The AMA strongly urges all motorcyclists and ATV riders to contact their U.S. Senators and Representatives today and demand that they conduct hearings regarding the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) lead ban affecting youth-model off-highway motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

Last year at this time, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) ran seriously afoul of the motorcycle and ATV communities when it included youth-model off-highway motorcycles and ATVs in the agency's sweeping ban of children's products containing lead. This action caused a perilous, unintended consequence for children ages 12 and under, forcing them onto dirtbikes and ATVs too large for them to operate safely. In addition, the law has resulted in a severe disruption to families who recreate together, has had a deleterious effect on youth amateur racing, and has devastated many small businesses that sell off-highway vehicles (OHVs).

Congress acknowledged the problems surrounding the implementation of certain aspects of the CPSIA in legislation that was passed in December 2009. The AMA appreciates this admission, and will continue to work with the CPSC and lawmakers to permanently exclude youth-model motorcycles and ATVs from the lead-content limits of the CPSIA.

However, because the language of this legislation does not exclude youth-model motorcycles and ATVs from the lead-content limits of the CPSIA, motorcyclists and ATV riders must continue to let Congress know that they are very concerned about the law, and that they want youth-model OHVs excluded from the law.

The best way to do this is to support Representative Denny Rehberg's H.R. 1587, which would exempt youth-sized motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA. At this time, however, not one committee in the Senate or the House of Representatives has taken up this bill, or any other bill associated with the CPSIA for consideration.

It is crucial that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, chaired by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman, hold hearings with multiple witness panels that addresses application dates, testing and certification, and common-sense ways to protect our children.

The quickest way to reach your Senators and Representative is to call them. You can find contact information for your elected officials by entering your zip code at AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Rights > Issues & Legislation. Additionally, a prewritten e-mail is available for you to immediately send to your lawmakers by following the "Take Action" option and entering your information.

For more information and ways you can help exclude youth-model motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA, click here.

Please write or call your Senators and Representative today and ask them to hold hearings on the problems created by implementing the CPSIA, and how this has caused severe, unintended consequences for millions of children and families that recreate together, and thousands of small businesses that support these activities.