[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 4, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THE ``MULTI MODAL TRANSPORT BENEFIT AND TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS ACT''

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 2009

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the ``Multi-
Modal Transport Benefit and Technical Corrections Act,'' a bill that 
encourages flexibility for employees and employers hoping to take 
advantage of the bike commuter tax benefit created in last year's 
financial rescue package. The bill also makes small technical changes 
to the program.
  This legislation amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow 
employees to receive transportation fringe benefits for the same month 
both in the form of transit passes and reimbursements of qualified 
bicycle commuting expenses. It offers smarter, more flexible benefits 
without imposing additional costs on employers or taxpayers, as the 
multi-modal benefits fall under existing caps for transit.
  Allowing individuals to choose how to commute to work, and providing 
parity to those who choose alternative methods of transportation, 
simply makes sense. Bike commuters--who burn calories instead of 
gasoline, emit fewer fossil fuels and have a much smaller impact on our 
roads and transport systems than most other commuters--should at the 
very least have the same access to fringe benefits that their car 
driving colleagues enjoy. The ``Multi-Modal Transport Benefit and 
Technical Corrections Act'' will level the playing field for bike 
commuters and ensure smooth application of the bike commuter tax 
benefit for employers.
  I am proud to introduce this bill today and urge my colleagues to 
support it.

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