At the end of October, after weeks of delays and infighting, the U.S. House of Representatives elected Representative Mike Johnson of Louisiana as the 56th Speaker of the House. To many, Speaker Johnson was an unknown member of the House, having been in office since only 2017. Nevertheless, Mr. Johnson has ascended to the highest office in the House and is now second in line to the Presidency after the Vice President.
While unknown to many, Speaker Johnson is very familiar to the bikers of Louisiana. Over the last six years, ABATE of Louisiana has built a strong relationship with Speaker Johnson and his staff. Speaker Johnson’s district covers much of northwestern Louisiana, including the City of Shreveport. Fortunately, ABATE of Louisiana has a strong presence in that area of the state and has met with Speaker Johnson several times. These meetings have taken place both in his Congressional District and in Washington, D.C., during Bikers Inside the Beltway.
Through the advocacy of ABATE of Louisiana, Speaker Johnson was a longtime cosponsor of the House motorcyclist profiling resolution and just this year joined as a cosponsor of H.R. 1435, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act.
ABATE’s relationship with Speaker Johnson and their work to educate him on issues that matter to bikers is an important lesson. It is vital to get to know your member of Congress. You never know who or how those relationships can impact you down the road!
The MRF looks forward to working with ABATE of Louisiana and the Speaker to press crucial legislative items that matter to all bikers. We also cannot wait until Bikers Inside the Beltway 2024 to see what new pictures the bikers from Louisiana will have to share!
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