BIKERS INSIDE THE BELTWAY 2020

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  Posted by RevBigJohn January 21, 2020 - Filed in Motorcycle News - 836 views
  

  Are you coming to 12^th Annual Bikers Inside the Beltway on May 18 & 19th? If not, you should reconsider your decision because Bikers Inside the Beltway (BITB) is critical to the mission and the effectiveness of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation.  Not to mention, it is the only national motorcycle lobby day.

  If you know you are going to attend BITB or thinking about attending, then you are going to want to follow along with the details below. Even if you are a long-time attendee – there is some good stuff you need to know.

   

  Are you planning to Attend? Registration is live now!

  There’s no cost to you, but you do need to let us know you are coming because we need to make sure we have enough materials/space/etc. You can register at https://mrf.org/events/ or by calling 202-546-0983.  You can pre-order an “I Lobbied Congress with the Motorcycle Riders Foundation” t-shirt and more details are available on the online registration page.  The deadline for online registrations, room reservations and t-shirt orders is April 27, 2020. 

   

  Find a Way to Get to Washington, D.C.

  Fly, train, walk or RIDE – we need you here by Monday, May 18th at 7:00 pm. We’ll gather together, go over the issues, provide you with handouts to distribute during your meetings and answer any questions. Then early Tuesday morning on May 19th, we’ll be KSU and headed to the Capitol.

   

   

  Book Your Hotel  Earlier, the better!

  We have two options for you – The Clarion Inn in Falls Church for $125/night OR the Governor’s House Inn at $89/night. They are across the street from each other and a quick ride into the Capitol. Also, we’ll hold our prep session at the Clarion Inn on Monday evening, May 18th.

   

  Schedule Appointments with your Elected Officials WHEN? Start on April 20^th!

  We have been saying this the past couple of years but no more “dropping in,” which many groups have done in the past. They are nowhere near as effective as scheduling an in-person meeting with the Member of Congress or staffer. Over the past year, the D.C. team has visited over 55% of Congress and met with a transportation staffer.  That means there is a pretty good chance that we have already warmed the seat up for you and know precisely the staffer you should meet with. Don’t know how to go about doing that? We’ve got you covered, so NO EXCUSES. See more on this below:

  •  Upon registering for the event, we will provide you with a list of contact information in early spring for your state’s delegation. It has handy information like their phone number, email addresses, and location. USE THIS
  • Email the contact person for the office you want to meet with – don’t know what to say? Don’t worry; the contact sheet includes the language you can COPY & PASTE into an email.
  • Rather call instead? No problem. Call the phone number listed for the office you want to meet with and say, “I am going to be in Washington, DC on May 19th and would like to schedule a meeting with the Congressman (or Senator) related to motorcycling.” The receptionist will take it from there, which may be sending an email (see above) or by connecting you to the SCHEDULER (that’s basically the secretary) who will either give you a time for a meeting or connect you to the appropriate staff person. If they direct you to a staff meeting, you’ll want to say: “If the Congressman (or Senator) is unavailable, I would be willing to meet with the staffer that handles transportation issues.” Then pick a time. Write it down. Carry on.
  • One helpful hint – try to group your meetings in the same building. For SENATORS, that’s going to be Russell, Hart or Dirksen. For REPRESENTATIVES, that’s going to be Cannon, Longworth or Rayburn. If you try to group your meetings by building, it’s going to save you a LOT of walking.
  • One more helpful hint – for those of you with large delegations for which you can’t possibly see all in one day, pick those Representatives where a constituent (that’s someone that lives in their district) will be present for the meeting. Still have time to see more folks? Ask the D.C. team about what other offices that we think you should make an appointment to see. We can steer you towards the Representatives or Senators where you’re more likely to make headway on the issues.

   

   

   

  Ride Free,

  Tiffany & Rocky

   

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