Help Protect the Recreational Trails Program
Tell your Representative to NOT Support the Bucshon Legislation - News Release, AMA Action Alert
Representative Larry Bucshon (R-IN-8th) will be introducing legislation to amend the upcoming national transportation bill that would allow Governors to take Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funds away, along with other critical transportation dollars.
This bill would allow Governors to declare a "transportation facility" to be in a state of emergency and subsequently use all of its state highway funds for that project. This would allow Governors to de-fund nearly the entire Federal-Aid Highway program at their own discretion. Not only the RTP, but the full Surface Transportation Program is directly threatened.RTP is a "user-pay/user-benefit" program created to return a modest portion of the fuel taxes paid by off-highway vehicle owners to state trails programs. This program is a benefit to recreationists who use the trails system. RTP is also responsible for only 0.2 percent of the overall funding of the highway program.In an article in the American Motorcyclist magazine by AMA President and CEO, Rob Dingman, he stated, "If a user fee is diverted away from its intended purpose it becomes a tax increase on that user."
Please contact your Representative and tell them to NOT support Rep. Bucshon's legislation to amend the highway bill. This bill would allow Governors to de-fund almost the full highway program in their state with minimal justification.The best way to contact your Representative is through e-mail. Follow the "Take Action" option to get a message to your Representative today.
