•HRES 1498 IH 
more than 23 percent of those who have ridden a motor-
cycle, and more than 12 percent of those who own a mo-
torcycle; 
Whereas motorcycles are the most affordable form of private 
motorized transportation in the United States; 
Whereas according to the Governors Highway Safety Associa-
tion, motorcycle rider fatalities decreased by at least 10 
percent in 2009, without the implementation of a Federal 
mandatory helmet law; 
Whereas the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator 
stated that the ‘‘core component of our program has not 
changed; it is to increase helmet use’’ and ‘‘anything that 
the Congress does that would support the movement of 
riders into helmets would be efficacious of safety.’’; 
Whereas the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution reads, 
‘‘The powers not delegated to the United States by the 
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are re-
served to the States respectively, or to the people.’’; 
Whereas despite the Tenth Amendment, the National High-
way Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the past 
lobbied State legislatures to enact mandatory helmet laws 
using Federal tax dollars; 
Whereas in response to the NHTSA’s lobbying efforts, sec-
tion 30105 of title 49, United States Code, states that 
‘‘No funds appropriated to the Secretary for the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration shall be available 
for any activity specifically designed to urge a State or 
local legislator to favor or oppose the adoption of any 
specific legislative proposal pending before any State or 
local legislative body.’’; and 
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•HRES 1498 IH 
Whereas the motorcycling community is concerned that Gov-
ernment health care plans will exclude coverage for riders 
injured while not wearing a helmet: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That— 
(1) the House of Representatives— 
(A) supports efforts to retain the ban on 
the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration’s (NHTSA) ability to lobby State legis-
lators using Federal tax dollars; 
(B) encourages continued growth in the 
motorcyclist community and for owners and rid-
ers to be responsible road users; 
(C) recognizes the importance of motor-
cycle crash prevention as the primary source of 
motorcycle safety; 
(D) encourages the NHTSA to focus on 
crash prevention and rider education as the 
most significant priorities in motorcycle safety; 
(E) recognizes that if motorcycle riders are 
not involved in a crash then they will not be in-
jured; and 
(F) encourages the NHTSA to provide to 
the appropriate committees a detailed statement 
of why it believes it is less important to focus 
on crash prevention, rider education and train-
ing, proper licensing, and reducing impaired 
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•HRES 1498 IH 
riding than on mandating universal helmet use; 
and 
(2) it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that any law that supersedes State laws re-
garding the use of helmets as it applies to denial of 
health care coverage and benefits resulting from an 
injury sustained while riding a motorcycle should not 
be implemented. 
Æ 
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