National Press Release

Legislation Protects Individual Vehicle Ownership Rights Today and in the Future

BETHESDA, Md., June 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Motorcycle Riders Foundation strongly supports the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) and urges Congress to swiftly pass the legislation in order to safeguard individual vehicle ownership rights today and in the future.

"We have formally committed our support to the Right to Repair Act because we believe that consumers are entitled to the right to choose how their motorcycle, car or other type of vehicle is maintained or upgraded. The point of Right to Repair is to protect the freedom of American consumers to choose how they take care of their vehicles, be it in their driveway or at a trusted repair facility, and to ensure that they have access to all the information required to complete service and repairs," said Jeff Hennie, vice president of government relations for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation.

The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act was introduced into the 111th Congress by Reps. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and George Miller (D-CA) to offer protections for vehicle owners by making it illegal for vehicle manufacturers to withhold information necessary to diagnose, service or repair motor vehicles.

"Vehicles, including motorcycles, are becoming increasingly complex with the addition of more and more computer technology, and that is only going to increase in the future. Ready access to accurate service and repair information from the manufacturers is essential to the safety and well-being of the entire American motoring public," continued Hennie.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation encourages its members and all motorists to visit www.righttorepair.org to send a letter to each of their congressional representatives, urging them to support the Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) by adding their names to the growing list of co-sponsors.

About the Motorcycle Riders Foundation:

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF), incorporated in 1987, is a membership-based, national motorcyclists' rights organization headquartered in Washington, DC. As the first motorcyclists' rights organization to establish a full-time presence in Washington, MRF is the only Washington voice devoted exclusively to the street rider. MRF established MRFPAC in the early 1990s to advocate the election of candidates who would champion the cause of rider safety and rider freedom. For more information, visit www.mrf.org.

About Right to Repair:

The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, which was introduced by Reps. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and George Miller (D-CA), would require vehicle manufacturers to make the same service information and tools capabilities available to independent repair shops that they provide to their franchised dealer networks. The legislation further provides vehicle manufacturers with strong protections for their trade secrets unless that information is provided to the franchised dealers. The bill clarifies the responsibilities of the Federal Trade Commission in enforcing the bill's requirements. For more information about the Right to Repair Act, visit www.righttorepair.org.

SOURCE Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association