Earlier this year, Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho introduced the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act (CARS Act). This bill is similar to legislation that Congressman Tim Walberg introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The focus of the bill is the protection of the internal combustion engine. It does this in two ways. First, the bill prohibits the use of authority under the Clean Air Act to issue regulations that mandate the use of any specific technology or regulations that limit the availability of new motor vehicles based on that vehicle’s engine type. Second, the legislation requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update any regulations that result in the limited availability of new vehicles based on that vehicle’s engine.

 The legislation would overturn a 2024 EPA rule, which currently would result in about 56% of new vehicles sold between 2030 and 2032 having to be electric.

Currently, the bill has 23 Senate cosponsors, but we need to improve that number! If you want to save the internal combustion engine, ask your Senator to cosponsor S. 995.

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THIS CALL TO ACTION!

Recent actions in Washington D.C. have focused on rolling back regulations implemented by the State of California that would threaten the future of the internal combustion engine. The Clean Air Act, passed by Congress in 1970, created a process by which the State of California can seek a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enact its own emissions standards rather than follow federal standards. Additionally, other states are allowed to tie their emissions standards to those enacted by California.

Many in Congress think it is time for this special power California wields to end. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation agrees! In the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, bills were introduced that would eliminate the waiver process and prevent other states from adopting California standards.

Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah are leading the charge to prevent bureaucrats in Sacramento, CA from killing the internal combustion engine.  If you agree it’s time for California to play by the same rules, tell your Representative and Senators to cosponsor “The Stop California from Advancing Regulatory Burden (Stop CARB) Acts” (H.R. 2218 & S. 1072).

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR CALL TO ACTION!

This week, the House of Representatives passed two bills crafted to overturn regulations approved by the Biden Administration, allowing California to mandate more electric trucks and cars be sold in the state. The bills, H.J. Res 87 and H.J. Res 88, will help to protect the internal combustion engine, a top legislative priority for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. They received bipartisan support in the House of Representatives.

Now that the House has started the ball rolling, it is time for the U.S. Senate to act. This process is called the Congressional Review Act, which only requires a simple majority to pass the bill. The usual 60-vote filibuster threshold does not apply to these bills in the Senate.

Contact your U.S. Senator, tell them to protect the internal combustion engine.

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT CALL TO ACTION

This week, the leadership of the House Motorcycle Caucus introduced H. Res 367, expressing support for the designation of May 2025 as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Rep. Tim Walberg (MI), the longtime chairman of the House Motorcycle Caucus was the lead sponsor for this bill.

Across the nation, cities and states are also introducing motorcycle awareness resolutions and decrees. H. Res 367 lists several reasons why May is important for motorcycling awareness.  Perhaps the best section of the resolution is the line, “Motorcyclists have a right to the road and that all motorists should safely share the roadways.”

Those in the motorcyclists’ rights movement understand that the future of motorcycling is threatened. We thank the lawmakers who took the time to clearly point out that bikers have a right to use our nation's roadways!

Happy May, Ride Safe and Ride Free

Thursday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it is updating rules to allow domestically produced autonomous vehicles to qualify for exemptions from U.S. auto safety standards previously offered only to imports. NHTSA will continue to require car makers and other companies to report crashes involving self-driving systems while loosening some reporting requirements.

NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser said of the move that NHTSA is “Actively engaged in developing a multi-faceted regulatory framework for vehicles with automated driving systems.”

It is still too early to know how these changes will impact motorcyclists. However, the move does signal a push by the Trump Administration to remove previous restrictions on self-driving vehicles. For the last decade, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has been raising concerns that this new technology may be unable to recognize and react to motorcyclists.  Now more than ever, the MRF will remain vigilant, work with our partners on Capitol Hill and fight to protect the safety of everyone on our national roadways.

Earlier this month, two (2) members of the U.S. Senate introduced a new Right-to-Repair bill. This bill is similar to the House version, H.R. 1566 and has the same name, the "Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act’’ or simply the ‘‘REPAIR Act.’’ The Senate version of the REPAIR Act, S. 1379, was introduced by Senator Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri.

Senate bill S. 1379 represents the first time a Right-to-Repair bill of this nature is being introduced in the U.S. Senate. Previous versions of the REPAIR Act have passed the House of Representatives, but this action in the Senate clearly demonstrates the growing interest in Right-to-Repair legislation.

According to Senator Lujan, lead sponsor of the bill, “Giving vehicle owners, independent repair shops and aftermarket manufacturers access to vehicle repair and maintenance data is critical to improving repair options.” The Motorcycle Riders Foundation agrees and we hope other Senators support this effort.

To tell your U.S. Senators to support the REPAIR Act, CLICK HERE.

Should you have the choice of where to bring your motorcycle for repairs or to do the work yourself? Should you have access to the parts, tools and service information required to maintain, service and modify your bike? Do you want to control who may access the data from your motorcycle and its use? If you answered yes to these questions, it is time to contact your member of the House of Representatives and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 1566, the “Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act”, known as the “REPAIR Act."

The REPAIR Act ensures that vehicle owners or repair shops can access the information, software or tools needed to work on vehicles. This proposed commonsense law establishes rules regarding vehicle data access and will help preserve consumer choice and a fair marketplace.

A similar bill was introduced during the last session of Congress and cosponsored by 56 Representatives. We need to surpass that number during this session. Help us today!

Click here to contact your member of Congress and make a difference in D.C.

CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CALL TO ACTION

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation and in fact, the entire motorcycling community worldwide, have lost a leader, a mentor and a friend. Mark Buckner ended a long and hard battle with cancer on March 15, 2025. This is perhaps the only battle he ever lost.

Mark served in countless capacities in the motorcyclists’ rights movement, including Executive Director of ABATE of Colorado, President of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) and most recently as Executive Director for the MRF.

He has also been inducted into numerous halls of fame, among them, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame as a Freedom Fighter, the American Motorcyclist Association Hall of Fame and Museum and the Motorcycle Riders Foundation Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame.

He was a tenacious freedom fighter and pulled no punches. He didn’t have to agree with someone in order to be able to find a way to work with them. He was an incredible leader, mentor and friend for everyone on two wheels. He had many friends and colleagues across the country and around the world. Mark has ridden motorcycles in places many of us only dream of.

He was a wonderful recruiter of members and leadership into the biker rights movement. Many of today’s leaders can share experiences about being “Bucknered”.

His contributions and dedication have resulted in tremendous advances in motorcyclists’ rights and he will be greatly missed by all.

Ride in Peace Mark. 

In recent years, California has implemented policies that require rapid growth in market share for electric vehicles and threaten the survival of the internal combustion engine.  These plans and others threatening older and classic cars have begun to face increased pushbacks in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento.

Lawmakers in Congress have set their sights on revoking many regulations approved at the end of the last presidential administration, some of which have allowed California to shape custom emission standards. Using the Congressional Review Act (CRA), Congress has the power to overturn rules and regulations issued by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) if they fall within a specific “lookback window” for review. To do this requires a simple majority in both the House and Senate, so the Senate filibuster rule does not come into play.

While the CRA process deals with rolling back regulations already in place, there is growing talk of revoking the unique power the State of California wields to set its own standards to begin with. Increasingly, lawmakers are discussing options that would revoke the ability of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to seek waivers from the EPA permitting them to craft their own emission rules outside of federal guidelines. Revoking this waiver process would mean California must comply with the same rules as the other 49 states.

California state lawmakers are also looking at rolling back some of the state rules regarding emissions. Under current law, vehicles manufactured before 1976 are exempt from biennial smog checks. Cars at least 35 years old may also be exempt, provided they are insured as collector motor vehicles, comply with emissions standards for their time and pass a functional inspection of the fuel cap and a visual inspection for liquid fuel leaks. The proposed legislation would expand the exemption to all vehicles at least 35 years old, so long as they are insured as collector motor vehicles, no fuel cap or leak inspection required.

Senate Bill 712, as it is known, has gained some national headlines due to support from comedian Jay Leno, a lifelong car collector with a collection of more than 180 cars and 160 motorcycles. Leno said of this issue, "California’s smog check laws for classic cars need to be updated - they vary too much from state to state, and California’s rules don’t match up with neighboring ones."

There is no question the discussion surrounding the survival of the internal combustion engine is evolving. Both federal and state officials are starting to rethink the rapid electrification of our transportation network and the need to preserve the internal combustion engine. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is pleased to see the debate on this topic change and will fight for your right to ride whatever type of motorcycle you want.