For the past several weeks the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has been actively working on a multi-tiered strategic initiative to counter the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) program to pressure states into enacting mandatory helmet laws. We are prepared today to launch the program beginning with a Call to Action to our State Motorcycle Rights Organizations (SMROs).

The MRF's Call to Action is to encourage our SMRO partners to send their top lobbying teams to Washington D.C. in late October and early November to visit with their members of Congress to voice opposition to the NTSB's lobbying efforts. It is our position that the NTSB is proposing to directly lobby the states with federal tax money based on poorly-drawn conclusions, using a very narrow scope, and not employing the rigors of research to which they normally hold themselves. This is simply not acceptable to the MRF and our SMRO partners. A clear message was sent by the Senate in the 109th Congress when they voted 69-28 to defeat the Lautenberg Federal Helmet amendment, which would have pressured states into passing mandatory helmet laws, based on the fact that this issue is clearly a State's rights issue. Accordingly, we will be asking members of Congress to write a letter to the NTSB reminding them of this fact.

During these SMRO visits we will also be presenting a bullet point statistical fact sheet developed in conjunction with the MRF Legislative, Motorcycle Safety, and Statistics Committees that clearly shows that the answer to motorcycle safety and reducing fatalities is, in fact, an aggressive approach toward CRASH AVOIDANCE and NOT safer crashing. In addition, we will be educating members of Congress on the many points contained in our Motorcycle Safety Action Plan, pointing out to them that states with the highest reductions in motorcycle fatalities and states with low fatality rates per registered motorcycle are not those with mandatory helmet laws, but rather states that utilize the many tools in the motorcycle safety action plan. Additionally, we will thank many of them for their belief in motorcycle safety shown by the creation of the 2010 motorcycle safety grants and the creation of the Motorcycle Advisory Council in TEA-LU. We will take advantage of this time to inform them as to how these programs are being used effectively.

The second phase of the MRF's strategic initiative involves the MRF holding a press conference in the first week of November in one of the office buildings of the United States House of Representatives in Washington, DC. The press conference will feature a prominent member of Congress. Expect another Call to Action encouraging our members, our SMRO partners, motorcyclists in general and other concerned citizens to attend. At that time we will be issuing a formal letter to the Chairman of the NTSB asking him to reconsider their proposed lobbying of the states and asking that he consider the statistical facts related to our Motorcycle Safety Action Plan and its effectiveness with regard to Crash Avoidance and NOT Safer Crashing as the goal.

For strategic reasons, the third phase of our initiative will be announced once we complete the necessary research and sufficient discussions have taken place. We will go on record, however, as stating that we will not rule out asking Congress to take action against the NTSB, as we have done with NHTSA in the past, should they continue to ignore the spirit of previous congressional mandates against federal agencies lobbying states on mandatory helmet laws.

Please take the time to make a phone call to our Federal Legislators voicing your concerns. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton can be contacted at 202-224-4451. Sen. Charles Schumer can be contacted at 202224-6542. Representative Michael Arcuri can be contacted at 202-225-3665.

Point of interest: President William Clinton did away with the Federal helmet law in 1995.

A Bill (A9434) on the state level, presented by Assemblyperson Patricia Eddington (Suffolk County) will require that motorcycles purchased from a dealer can only be purchased by a licensed motorcyclist, and all first time purchasers will be required to complete an approved motorcycle rider training course.

This bill does not pertain to first time car buyers, ATV buyers, boat buyers, or snowmobile purchases; just motorcycle purchases. I have contacted her office to get more information on why this would make motorcycling safer but have yet to get a reply. I also inquired if she planned to use some of the Federal highway money given to each state for motorcycle safety and education, to increase the number of rider courses and to help decrease the cost of the course.

New York State is getting almost $200,000 this year for motorcycle safety and education.

This bill to date has no Senate companion bill. This is the only new bill I have seen.

The State Office of ABATE has offered a 20% rebate to all chapters who spend at least $500 promoting motorcycle safety and education in a mass media format. I am going to look into getting 4ft. x 8ft. billboard type signs made up, to be placed in high visibility areas. They will most likely resemble the current lawn signs we have. Anyone with design ideas or friends in the sign printing business please contact me. It would be great if we could place them all over the county. We would welcome any assistance from other organization wishing to promote this cause. I want to have them done for Motorcycle Awareness Month in May.

Hope to see more of you at the next meeting. We still have open officer positions. This is your chapter, it will only

stay strong with your help and participation.

Kathy