[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 126 (Thursday, July 25, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           INTRODUCTION OF THE BIKESHARE TRANSIT ACT OF 2019

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 25, 2019

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, America is in the middle of a 
micromobility revolution, with bikeshare and scooters changing the way 
that people get around. First introduced in the United States in 2010, 
more than 100 communities now have bikeshare systems, supporting a 
network of more than 100,000 bikes. Since bikeshare's launch in the 
United States, riders have taken more than 100 million trips, with the 
number of trips and systems increasing each year.
  My community recently celebrated the third anniversary of its 
BIKETOWN bikeshare launch. Since then, Portlanders and visitors have 
taken nearly 900,000 trips, covering more than one million miles and 
removing untold numbers of automobiles from city streets. The system's 
success has already led to its expansion, giving more communities 
access to efficient, carbon-free transportation.
  The increased commercial investment around bikeshare stations and 
networks is driving economic development across the country. Systems 
are opening in communities of all sizes from Los Angeles and Cleveland 
to Topeka and Birmingham. While some existing bikeshare programs 
received federal dollars to develop their systems, the lack of an 
established funding source has proved an impediment to many other 
projects. Since the term ``bikeshare'' is not defined in U.S. code or 
described by law as a form of transit, existing bikeshare systems and 
departments of transportation are forced to operate in a gray area, 
creating challenges for funding, maintaining, and administering these 
programs.
  Today, I am reintroducing the Bikeshare Transit Act of 2019, 
legislation that will eliminate this gray area by defining bikeshare in 
statute and making bikeshare systems eligible to receive funding to 
enhance related public transportation service or transit facilities. 
The bill allows federal funding to be used for acquiring or replacing 
bikeshare-related equipment and constructing bikeshare facilities. 
Bikeshare systems will also be listed as eligible projects under the 
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program.
  The Bikeshare Transit Act will remove significant barriers facing new 
and existing bikeshare projects applying for federal funding while 
underscoring that bikeshare programs drive economic development and add 
value to America's transportation system.

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