirts ever

[Dan Diego 40]

Uh, yeah, but that wasn't a motorcycle shirt...

"I just want to ride it... I promise not to lick it"

One of the greatest shirts ever

[KTMrad 513]

Obama signed the Bill into law.....a victory for kid's OHV's !