A congressional committee approved the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act by a 33-20 vote this week, making it eligible for consideration on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The RPM Act (H.R. 350) was created to protect motorsports enthusiasts by federally protecting the right to manufacture, sell, distribute, and install performance parts that modify vehicle emissions systems if the vehicle is used solely for racing.
The bill is now being considered by the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
“The RPM Act addresses a problem that did not exist prior to 2015 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule stating that it was illegal to convert street vehicles into racing vehicles if the emission system is taken out-of-compliance from its stock configuration,” according to a SEMA eNews article about the recent House committee vote.
That EPA rule would have also made it “illegal to sell any emissions-related parts for those vehicles. This interpretation was inconsistent with 45 years of previous agency policy, practice, and industry understanding of the law as it applies to dedicated race vehicles,” the SEMA story said.
The proposed regulation would have made it illegal to convert a street-driven vehicle into a race car.
The motorsports community, including the OnAllCylinders staff and our friends at Summit Racing Equipment, have encouraged racing enthusiasts to contact their elected officials to voice support for the RPM Act to protect the sport of racing and the livelihoods of the many people and businesses who would suffer from that proposed law.
So that you are aware, all Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee voted Yes in favor of H.R. 350. Nearly all Democrats voted NO. Please remember them when it comes time to vote.
All these Democrats voted NO on H.R.350:
Frank Pallone (New Jersey)
Bobby Rush (Illinois)
Anna Eshoo (California)
Eliot Engel (New York)
Gene Green (Texas)
Diana DeGette (Colorado)
Michael Doyle (Pennsylvania)
Janice Schakowsky (Illinois)
G.K. Butterfield (North Carolina)
Doris Matsui (California)
Kathy Castor (Florida)
John Sarbanes (Maryland)
Jerry McNerney (California)
Peter Welch (Vermont)
Ben Lujan (New Mexico)
Paul Tonko (New York)
Yvette Clarke (New York)
Joseph Kennedy (Massachusetts)
Tony Cárdenas (California)
Scott Peters (California)
Debbie Dingell (Michigan)
These Democrats voted YES in favor of H.R. 350:
David Loebsack (Iowa)
Kurt Schrader (Oregon)
Raul Ruiz (California)