SEMA congratulates U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) on being named the Co-Chair of the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus. Sen. Mullin is a longtime advocate for the specialty automotive aftermarket, former competitive rock crawler, and an automotive enthusiast with a vehicle collection that includes a ’67 Shelby Cobra, ’72 Chevy C-10, and a ’21 Shelby GT 500.
“Sen. Mullin is an incredible advocate for automotive enthusiasts, racers, and over a million men and women who work in the specialty automotive aftermarket,” said SEMA president and CEO Mike Spagnola. “SEMA thanks Sen. Mullin for his leadership on legislation to protect aftermarket businesses and the millions of enthusiasts who make the industry possible. We look forward to working with him and the other co-chairs in the new Congress to protect the right to modify and repair vehicles, race, and maintain motorized access to public lands.”
“As a lifelong automotive enthusiast, I am very proud to join Sen. Jon Tester in co-chairing the Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus,” said Sen. Mullin.“Together, we’re pushing back against bureaucratic red tape and overregulation that aims to phase out the entire industry— one that serves as a centerpiece in the lives of millions of Americans.”
Sen. Mullin joins Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) and U.S. Reps. Bill Posey (R-FL) and Sanford Bishop (D-GA) as the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus, which features 14 senators and 45 House members. SEMA thanks former U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), who served as the Co-Chair of the Caucus from 2010 until he retired earlier this year.
While a political career was never a part of his plans, Sen. Mullin ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District in 2012 in response to government overreach that threatened his business. During his five-terms time in the House, Sen. Mullin advocated for simplifying regulations on small businesses and helped to lead the fight to provide certainty to racers and motorsports parts businesses surrounding the conversion of street vehicles into racecars. Sen. Mullin was also the lead sponsor of a 2015 law, the “Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act,” which created a simplified regulatory system for small automotive businesses that manufacture classically-styled replica vehicles.
