Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)
"I gained an interest in classic cars and motorsports while refurbishing my vintage truck, and a good friend of mine, Jack Chisenhall of Vintage Air-who helped me install my air conditioning unit and has also done work for stars like ZZ Top-urged me to get more involved. Automobiles and the open road are a unique part of our nation's history and heritage. They remain treasured symbols of the freedoms we enjoy in America. Anything I can do to help preserve them for the future is important to me."
"I have a 1949 Chevrolet pickup truck that my grandfather gave me just before he passed away. It is my most prized possession. I spent several years restoring it, taking it completely down to the frame and rebuilding it. I tried to keep it as historically accurate as possible, but with our hot summers in Texas, air conditioning was a must! My house only has a one-car garage, so my wife's car and mine usually get the driveway. That's not to say we don't get a lot of use out if it-I think my truck has appeared in as many parades as I have."
"Automobiles and the open road are a unique part of our nation's history and heritage. They remain treasured symbols of the freedoms we enjoy in America. Anything I can do to help preserve them for the future is important to me."
Representative Sander Levin (R-MI)
"Americans-Michiganians in particular-have a powerful affinity for automobiles. We've loved cars since the first production Model T was assembled at the Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit in 1908. Ninety years later, America's love affair with cars has not waned. The evidence is indisputable. The history of the automotive industry in Michigan profoundly influenced and defined the development of the state."
"Carl [Levin's brother, Senator Carl Levin] and I like to say we have the auto industry in our blood. As kids, we used to go to the Motor City Speedway. It was a small racetrack so we always sat close to the action. The driver that I remember best from those days is Izzy Katona. The August unveiling of the new cars also made a lasting impression on me. All of these memories as a kid intensified when I worked a summer at the Dodge Main plant."
Representative Joe Barton (R-TX)
"I try to get out to the races at the Motorplex at least once a year and know there is a good deal of interest in automotive and motorsport issues in my district. Like many Americans I do enjoy high-performance vehicles."
"The first car I ever bought-and the best car I ever owned-was a 1967 Mustang. It had the high-performance package with a 289 V8 engine and a double-barrel carburetor. That was a great car to drive, and I had a lot of fun with it."
"When I was growing up, I always wanted a Corvette, and I guess if I was 10 years younger than I am now, I'd want a Viper. It's a high-performance vehicle and would be great fun to drive, especially on the winding country roads near my hometown."
Representative Todd Tiahrt (R-KS)
"My dream car-if I had to pick just one-would be a '69 Shelby Mustang, but this comes just in front of a '67 convertible Corvette."
"I am very enthusiastic about cars. I own four, and I enjoy thinking of all the others I've owned over the years. Anyone who loves the thrill of driving or restoring automobiles understands that being in touch with others who share that passion is a must."
"I drive a supercharged Mercury Cougar most of the time, but nothing compares to my '69 Cutlass convertible. I currently do have aftermarket products on my cars, and if I had my preference, all my cars would have the aftermarket touch."
Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL)
"I recognize the importance of the automotive performance and motorsports industry to our economy and to our culture."
Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)
My idea of a dream ride is a nitro-burning, double-engine Harley Davidson Super Glide with twin blowers. Not a machine for extensive touring, but most other feelings would be superseded by complete exhilaration and absolute terror."
Rep. Jean Schmitt (R-OH)
"My father was Gus Hoffman, known by friends and associates as Old Timer. My dad loved racing. He loved the thrill; he loved the challenge; and he had a great competitive spirit. He founded Hoffman Auto Racing in 1929. Many drivers have come and gone from our team. Some are now famous. Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kenny Irwin, J.J. Yeley, Johnny Parsons Jr, and others have raced for Hoffman. It now competes on the USAC Sprint Car and Silver Crown Series racing circuits. Hoffman Auto Racing is currently the winningest team in USAC sprint car history. My dad raced midgets in the 1950s and began with sprint cars in the 1960s. It wasn't until the 1970s that Hoffman Auto Racing competed at Indianapolis. Their first year at Indy was in 1973. Our team is still based at our family farm in Southern Ohio, and my brothers, nephews and now their children continue to carry the tradition that my dad, Old Timer, began."
Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH)
"I'm fortunate that for my 40th birthday, my wife bought me my dream car-a 1964 Cadillac DeVille two-door convertible. Now my dream car is a new Cadillac XLR convertible. So, I guess my dream would be to have antique and new Caddy convertibles."
State Senator John Brueggeman (R-MT)
"I've been interested in everything mechanical since I was a kid. The things I imagined became reality with Legos and I couldn't get enough motors, gears or pneumatics. I started riding at a young age and earned a motorcycle endorsement for my driver's license by 15. I remember sitting in the coffee shop with my dad hearing stories from his biker buddies about putting blower belt assemblies on bikes before anyone had heard of an open primary drive. In college I worked for a CNC machine shop while studying engineering, which gave me a great understanding of manufacturing and boosted my CAD/CAM skills. I also took the time to get my 6G certification for TIG welding stainless tubing as 304's my metal of choice."
"There is nothing I enjoy more than going to shows and talking with the owners and builders, as they're still the embodiment of what makes America great."
"When it comes to cars, my favorites are the '65 GTO and the '65 Shelby Cobra. The lines on the '65 GTO have the same straight, square profile as the previous years, but Pontiac started using stacked headlights that year and it was a one-year car. I'm still looking for a GTO project, and a Cobra kit is probably in my future, but motorcycles command most of my attention right now."
"Threats are everywhere. I've seen bad legislation attempted every session and some of it had more traction than deserved. Any constituent can come up with an idea, no matter how off the wall, and some legislators will run with it to pacify their base. I've had folks ask me to carry mandatory mud flap legislation for every vehicle on the road because they got a rock chip in their paint or window. This person's perspective had no understanding of custom or classic cars, and though I told them no, another legislator submitted the bill and we had to fight it."
State Assemblyman Bill Reilich (R-NY)
"My love of automobiles was inherited from my father. Although he never worked on cars, especially to the extent I always have, he would always end up at the car dealership looking at the newest models and almost every year ended up with the latest model. Cars and my love of them goes way back to my early days of my pedal car. I think nearly every car enthusiast can remember that first day they were hooked."
"I can remember approaching the legal age to drive when I would spend much of my time imagining what my first car would be. That first car was actually a gift from my brother. It was a '64 Plymouth Valiant that required a great deal of work due to the rust and age of the vehicle. That car, however, inspired me and also provided me the opportunity to learn both mechanical repairs and body work. I not only worked with fiberglass as I placed a huge hood scoop on the hood, I also learned how to paint a car. I finished the Valiant using a technique popular at the time called "spider webbing" which involved layering silver over the black paint."
"I believe that car enthusiasts realize that modifying newer vehicles and restoring older ones is a hobby that can be enjoyed by both the young and the old. This not only allows us to express out personalities through our vehicles, but allows us to regain our past, just as I was able to do by obtaining a '73 Mustang Mach 1. The Mustang was a car I used to dream about while in high school, but at that time was well beyond what I could afford. Protecting the rights of hobbyists to restore or enhance their vehicles will ensure that future generations will be able to fulfill their own car dreams."
"America's love affair with the automobile started long, long ago and will continue as each young child dreams of their first car. America's appetite for obtaining a vehicle is as significant as the desire to own a home. It is a slice of the American Dream and the automobile is deeply embedded in our American culture. My advice would be for hobbyists to stay informed and engage their lawmakers on the issues that matter most to them. From state laws to city ordinances, it is important that individuals get involved so they can educate elected officials on the impact these laws may have on this great hobby of ours."