One of the key figures in the documentary- and he's on the above clip, is Malcolm Smith, who, at 68 remains an active member of the motorcycling community today. He has a large dealership in Riverside, California. In a story by DealerNews we learn that Malcolm:
plans to sell kid’s ATVs and motorcycles to consumers next Thursday (6 am PST, March 19, 2009)
As a protest against the CPSIA.
DealerNews reports:
The CPSC last week, in effect, tightened the restriction when it ruled that, under the law as written, products for children can’t contain ANY lead absorption into the human body, nor have ANY adverse impact on public health and safety, a seeming departure from the limit of 600 parts per million specified by the law.
Most machines have accessible components that contain some lead, especially those made with alloys such as aluminum and copper—valve stems, brakes, engine parts, for example.
This tough standard makes it virtually impossible for powersports companies to gain any exceptions, ones that Congressional leaders say are available under the law. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn), a leading proponent of the CPSIA, told me that the agency has the authority to grant exceptions for ATVs and motorcycles.
The CPSC claims it can’t do that, and our industry is caught in the middle.
Others have asked Senator Klobuchar where, exactly, in the law we can find the legal grounds for the CPSC to grant exemptions to the Motorcycle industry, and she has not responded.
Other big names in the industry will be on hand to buy children's products.
BMX biking is another sport adversely affected by the draconian law, and BMX biking also got a boost from On Any Sunday- see this clip from the introduction (remember riding a bike without a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, long sleeves...?):
I don't know if Klobuchar is just confused, stubborn, or if she's still taking the word of her staff over a reading of the bill for herself, but the Minnesota Star has this
The bill's sponsors, including Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, are equally adamant that such an absolute interpretation was not what they intended in the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.
"Their hands are not tied," Klobuchar said. "We gave the commission the power to implement common-sense rules. Congress never intended it to be interpreted this way.
"We never thought children were going to be sucking on brake handles."
Unfortunately,what they wrote does not reflect what they now claim were their intentions. And Klobuchar insists that Nord never told her that the law was overbroad and would cause so many problems, in spite of the fact that Nord's testimony is a matter of record.
Hugh Hewitt points out:
Too bad for manufacturers, retailers and consumers that the Congress did --surprise-- a lousy job in drafting the draconian law. Unfortunately, the law also empowers plaintiffs' lawyers to sue non-compliant companies, so Senator Klobuchar's protestations of innocence do nothing for those thousands of businesses seeing hundreds of millions of dollars of superb product go to waste.
Senator Klobuchar is also a co-sponsor of the food bill that could put all farmer's markets out of business.
If you would like to do more to help address the consequences of the CPSIA, please call the Representatives and Senators who sit on the Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Committee, as well as your State's Representatives and Senators.
Representatives Phone Number
Bobby L. Rush, IL 202-225-4372
Jim Matheson, UT 202-225-3011
Jan Schakowsky, IL 202-225-2111
G. K. Butterfield, NC 202-225-3101
John P. Sarbanes, MD 202-225-4016
John Barrow, GA 202-225-2823
Betty Sutton, OH 202-225-3401
Doris O. Matsui, CA 202-225-7163
Frank Pallone, Jr., NJ 202-225-4671
Kathy Castor, FL 202-225-3376
Bart Gordon, TN 202-225-4231
Zachary T. Space, OH 202-226-6265
Bart Stupak, MI 202-225-4735
Bruce L. Braley, IA 202-225-2911
Gene Green, TX 202-225-1688
Diana DeGette, CO 202-225-4431
Charles A. Gonzalez, TX 202-225-3236
John D. Dingell, MI 202-225-4071
Anthony D. Weiner, NY 202-225-6616
Senators Phone Number
Mark Pryor, AR 202-224-2353
John D. Rockefeller, IV, WV 202-224-5141
Daniel K. Inouye, HI 202-224-3934
Bill Nelson, FL 202-224-5274
Maria Cantwell, WA 202-224-3441
Frank R. Lautenberg, NJ 202-224-3224
Claire McCaskill, MO 202-224-6154
Amy Klobuchar, MN 202-224-3244
Olympia Snowe, ME 202-224-5344
David Vitter, LA 202-224-4623
John Thune, SD 202-224-2321
Roger Wicker, MS 202-224-6253
CPSC Officers Phone Number
Chairman Nancy Nord 301-504-7901
Commissioner Thomas Hill Moore 301-504-7902
Executive Director Patsy Semple 301-504-7907 Pin It
