sparks259

I used the link provided to get in touch with my local legislator who happens to be Marco Rubio ( remember him?) here is his response:

Thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts regarding the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act of 2017 (S. 203). Understanding your views helps me better represent Florida in the United States Senate, and I appreciate the opportunity to respond.

Under a now withdrawn proposed rule, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was attempting to regulate racecars as motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act. The proposed rule would have regulated the alteration of streetcars into racecars and prevented the sale of aftermarket emissions-related parts. This regulatory change ran counter to historical Congressional intent which consistently excluded “vehicles solely used for competition” from regulation under the Clean Air Act.

In response to the EPA’s proposed rule, on January 24, 2017, Senator Burr (R-NC) introduced S. 203. If enacted, the legislation would reiterate that the EPA cannot regulate vehicles used solely for competition (racecars); clarify that modifying a street vehicle into a racecar has always been legal; and state that modifications of these vehicles are not considered exhaust tampering. This legislation has been referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The same legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), and has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Even though the EPA withdrew this proposed rule, clarifications under S. 203 would prohibit the agency from proposing the same rule in the future, or regulating industry activities.

As a Floridian, I understand the importance of the automotive industry and racing as a great American pastime. The EPA’s attempt to regulate racecars as motor vehicles would place an unnecessary burden on racing hobbyists across this nation. For this reason, I am a proud cosponsor of the legislation. Please know that I will keep your thoughts in mind as the bill advances through the legislative process.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve you as your United States Senator. I will keep your thoughts in mind as I consider these issues and continue working to ensure America remains a safe and prosperous nation.

Sincerely,

Marco Rubio
United States Senator
Each week I provide a weekly update on issues in Washington and ways in which my office can assist the people of Florida. Sign up here for updates on my legislative efforts, schedule of events throughout Florida, constituent services and much more.

ProCoach

NC, imagine that! The Motorsport industry is a $7 billion contributor to the GDP of NC, so I can see this.

cmac

I suspect the Senate outsources this work to a centralized facility. Below follows the response I received yesterday from my Senator, Pat Toomey, which is suspiciously similar in its authorship minus the "great American pastime" bit--that was a nice touch.

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Thank you for contacting me about emission standards for automobiles. I appreciate hearing from you.
I understand your concerns about how regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can negatively impact the car racing industry. In July 2015, the EPA published a proposed rule that included a provision to prohibit individuals from removing or altering the emission control technology on certified motor vehicles. This provision would have effectively outlawed vehicles that are converted for racing events and motorsports. It may interest you to know that the EPA finalized this rule in October 2016 without the language affecting competition vehicles.
Specific to your concerns, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) introduced the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act (S. 203) on January 24, 2017. Among its provisions, this legislation would allow individuals to alter the emission controls on vehicles used solely for competition. Moreover, this measure would remove competition vehicles from the definition of "motor vehicle" under the Clean Air Act.
S. 203 is currently awaiting consideration before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Although I am not a member of this committee, please be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind should this issue come before the full Senate.
Thank you again for your correspondence. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of assistance.


Sincerely,


Pat Toomey
U.S. Senator, Pennsylvania

Dr.Bill

John McCain sent something similar:



Thank you for contacting me to share your views regarding S. 2659, the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2016 or “RPM Act.” I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this issue.

As you know, the Clean Air Act, which became law in 1970, regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. Since this law was enacted, these regulations have never applied to vehicles used solely for competitive purposes. In 1990, Congress confirmed this exemption when it authorized the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate “nonroad vehicles.” In 2015, the EPA proposed automobile emissions rules that put this exemption into question. This proposed regulation is particularly harmful to Arizona, which is home to more than a dozen motorsport parks and tracks that support an active racing community and contribute significantly to the state’s economy.

I am a proud cosponsor of S. 2659. If enacted, the RPM Act would reaffirm the exemption of modified motor vehicles from the Clean Air Act and therefore prevent the EPA from applying these emissions rules to race cars. This legislation has been referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. While I do not serve on this committee, please be assured that I will continue to support efforts in the Senate to prevent the EPA from applying its unfair and improper application of the Clean Air Act on racing vehicles.

Again, thank you for contacting me to share your concern about this issue. I hope to stay in touch on this and other matters of concern.


Sincerely,

John McCain
United States Senator

I am the Walrus

Yes, not much of a shock I guess, just a boilerplate reply, and their budget is probably commensurate on how many replies they provide to their constituents, regardless of original content.
Here in British Columbia, I emailed the office of the MLA of Transportation, and the office of the Premier of BC, about their abrupt pre-election changes to insuring vehicles valued above 150k, as we have a single basic insurer program and as of..this spring we can no longer insure our cars and current anecdotal info shows there are perhaps no other options.
They are behaving I ncredibly punitive and nonsensical, it quite populist as the message is, hey **** them if they can buy a nice car..
I received no replies at all, I'm not surprised.

sparks259

If this is a typical response from constituents, it does not speak well of our legislators.

Spyerx

This is what my a-hole rep sent me:

Dear xxxxxx,

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond to your comments.

The RPM Act would amend the Clean Air Act to exclude vehicles used solely for competition from the definition of motor vehicle. Thus, these modified vehicles would not be held to the same emission standards as non-competition vehicles are under the regulations put forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

As a passionate advocate for protecting the environment and fighting climate change, I am reluctant to make any changes relaxing EPA regulations. I am, however, open to hearing arguments for treating racing vehicles differently and will keep your views in mind as a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee when we consider this issue.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me about this important issue. Your comments help me to better represent the people of our Congressional District. Please stay in touch, and if I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to email me through my website at www.lowenthal.house.gov or call my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-7924.

Sincerely,

Alan Lowenthal
Member of Congress

Martin S.

[/COLOR]These Clowns must have numerous pro and con form letters ready to go at a moments notice. Apparently, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, is the place to pepper with our inquiries.


Congressman Salud Carbajal's form letter machine writes, "Thank you for contacting me to express your support of H.R. 350, Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2017. As your newly-elected Member of Congress, I appreciate hearing from you on this critical issue as it helps keep me informed of your priorities and concerns.

As you may know, H.R. 350 amends the Clean Air Act to allow for the modification of a vehicle's air emission controls if the vehicle is used solely for competition. Today, the EPA maintains that it is illegal to tamper with or destroy the emissions controls systems on all vehicles, including those solely used for competition. Currently this bill is being considered in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

I understand the recreational contributions of our American motorsports culture, but am concerned about the potential environmental consequences of this proposed legislation. While I respect and appreciate your opinions on this matter, I will continue to be a proponent for policies that balance enhancing recreational opportunities while supporting our public health and environment.

Again, I appreciate the time you took to contact me on this issue. As additional legislation is brought forward on this or other topics of interest to you, I hope that you will continue to reach out and share your viewpoint. Please keep in touch by visiting my website, liking my Facebook page, and following me on Twitter, or signing up for my e-newsletter.

Dear Congressman,

In your letter you mention your "about the potential environmental consequences of this proposed legislation." Let's ponder for a moment, just how many dedicated race cars lacking emissions devices are there in your district? Maybe, just maybe, there could be 500, and that would be a stretch.

When a car is raced, over the course of an entire weekend, they are run for two (2) hours maximum, and that would be for one, perhaps two weekends a month, from March through December. Now contrast this to the number of diesel trucks and clunkers running around your district, seven days a week, 365 days a year...do you see my point? The environmental impact of the race cars is infinitesimal, sort of a flea bite on an elephant's *** so to speak. And you are concerned about the consequences?

I am concerned that you are my representative...I don't care who runs against you in 2018, I am supporting that candidate.

Martin Schacht
San Miguel, CA 93451