[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 118 (Friday, August 3, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE KIDS JUST WANT TO RIDE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DENNY REHBERG

                               of montana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2012

  Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the upcoming one-
year anniversary of the Kids Just Want to Ride Act being signed into 
law. This bill, which I authored to end enforcement of an overreaching 
prohibition of lead in youth-sized ATVs, motorcycles and snowmobiles, 
was added to a larger piece of legislation that was signed into law on 
August 12, 2011.
   When Congress passed a law banning lead from children's toys, no one 
thought that those enforcing the law would expand the definition of 
``toy'' to include youth-size ATVs, motorcycles and snowmobiles. But 
over the strong protests of riders and their advocates, Washington 
bureaucrats forced youth-sized ATVs and motorcycles to be pulled off 
showroom floors. All this did was force our kids to ride more dangerous 
adult-sized vehicles, putting them at extreme risk.
   This just didn't make sense. I authored the Kids Just Want to Ride 
Act so that this issue would be solved legislatively once and for all, 
but I didn't do it on my own. An amazing community of youth riders, 
their parents, and those who love youth racing and recreational 
activities backed me up with letters, phone calls, and visits to 
Washington, DC, to rally for the bill. I was honored to be included in 
the riding community and continue to be impressed by their love for 
sport and for their fellow riders.
   Mr. Speaker, I am again honored to celebrate the one-year 
anniversary of the Kids Just Want to Ride Act, and thank you for the 
opportunity to celebrate the amazing American riding community that 
rallied behind it.

                          ____________________