WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent enforcement of an overreaching prohibition of lead in youth-sized ATVs, off-highway motorcycles and snowmobiles. Rehberg’s bill, the Kids Just Want to Ride Act of 2011, ensures federal regulators won’t force children to ride more dangerous adult-size off-road vehicles.  It also protects jobs throughout the country by allowing dealers to continue selling and repairing the safer youth-sized ATVs, motorcycles and snowmobiles.

“Here again, a law meant to improve children’s safety is actually being enforced in a way that puts kids in more danger than ever, while destroying jobs to boot,” said Rehberg.  “It’s critical that we put to rest any confusion once and for all so kids can just get outside and ride.  There’s no excuse for continued bungling that only stops kids from using the very youth-sized off-road vehicles that are intended to keep them safe.”

In 2008, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in response to public alarm over the lack of production standards in children’s products.  Unfortunately, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which is responsible for enforcing the CPSIA, misapplied restrictions on lead content to include ATV, motorcycle and snowmobile engines, brakes, wheels and suspension parts despite the fact that it’s very difficult for children to physically handle these parts.

In response to concerns that children were going to be forced to ride more dangerous off-road vehicles intended only for adults, Rehberg fought for and succeeded in getting a temporary delay of enforcement from the CPSC.  But the year-long stay of enforcement is not enough, so Rehberg has joined 22 colleagues from both parties in the House to introduce the Kids Just Want to Ride Act to solve the problem legislatively.

“Representative Rehberg has again demonstrated tremendous leadership in genuinely protecting young riders through the introduction of the Kids Just Want to Ride Act," said Ed Moreland, Senior Vice President, Government Relations.  "As associations representing the hundreds of thousands of riders who are most affected, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and the All-Terrain Vehicle Association (ATVA) are pleased to fully support this growing bipartisan effort. This is the most promising and viable legislative remedy to permanently exclude youth model motorcycles and ATVs from the deleterious and unintended consequences of the CPSIA.”

“We greatly appreciate Rep. Rehberg's ongoing efforts and urge the House to pass this bill as soon as possible,” Paul Vitrano, General Counsel, Motorcycle Industry Council.  “CPSIA’s lead content provision effectively has banned the sale of youth model ATVs, motorcycles and snowmobiles, resulting in children under 12 years of age riding the more accessible larger and faster adult-size vehicles.  This has created – in the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s own words – a 'more serious and immediate risk of injury or death' than any risk from lead exposure from these products.”