Guest Report - July 2026

This year's Bikers Inside the Beltway (BITB) hit a little differently than previous years. I've had the privilege of attending BITB for the past nine years, and each trip has brought a new perspective. This year was especially meaningful as it was my first time attending as the Wisconsin State Representative, joined by a team of 12 members from ABATE of Wisconsin, including at least one first-time attendee.

Whether you believe in fate or not, the Highway Bill dropped while we were in Washington, D.C. That gave us a unique opportunity to address our concerns in real time and make a lasting impression as lawmakers on the Transportation Committee were headed to vote.

Every office I visited was welcoming, and most seemed receptive to our message. We needed to find a few key players willing to help make a minor wording adjustment to our anti-profiling request within the Highway Bill. Not only did the wording adjustment happen, but we also found several members who were eager to help us move the conversation forward.

The best part of the trip for me was spending time with our first-time attendee and hearing their fresh perspective. Watching them realize that what we do truly matters and seeing results happen in real time was incredibly rewarding.

What a blessing it is to be an American, to be a biker, and to continue doing our part to protect the lifestyle we love.

Cathy Dial

ABATE of WI Regions 1A & 1B Representative

MRF State Representative - Wisconsin

MRF Reps Representative to BOD

cathydial75@gmail.com