‘They’re Fast, We’re Furious Act’: Chavez-DeRemer backs bill to curb illegal street racing, notes recent Bend arrests

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) – Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) said Thursday she's cosponsoring H.R. 6224, the "They’re Fast, We’re Furious Act," legislation to curb street racing, led by Reps. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) and Michelle Steel (CA-45).

"From Bend to Portland, illegal street racing has caused a number of deaths and endangered Oregonians across the state," a news release from her office said. "This bipartisan proposal seeks to address reckless speeding and illegal street racing by establishing a Street Racing Prevention and Intervention Task Force under the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)."

“Illegal street racing continues to pose a serious threat to public safety in Oregon and across the country. This reckless driving disturbs the peace in our communities and drastically increases the risk of fatal accidents involving innocent pedestrians and drivers,” Chavez-DeRemer said. 

“While I’m glad Oregon has taken steps to deter this dangerous activity by implementing harsher penalties, I believe we can do more at the federal level to address street racing by taking a well-coordinated approach. That’s why I’m backing bipartisan legislation to create a new task force designed to bring safety back to our streets.”

Specifically, the task force established by the bipartisan They’re Fast, We’re Furious Act would help coordinate local, state, and federal strategic responses to street racing and unlawful organized street shows. The task force would address the impacts of street racing and develop best practices to combat the problem, creating safer communities and potentially saving lives. 

Members of the task force would be appointed by the Attorney General, Secretary of Transportation, and the FBI Director, and be composed of employees from the DOJ Criminal Division, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the FBI, and local and state law enforcement agencies.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.