WASHINGTON, August 1, 2011 - The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for taking a major step in stopping the ban on youth ATVs and motorcycles by passing today H.R. 2517, a bill that categorically excludes powersports vehicles from the lead content provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
"For more than two years, the powersports industry and its riders have urged Congress to categorically exclude youth dirtbikes and ATVs from the CPSIA's lead content provisions," said Paul Vitrano, general counsel of the MIC. "We are most grateful that our collective voices finally have been heard and the House has taken action to permanently stop the unintentional ban on youth models. We wish to thank Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) for sponsoring the bill and Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT) and Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) for leading the effort to enact the categorical exclusion."
Although the passage of the House bill is a significant step in the right direction, the ban has not been lifted yet. The U.S. Senate must now pass the same bill and President Obama must sign the legislation in order to stop the ban.
"It is time for the entire powersports community - riders, dealers, aftermarket companies, allied businesses and manufacturers - to take action to ensure this ban is ended," said Vitrano. "If you care about the future of OHV riding and keeping our youngest riders safe, you must contact your Senators today and ask them to vote in favor of the House bill."
The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications and media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, development of data communications standards, and activities surrounding technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit, national industry association, MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers and distributors of motorcycles, scooters, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts and accessories, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment firms, media companies and consultants.
The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Visit the MIC at www.mic.org.