SENATOR KLOBUCHAR HIGHLIGHTS RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM AT FOXX CONFIRMATION HEARING
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 22, 2013 – Senator Klobuchar (D-MN) highlighted the importance of the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) at the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee confirmation hearing for Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx who has been nominated by President Obama to become Secretary of Transportation.
Senator Klobuchar used some of her limited time to ask questions of the nominee to address the RTP asking, “I worked hard with several of my colleagues to ensure that the RTP was maintained in MAP-21. This program is very important in my state as well as other northern states. RTP funds off-highway vehicle, snowmobile and non-motorized trail uses and derives its funding from the gas taxes paid by off-highway vehicle users when they fill up their machines. If confirmed will you work to ensure that this valuable program continues to meet the needs of all trail users in Minnesota and across the Nation?”
Mayor Foxx responded that he “looks forward to working with (Senator Klobuchar) on these issues.”
The Motorcycle Industry Council’s (MIC) Director of Federal Affairs, Duane Taylor noted, “Senator Klobuchar is one of the RTP’s greatest champions, an ally to the entire trails community and a friend of the powersports industry. We are not at all surprised that she took this opportunity to once again publicly shine a light on the importance of the RTP.”
Senator Klobuchar was the lead sponsor of an amendment to ensure that the RTP continued to receive funding through transportation reauthorization legislation known as the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) that was enacted last year.
Taylor continued, “Thanks to Senator Klobuchar the RTP is on Mayor Foxx’s radar. We look forward to working with him on this issue and other issues important to our industry.”
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.