Federal Highway Bill headed to the President's Desk

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  Posted by RevBigJohn December 4, 2015 - Filed in Motorcycle News - 1,185 views
  

   

  The U.S. Senate approved the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act by an 83-16 vote within a few hours of the U.S. House voting 359-65 in favor of the highway bill compromise -  one day before the current funding extension was set to expire.

  It now heads to the President’s desk for signing. Indications are that he will sign it; giving us the first highway bill spanning longer than two years since 2005.

  The 5-year bill is a $305 billion dollar fully funded reauthorization of federal highway and transit programs.

  • Re-establishing the Motorcycle Advisory Council to advise the U.S. Department of Transportation on motorcycling infrastructure issues
  • Continuation of the funding of motorcycle safety grants
  • Funding distracted driving grant programs
  • Language titled Share-The-Road Model Language that requires the Secretary within 1 year of passage of the FAST Act to provide to the states model Share the Road language on the importance of sharing the road safely with motorcyclists
  • Stops Motorcycle Checkpoint federal grant funding  for any program to check helmet usage or to create checkpoints that specifically target motorcycle operators or motorcycle passengers
  • Limitations and owner definition on data retrieval from vehicle event data recorders

  The Motorcycle Riders Foundation would like to thank our former lobbyist, Jeff Hennie, for the tremendous effort he put into the positive measures of this highway bill.  Additionally, the MRF would like to recognize in appreciation our membership who worked tirelessly for several years in Washington D.C. and back in their home states to further this important bill.

  Kirk “Hardtail” Willard, MRF President

   

  All Information contained in this release is copyrighted. Reproduction permitted with attribution. Motorcycle Riders Foundation. All rights reserved. Ride With The Leaders ™ by joining the MRF at Membership or call (202) 546-0983