Lake County Gazette

U.S. Reps. Randy Hulgren (R-Dist. 14) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) filed an amendment to the pending Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 (H.R. 3763) on Tuesday that would reinstate a previous law preventing the Department of Transportation from accepting any payment to lobby for legislation at any level of government.

Hultgren said Department of Transportation lobbyists are currently paid with taxpayer money to support or oppose transportation bills, such as those relating to motorcycle safety.

“Taxpayers should not be paying for government agencies to lobby on behalf of their own special interests, especially when they are seeking to impose unnecessary regulations on motorcyclists," Hultgren said. "This common-sense amendment will help ensure the Department of Transportation uses tax dollars wisely instead of using their resources to influence policy. We should be directing our efforts on encouraging motorcycle safety through education, not by wasting taxpayer dollars on intrusive governmental overreach that only serves to cost the taxpayer more at the expense of motorcyclists.”

Under the proposed amendment, the agency would still be able to communicate with Congress and request appropriations through standard protocols.

The amendment is the second piece of legislation Hultgren has sponsored this year concerning motorcyclists. In January, Hultgren co-sponsored the Stop Motorcycle Checkpoint Funding Act, which similarly proposed to cut federal funding for checkpoints that would stop motorcyclists to inspect their helmets and other safety measures. That measure was referred to committee, where it remains.