legislation

Ethanol in the Courts and in Congress

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In the last few weeks, the ethanol industry has suffered two major court case defeats. Earlier this month, the D.C. Court of Appeals struck down the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule allowing for year-round sales of E15. In May 2019 the EPA issued a rule change ending a summer ban on the sale of E15 blend. Provisions of the Clean Air Act have prohibited the sale of certain fuels with a higher volatility from June 1 through Sept. 15, including E15. The court ruled that Congress did not intend to allow ethanol blends higher than 10% to be sold year-round and that the EPA overstepped its authority by implementing the change. Not surprisingly, in response to the court ruling, a bipartisan group of lawmakers from major corn producing states introduced a bill Wednesday that aims to allow the year-round sale of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol. U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) and U.S. Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN) and Adrian Smith (R-NE) introduced bipartisan bills to permit the year-round sale of E15. The bill was cosponsored in the Senate by Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Tina Smith (D-MN) and John Thune (R-SD). In the House Representatives, Cindy Axne (D-IA), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Dusty Johnson (R- SD) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) were all original cosponsors of the bill. This legislation faces a tough road ahead in Congress with a diverse set of stakeholders and lawmakers opposed to increased ethanol mandates. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation applauds the court for striking down the year-round mandate and will work with like-minded groups to oppose legislation that would reopen the door to the year-round sale of E15. To read what pro ethanol Senators […]

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Paradise Bikernet Weekly News for July 15th, 2021

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Thursdays are often wild days. Thursdays are tough since I’m trying to focus on the news. Brothers are calling about Sturgis plans, which are ever-changing. We are working with Markus Cuff on a feature around a new whacky Petersen Museum Exhibit on long distance travelers. I’m working on a report about stolen motorcycle stories. I was thinking about a fictional series, but I may just post the real stories. There are lessons in each one. In the meantime, remember to ride free. We are living in the best of times. –Bandit Click Here to Read the Weekly News only on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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House Passes Highway Bill – Biker Priorities Included

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Thursday morning the full House of Representatives passed H.R. 3684 the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act or the INVEST in America Act. This bill is more commonly referred to as the highway bill. The bill is over 1,500 pages, spends $715 billion and includes five beneficial provisions for motorcyclists. The final vote on passage was 221 for and 201 against. Two Republicans voted in favor and no Democrats opposed. The Senate has begun work on their version of the highway bill and the two chambers will eventually need to work out the differences before an agreed upon bill is sent to the President for his signature. Traditionally, a highway bill has a five-year lifespan before Congress must fund and reauthorize programs again. Typically, highway bills occur in years ending in 0’s and 5’s. The last highway bill expired in 2020 but was given a one-year extension as Congress was unable to reach a compromise. Congress now faces a September 30th deadline to pass a new highway bill and reauthorize crucial transportation and safety related programs. Below is a brief recap of the five motorcyclist related items that the House of Representatives approved and included in this major piece of legislation: Profiling: The bill includes an update to current federal law on the issue of motorcycle only check points. The bill passed today includes language that prohibits state and local governments from using funds from the Department of Transportation to “profile and stop motorcycle operators or motorcycle passengers using as a factor the clothing or mode of transportation of such operators or passengers.” Traffic Stop Data Collection: An amendment to the bill by Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-R) and Congressman Michael Burgess (TX-R) added the term “mode of transportation” to a newly created

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The Independence Day Coming Bikernet Weekly News for July 1, 2021

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I go from dawn to dusk trying to stay prepared and be pro-active. Then as it reaches about 7:00 I grab a beer and head to a chair under a blooming maple tree to relax with a pile of the Redhead’s most magnificent bowl of guacamole. We sit and ponder the goals for the next day. Micah is working on our plans for Bonneville. Tonight, after the news I get to have a Jack on the Rocks under the maple tree. And this weekend I want to take the ’69 Panhead out for a test ride. Let’s hit the news. Have a terrific holiday and ride free forever! –Bandit Click Here to read the Weekly News only on Bikernet. Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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NCOM Biker Newsbytes for June 2021

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by Bill Bish from The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) Ban Deadlines, Covid Obstructions, Infrastructure Guidelines, Checkpoint Funding, Motorcycle Advisory Council, Lane Splitting and more SYNTHETIC FUEL COULD SAVE MOTORCYCLES FROM ELECTROCUTION MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURERS STRUGGLE TO DELIVER NEW BIKES INITIAL HIGHWAY BILL CONTAINS MOTORCYCLE-FRIENDLY PROVISIONS MOTO INDUSTRY REPORTS MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AT AN ALL-TIME LOW SEATBELTS FOR MOTORCYCLES A THIRD OF MOTORCYCLISTS WOULD STOP RIDING IF ELECTRIC REPLACES GAS OREGON GOVERNOR VETOES LANE-SPLITTING BILL FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR NCOM CONVENTION IN DES MOINES Click Here to Read the NCOM News on Bikernet. Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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The Quirky Bikernet Weekly News for June 17th, 2021

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Hey, I’m catching on, catching up and catching the Rally vibe. If you live in these regions, it’s like living with a mercurial girlfriend. If she’s in a bad mood you can’t get shit done. That’s the weather around here, and I think it’s cool. During the summer, you plan and hope to get as much shit done as possible. The other driving force for some is the rally. That’s our driving force this year. I decided to keep the Deadwood digs so bros could hang out here during the rally including my grandson and his pals. We are trying like hell not to burn any daylight. We have content headed your way from Dmac. I hope to get started on Dan’s feature next week, and I hope you enjoy chapter 94 of the Bandit’s Cantina series. Let me know what you think. In the meantime, Ride Fast and Free Forever. – Bandit Click Here to Read the Weekly News only on Bikernet. Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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David Chipman Back in Senate Judiciary Committee This Thursday

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This Thursday, June 17th, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on David Chipman’s nomination for ATF Director. If approved, his nomination would then be sent to the full U.S. Senate for a final confirmation vote. During Chipman’s nomination hearing on May 26th, he admitted that he supports not only a ban on commonly owned firearms, but thinks we should have more restrictive gun control than the European Union! We are asking that you please contact your Senators and urge them to oppose David Chipman as ATF Director by clicking the red button below. CLICK TO CONTACT YOUR SENATORS As if Chipman’s history as a gun control advocate and his desire to ban the most commonly owned firearms in this country wasn’t bad enough, he also has a strong disregard for the facts surrounding “Assault Weapons”. Since the 1994 “Clinton Assault Weapons Ban”, there have been numerous government-run studies proving these bans to be ineffective, but these facts don’t seem to matter to Chipman, as he has repeatedly demonstrated. If you have already sent your Senators an email, please take some time to give them a call as well. You can call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224- 3121 and they can connect you with your Senator’s office, or you can look up your Senator’s information on this chart. NRA-ILA Grassroots Programs & Campaign Field Operations http://www.nrailafrontlines.com/

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The Crazy Bikernet Weekly News for June 10th, 2021

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Life is Nuts, So Let’s Party We are about to publish a story about the motorcycle boom during the Covid era. It’s interesting how our industry flourished when the world was shut down. I’m about to finish a Life and Times piece about our move to the Badlands. I’m hoping it will help others, who are grappling with similar decisions. It was a stressful challenge but well worth every box of crap we hauled out here. I’m working on a Cantina Episode, a few bike features, and a girls of bikernet feature. In the meantime, ride free forever! –Bandit Click Here to Read the Weekly News only on Bikernet. Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Highway Bill Unveiled for 2021

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Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure unveiled its 2021 highway bill, titled the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in American Act. As you may remember, every five years Congress is required to reauthorize many of the highway related spending bills it passes. The current highway bill, known as the FAST Act, was given a one-year extension last year and is set to expire in September of 2021. The bill introduced Friday is a key component of the major infrastructure spending push the Biden Administration has made a top priority. For the last two years, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation and its members have diligently educated and lobbied lawmakers about the need to include motorcyclist specific priorities in a new highway bill. These grassroots efforts were given a boost with the inclusion of three major motorcyclist specific items in the bill. The Democrat lead bill includes the following provisions in its nearly 1,300 pages of text: Expanded prohibition on motorcycle only check points, including prohibiting using the clothing or apparel of riders or their passengers to profile or target bikers. Reestablishment of the Motorcyclist Advisory Council, which gives bikers a voice within the Federal Highway Administration. Included in the bill, a seat on the council is specifically designated for a “representative of a national motorcycle foundation.” Inclusion of motorcycles as a specific category that autonomous vehicle studies must account for during the testing of this new technology. Additionally, a motorcyclist rights organization is assigned a seat on an autonomous vehicle working group at the U.S. Department of Transportation. The road ahead for a massive infrastructure plan remains uncertain. Negotiations between the House, Senate and White House will be contentious and as always political. However, what is certain is that

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Oregon governor blocks motorcycle ‘lane splitting’ bill

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by Sara Cline from https://www.sfgate.com Earlier this month, Oregon lawmakers passed a bill that would allow motorcyclists to drive between slow or stopped traffic. However, despite bipartisan approval and hundreds of letters of written testimony — overwhelmingly in favor of the “lane splitting” legislation — Gov. Kate Brown this week vetoed the measure, citing public safety concerns. “I have several concerns with the bill as currently drafted, particularly related to public safety and noncompliance,” Brown said in a Wednesday letter to the state Senate president and House speaker, which was obtained by Oregon Public Broadcasting. Senate Bill 574 would have permitted motorcyclists to drive between lanes, on multilane highways, when traffic slowed to 10 mph (16 kph) or less — also known as “lane splitting” or “lane filtering.” In this situation, motorcyclists riding between cars could travel no more than 10 mph faster than the flow of traffic. States like California and Utah have enacted similar laws. While this idea concerned some drivers, motorcyclists argued lane splitting actually improves safety. “Perhaps one of the more dangerous situations for any on-highway motorcyclist is being caught in congested traffic, where stop-and-go vehicles, distracted and inattentive vehicle operators and environmental conditions pose an increased risk of physical contact with another vehicle or hazard,” Nicholas Haris, a representative for the American Motorcyclist Association, said in written testimony. “Even minor contact under such conditions can be disastrous for motorcyclists.” According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, in 2018, the most recent data available, there were 78 deadly motorcycle crashes in the state. “I have witnessed — during rolling traffic slowdowns on the Southern California freeway — motorcyclists cautiously, slowly and effectively moving through traffic and eliminating themselves from the traffic backup,” Kate Stoller, an Oregon motorcyclist, said in written testimony. In Utah, legislation passed in

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