Powersports industry members completed 114 congressional meetings in seven hours during the 2026 Powersports Capitol Hill Fly-In in Washington, D.C., bringing industry concerns directly to lawmakers and congressional staff. Just two days after the event, two proposals opposed by the industry during those meetings were left out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s base highway reauthorization package.
This is a press release from the MIC…
One proposal would have altered the federal definition of motorcycles to exclude autocycles, a change industry representatives warned could create a registration and access nightmare for some three-wheel vehicles. The other would have swept powersports products into legislation requiring VIN etching on catalytic converters, raising compliance issues where theft patterns and precious-metal content differ significantly from automobiles.
Hosted by the Government Relations team for the Motorcycle Industry Council, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, and Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, the 2026 Fly-In drew a record number of attendees, who met with House and Senate offices representing 31 states. Beyond the motorcycle definition and catalytic converter proposals, discussions also focused on tariffs and trade policy, public lands access, Recreational Trails Program funding, PFAS regulations, and transportation policy.
“The exclusion of these proposals from the committee’s base package is a promising early result, but these issues remain active,” Schloegel said. “That is why it is so important for the industry to speak up, not just during the Fly-In, but throughout the year. We thank every member who came to Washington and encourage the entire industry to stay engaged as these discussions continue. Inviting your congressman or senator to visit your facilities is an excellent way to keep our concerns front and center throughout the year.”
While in Washington, seven Fly-In attendees representing manufacturers and aftermarket companies met with Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jeff Goettman regarding tariff impacts on member companies and the ongoing review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Attendees also heard presentations from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator Jonathan Morrison; Representatives Troy Balderson and Donald Norcross, who are co-chairs of the House Motorcycle Caucus; Representatives Pete Stauber and Morgan Luttrell; U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Michael Boren; and Tori Smith, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at Forbes Tate Partners.
