Congressional Motorcycle Caucus formed in U.S. House PICKERINGTON, Ohio — U.S. Reps. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) and Tim Griffin (R-Ark.) are serving as co-chairmen of the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus for the new 113th Congress, the American Motorcyclist Association reports. The bi-partisan caucus, which has existed for many years, was formally recognized by the House for the new Congress. Official caucuses must register and be recognized at the start of every two-year Congress. The caucus is made up of members of Congress who are passionate about motorcycling and who work to promote the interests of motorcyclists. “It’s wonderful to have Reps. Burgess and Griffin leading the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus,” said Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations and a former U.S. senator and representative from Colorado. “The Congressional Motorcycle Caucus is made up of dedicated members of Congress who ensure that motorcyclists aren’t forgotten on Capitol Hill. Reps. Burgess and Griffin have proven that they are true friends of motorcycling. “We look forward to working with our old friends in the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus, as well as new members who join, to help protect and promote the motorcycling lifestyle,” Allard said. Burgess said that he was looking forward to working with Griffin on the Caucus. “We welcome the registration of the Motorcycle Caucus for the 113th Congress,” Burgess said. “Having previously served as the Caucus chair, I welcome Congressman Tim Griffin as co-chair. We, along with other congressional members, will once again provide a platform and a voice here in Washington for motorcycle enthusiasts and our safety.” “I look forward to growing the Motorcycle Caucus as the voice in Congress for America’s more than 25 million motorcyclists,” Griffin said. “As a rider, I recognize that there are many important issues affecting us, such as unreasonable limits on trail riding areas, the need for additional safety awareness, and ethanol mandates that harm motorcycle engines.” Caucus Member and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Vice Chairman John Duncan said, “Motorcycling is important to my district and to me personally. I look forward to continuing to work with the co-chairs and other members to highlight the need for motorcycle safety and to promote the use of motorcycles and scooters as fun, fuel efficient transportation options for many Americans.” The CMC includes members of Congress from both sides of the aisle who are committed to advancing motorcycling and improving the safety of motorcyclists. At the start of each Congress, all caucuses must be reestablished and recognized formally by the House. This is the fourth consecutive congressional session that the CMC has been organized. About the American Motorcyclist Association Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com . More, from a press release issued by Motorcycle Industry Council: Motorcycle Caucus Officially Registered for the 113th Congress Representative Michael Burgess Joined by Representative Tim Griffin as Co-Chair IRVINE, Calif., May 10, 2013 – Congressional Motorcycle Caucus Co-chairs, Representatives Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Tim Griffin (R-AR) today announced that the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus (CMC) has been officially registered for the 113th Congress. At the start of each Congress all official caucuses must be reestablished and recognized formally by the U.S. House of Representatives. The CMC is a bipartisan group of Members of Congress committed to advancing motorcycling and improving the safety of motorcyclists. This is the fourth consecutive Congressional session that the CMC has been formed. “We are excited to reregister the Motorcycle Caucus for the 113th Congress,” Burgess said. “Having been the Caucus’ chair previously, I am glad that we can once again provide a platform and a voice for motorcycle enthusiasts here in Washington. Also, I am pleased that Congressman Tim Griffin has decided to become Co-Chair; he along with the other Congressional Members will be able to provide valuable insight as we seek to develop and implement the Caucus’ agenda.” “I look forward to growing the Motorcycle Caucus as the voice in Congress for America’s more than 25 million motorcyclists,” Griffin said. “As a rider, I recognize that there are many important issues affecting us, such as unreasonable limits on trail riding areas, the need for additional safety awareness, and ethanol mandates that harm motorcycle engines.” Caucus Member and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Vice Chairman, John Duncan said, “Motorcycling is important to my District and to me personally. I look forward to continuing to work with the Co-Chairs and other members to highlight the need for motorcycle safety and to promote the use of motorcycles and scooters as fun, fuel efficient transportation options for many Americans.” MIC’s Director of Federal Affairs, Duane Taylor noted, “Motorcyclists continue to have strong support in Congress, and the Caucus Co-Chairs and members will provide all riders a powerful voice as transportation policy continues to evolve. Everyone who rides owes a debt of gratitude to the Caucus members as they advocate for our safety and ensure that motorcycles are considered by Congress in hearings, on the House floor and in legislation.” He continued, “I encourage all riders to get in contact with and urge their Member of Congress to join the Motorcycle Caucus. While we currently have strong support, riders can only benefit from having more Members formally associate themselves with motorcycling and motorcycle safety.” The Motorcycle Caucus has actively highlighted motorcycling by passing Congressional Resolutions supporting the goals of May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, hosting a Capitol Hill event attended by the Secretary of Transportation, drawing attention to Ride to Work Day and ensuring that motorcycle safety is remembered in the transportation reauthorization process. 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, MIC a national industry association 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 .