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MMA Alert: MRF Announces Letter to the CDC from the United States Congress

Published on 10/2/2013
Massachusetts Motorcycle Association Alert
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation Announces Letter to the CDC from the United States Congress.

The following alert was issued by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation and is supported and endorsed by the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association.  The MMA asks that all riders, family, and friends, consider contacting their Representatives and Senators in Washington, DC, to ask them to co-sign this letter.  You can identify your Legislators at www.votesmart.org.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation has been working with United States Representative and longtime motorcycle defender Tom Petri of Wisconsin to send a letter to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) asking them to stop focusing on motorcycle safety.

The CDC released a report that claimed a universal motorcycle helmet law would save lives and money. The problem with the report was that it was simply a collection of a few antiquated studies done by a handful of government agencies which are just as unqualified to focus on motorcycle safety as the CDC.

"This letter will send a clear message to the CDC that Congress is extremely displeased that they are wasting precious tax payer money on areas completely outside their area of expertise" said Jeff Hennie, Vice President of Government Relations for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. "We don't need the CDC to focus on motorcycles when there are plenty of other government agencies already working on this."

The CDC report states that 41% of all fatal motorcycle accidents victims were not wearing a helmet. Simple math shows us that 59% were wearing helmets when they were involved in a fatal motorcycle crash. This is hardly a case for a universal helmet law.

Congressman Petri had this to say, "Given the demands on your budget and the unique ability of the CDC to address such pressing issues as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's and a host of other conditions and issues which afflict millions of Americans and others around the globe, we encourage you to direct your attention and resources to areas that are not currently already being addressed elsewhere in the government."

The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association & the Motorcycle Riders Foundation urges you to contact your Representative in the United States House and ask them to co-sign this letter to the CDC. The larger the number of co-signers the greater impact it will have. Please contact your Representative at the United States Capitol switchboard which can be reached at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to co-sign the Petri CDC motorcycle letter. The deadline for co-signing this letter is close of business Tuesday, October 8th. Please act fast.

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