DIAMOND BAR, Calif. (Dec. 22, 2022) – SEMA and PRI must share that despite strong Congressional backing and extraordinary support from the racing community, the 2021-2022 Congressional session is ending without passage of the RPM Act.
Key negotiators in Congress could not reach an agreement on bill language that balanced the need for federal law to protect racers and motorsports parts businesses from EPA enforcement with reasonable measures to ensure that race parts are not used on vehicles driven on roads and public highways.
The RPM Act made incredible progress in the 2021-2022 session of Congress. In addition to more than 1.5 million letters advocating for the RPM Act from the grassroots motorsports community to Congress, SEMA and PRI worked with Richard Petty to meet personally with key lawmakers in Washington, D.C., and with NHRA Top Fuel driver Antron Brown to testify before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
SEMA and PRI thank the RPM Act’s lead sponsors, the Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee, and the House Energy & Commerce Committee for their efforts to advance the RPM Act over the course of this year. Their leadership was integral throughout this process, despite the outcome.
"We wouldn’t have made it this far without this incredible effort by so many of our members,” said SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. “The RPM Act was one of the most bipartisan bills in the 117th Congress with over 165 lawmakers cosponsoring the legislation. SEMA and PRI will leverage the momentum we built during this congressional session, assess the current challenges the industry faces, and chart a new path forward for the industry’s advocacy efforts at both the federal and state levels.”
SEMA/PRI will continue its advocacy work to bring needed certainty to the racing community to protect a great American pastime and hundreds of thousands of jobs in communities throughout the country.
About SEMA
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $50.9 billion specialty-automotive industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. Association resources include market research, legislative advocacy, training and product development support, as well as leading trade shows such as the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., and the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis, Ind.
Become a member of Performance Racing Industry and join the first-ever membership of its kind. Now available to racers and motorsports enthusiasts, the PRI Membership is designd to bring the community together, and protect racing by advocating on our collective behalf. In addition to joining forces with the racing community, PRI Members receive several exclusive beneifts.
BECOME A MEMBERThe RPM Act of 2021 (H.R. 3281/S.2736), is common-sense, bi-partisan legislation to protect Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated racecars and the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete. The bill clarifies that it is legal to make emissions-related changes to a street vehicle for the purpose of converting it into a racecar used exclusively in competition. It also confirms that it is legal to produce, market and install racing equipment.
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