Congressional update--Bicycle commuting & complete streets moving forward

The following is an update on recent actions in the U.S. Congress--several of them are very positive.

Much of what has happened here recently was set up by the advocacy done by hundreds of people from all over the country, including the largest delegation ever from Missouri, who recently attended the National Bike Summit.

From the League of American Bicyclists, 6/20/2007:

Quick update on the last 24 hours in Congress!

1. The Bicycle Commuter Act was included in the House Ways and Means sub-committee bill that is currently under debate and full committee mark-up we are waiting to see if any effort is made to strip it out of the bill. (The provision in the bill creates a tax free benefit of up to $20/month for a total estimated cost over ten years of just $10 million.) The House bill is H.R. 2776, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007.

The Senate Finance Committee did not include the bicycle commuter act provisions in their Energy Advancement and Investment Act of 2007 last night.

2. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee just passed their climate change bill (HR 2701) that included a sense of Congress that Complete Street policies should be adopted and implemented future rescissions should be taken equitably from all program areas

An attempt to open up CMAQ funding to single occupant vehicle travel projects was rejected.

Thanks to everyone who has called and written on these items--still floor debates and other hurdles to go.

Andy Clarke and Walter Finch
League of American Bicyclists