[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 44 (Thursday, April 14, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3683-S3685]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Ms. Collins):
  S. 808. A bill to encourage energy conservation through bicycling; to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I rise today to introduce the Conserve 
by Bike Act to promote energy conservation and improve public health. I 
am pleased to be joined by my colleague from Maine, Senator Susan 
Collins, in introducing this measure. This legislation addresses one 
part of our Nation's energy challenges. Although there is no single 
solution to solve our energy problems, I believe that every possible 
approach must be considered.
  Our Nation would realize several benefits from the increased use of 
bicycle transportation, including lessened dependence on foreign oil 
and prevention of harmful air emissions. Currently, less than one trip 
in one hundred, .88 percent, is by bicycle. If we can increase cycling 
use to one and a half trips per hundred, which is less than one bike 
trip every two weeks for the average person, we will save more than 462 
million gallons of gasoline in a year, worth more than $721 million. 
That is the equivalent of one full day per year in which the U.S. will 
not need to import any foreign oil.
  In addition to fostering greater energy security, this bill will help 
mitigate air quality challenges, which can be harmful to public health 
and the environment. Unlike automotive transportation, bicycling is 
emission-free.
  The Conserve by Bike Act encourages bicycling through two key 
components: a pilot program and a research project. The Conserve by 
Bike Pilot Program established by this legislation would be implemented 
by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Department would fund up 
to ten pilot projects throughout the country that would utilize 
education and marketing tools to encourage people to convert some of 
their car trips to bike trips. Each of these pilot projects must: (1) 
document project results and energy conserved; (2) facilitate 
partnerships among stakeholders in two or more of the following fields: 
transportation, law enforcement, education, public health,

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and the environment; (3) maximize current bicycle facility investments; 
(4) demonstrate methods that can be replicated in other locations; and 
(5) produce ongoing programs that are sustained by local resources.
  This legislation also directs the Transportation Research Board of 
the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a research project on 
converting car trips to bike trips. The study will consider: (1) what 
car trips Americans can reasonably be expected to make by bike, given 
such factors as weather, land use, and traffic patterns, carrying 
capacity of bicycles, and bicycle infrastructure; (2) what energy 
savings would result, or how much energy could be conserved, if these 
trips were converted from car to bike, (3) the cost-benefit analysis of 
bicycle infrastructure investments; and (4) what factors could 
encourage more car trips to be replaced with bike trips. The study also 
will identify lessons we can learn from the documented results of the 
pilot programs.
  The Conserve by Bike Program is a small investment that has the 
potential to produce significant returns: greater independence from 
foreign oil and a healthier environment and population. The Conserve by 
Bike Act authorizes a total of $6.2 million to carry out the pilot 
programs and research. A total of $5,150,000 will be used to implement 
the pilot projects; $300,000 will be used by the Department of 
Transportation to coordinate, publicize, and disseminate the results of 
the program; and $750,000 will be utilized for the research study.
  The provisions in this bill enjoy strong, bipartisan support and have 
passed by unanimous consent as an amendment to a previous Senate energy 
package. The measure is endorsed by the League of American Bicyclists, 
which has over 300,000 affiliates, as well as the Association of 
Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, Rails to Trails Conservancy, 
Thunderhead Alliance, Bikes Belong Coalition, Adventure Cycling, 
International Mountain Bicycling Association, Chicagoland Bicycle 
Federation, and the League of Illinois Bicyclists.
  I ask that the text of the legislation be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 808

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CONSERVE BY BICYCLING PROGRAM.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Conserve by 
     Bicycling Program established by subsection (b).
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Transportation.
       (b) Establishment.--There is established within the 
     Department of Transportation a program to be known as the 
     ``Conserve by Bicycling Program''.
       (c) Projects.--
       (1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
     shall establish not more than 10 pilot projects that are--
       (A) dispersed geographically throughout the United States; 
     and
       (B) designed to conserve energy resources by encouraging 
     the use of bicycles in place of motor vehicles.
       (2) Requirements.--A pilot project described in paragraph 
     (1) shall--
       (A) use education and marketing to convert motor vehicle 
     trips to bicycle trips;
       (B) document project results and energy savings (in 
     estimated units of energy conserved);
       (C) facilitate partnerships among interested parties in at 
     least 2 of the fields of--
       (i) transportation;
       (ii) law enforcement;
       (iii) education;
       (iv) public health;
       (v) environment; and
       (vi) energy;
       (D) maximize bicycle facility investments;
       (E) demonstrate methods that may be used in other regions 
     of the United States; and
       (F) facilitate the continuation of ongoing programs that 
     are sustained by local resources.
       (3) Cost sharing.--At least 20 percent of the cost of each 
     pilot project described in paragraph (1) shall be provided 
     from State or local sources.
       (d) Energy and Bicycling Research Study.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into a 
     contract with the National Academy of Sciences for, and the 
     National Academy of Sciences shall conduct and submit to 
     Congress a report on, a study on the feasibility of 
     converting motor vehicle trips to bicycle trips.
       (2) Components.--The study shall--
       (A) document the results or progress of the pilot projects 
     under subsection (b);
       (B) determine the type and duration of motor vehicle trips 
     that people in the United States may feasibly make by 
     bicycle, taking into consideration factors such as--
       (i) weather;
       (ii) land use and traffic patterns;
       (iii) the carrying capacity of bicycles; and
       (iv) bicycle infrastructure;
       (C) determine any energy savings that would result from the 
     conversion of motor vehicle trips to bicycle trips;
       (D) include a cost-benefit analysis of bicycle 
     infrastructure investments; and
       (E) include a description of any factors that would 
     encourage more motor vehicle trips to be replaced with 
     bicycle trips.
       (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $6,200,000, to 
     remain available until expended, of which--
       (1) $5,150,000 shall be used to carry out pilot projects 
     described in subsection (c);
       (2) $300,000 shall be used by the Secretary to coordinate, 
     publicize, and disseminate the results of the program; and
       (3) $750,000 shall be used to carry out subsection (d).

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with my colleague 
from Illinois in reintroducing the Conserve by Bike Act to recognize 
and promote bicycling's important impact on energy savings and public 
health.
  With America's dependence on foreign oil, it is vital that we look to 
the contribution that bike travel can make toward solving our Nation's 
energy challenges. The legislation we are reintroducing today would 
establish a Conserve by Bike pilot program that would oversee pilot 
projects throughout the country designed to conserve energy resources 
by providing education and marketing tools to convert car trips into 
bike trips. Right now, fewer than 1 trip in 100 nationwide is by 
bicycle. If we could increase this statistic to 1\1/2\ trips per 100, 
we could save over 462 million gallons of gasoline per year, worth 
nearly $1 billion.
  While more bike trips would benefit our energy conservation efforts, 
additional bicycling activity would also help improve the Nation's 
public health. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, fewer than one-
third of Americans meet Federal recommendations to engage in at least 
30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 days a week. Even more 
disturbing is the fact that approximately 300,000 American deaths a 
year are associated with obesity. By promoting biking, we are working 
to ensure that Americans, young and old, will increase their physical 
activity.
  In my home State of Maine, citizen activists have led the way in 
encouraging their fellow Mainers to use bicycling as an alternative 
mode of transportation. Founded in 1992, the Bicycle Coalition of 
Maine, BCM, has grown substantially in its first decade plus of 
operation. In 1996, when BCM hired its current executive director, 
Jeffrey Miller, the organization had 200 individual and family 
memberships. Today, it has over 1,700. For a State of less than 1.3 
million residents--many of them elderly--BCM's broad membership is 
especially impressive.
  Over the years, this group has advocated increased bicycle access to 
Maine's roads and bridges, organized the first ``Bike to Work Day'' in 
our State, initiated bicycle safety education in our classrooms--
teaching more than 60,000 schoolchildren in over 500 Maine schools--and 
produced ``Share the Road'' public service announcements for television 
stations statewide, among numerous other accomplishments.

  No matter how energetic, committed, and organized BCM and other 
bicycle activists are, however, these groups cannot accomplish their 
mission alone. There is an important role for Government to play in 
encouraging more individuals to make bicycling their alternative mode 
of transportation. In Maine, BCM has built strong, active partnerships 
with local governments and the State's Department of Transportation. 
These key relationships have benefitted bicyclists throughout Maine 
and, in doing so, have encouraged more Mainers to ride their bikes on a 
regular basis. Indeed, more than 4 percent of Maine's commuters 
currently bike or walk, ranking the State 14th in that category 
nationwide. I believe the Federal Government needs to become more 
engaged in encouraging bicycling as a means of alternative 
transportation, and the Conserve by Bike Act would contribute to the 
worthy goal of convincing more Americans to travel by bicycle.
  The Senate is already on record in support of this bill. In the 
previous

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Congress, during consideration of the Energy bill, identical 
legislation was accepted by voice vote as an amendment. I urge my 
colleagues to maintain their support for the Conserve by Bike Act.
                                 ______