Online Petition Targets Import Laws, Methods
By Rene Wisely, Correspondent | Published Nov 16, 2011
Just the Facts:
Car enthusiasts are being urged to sign an online petition to change rules that restrict the importation of vehicles by individuals.
Current law says a car must be 25 years old before it can be imported. Enthusiasts would like it lowered to 15 years. The online petition also claims that Homeland Security officials spend a disproportionate amount of time and money seizing gray-market vehicles in customs inspections rather than fighting terrorism.
Petition backer Sean Morris of Long Beach, California, hopes to collect at least 25,000 signatures by December 9.
LONG BEACH, California — Car enthusiasts are being urged to sign an online petition to change rules that restrict the importation of vehicles by individuals.
Current law says a car must be 25 years old before it can be imported. Petition supporters would like it lowered to 15 years. The online petition also claims that Homeland Security officials spend a disproportionate amount of time and money seizing gray-market vehicles in customs inspections rather than fighting terrorism.
Petition backer Sean Morris of Long Beach, California, who has worked in the import and export business for nearly 15 years, has taken the petition viral. He hopes to collect at least 25,000 signatures by December 9.
"My friend, Toby Yim, posted the petition because we car enthusiasts are a quiet bunch," Morris told Inside Line.
"It's time we make a lot of noise and bring attention to these crazy rules of which very few are aware," he added. "Some of the rules don't make sense."
Morris said vehicle manufacturers lobbied for the 25-year-old rule in the first place.
"It's basically punishing the enthusiast who simply wants to appreciate a fun car and add one to his or her garage," he said.
About 4,000 people signed the petition in its first week online.
Inside Line says: Please take the time to sign the petition.
Here is a direct link to the whitehouse.gov petition page. Petition has gotten over a thousand signatures since I first read this article two days ago.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/stop-using-homeland-security-funds-seize-imported-vehicles-and-change-dotepa-exemption-15-years/L50BZzwj?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl
