[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3083]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL BIKE SUMMIT

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
  This week, hundreds of cyclists from around America will descend on 
Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of America's 100 million people who 
enjoy bicycling for recreation, for their livelihood, and some for 
basic transportation.
  With 176 members of the Congressional Bicycle Caucus, I know there 
will be great receptivity in many offices, but it is time for everybody 
to take these men and women very seriously when they bring their 
message to Capitol Hill.
  Yes, bicycling is fun. We know that from our youth. Everybody seems 
to have a bicycling story that they love to tell. However, there are 
many reasons why bicycling should be taken very seriously by 
policymakers. Consider the times. Remember last year when oil averaged 
$72 per barrel and gasoline averaged $2.81 per gallon and how people 
were deeply concerned about those increases over just the year before? 
Well, already oil is significantly over $100 a barrel and rising 
gasoline prices are expected to perhaps reach as much as $4 a gallon 
this summer.
  There is also an emerging consensus on global warming that it is not 
just an urgent problem, but that transportation is the largest source 
of carbon emissions that we can manage quickly to reduce. The carbon 
emissions from riding a bicycle to work or to the store or for exercise 
are zero.
  Consider the livability of our cities and neighborhoods as we are 
struggling with traffic congestion, air pollution, and the quality of 
life in every neighborhood and downtown and everywhere in between. 
Bicycles, obviously, make a huge difference there.
  Last but not least, impacts on our health. There is great unease 
about soaring health care costs. There is a childhood obesity epidemic. 
The bicycle is the simplest, most cost-effective way to be able to 
enhance our health as we enhance the quality of life for our young 
people. Think for a moment right now how many people somewhere in 
America are stuck in traffic on their way to ride a stationary bike at 
a health club. These are all initiatives that can be dealt with by 
taking over 100 million bicycles that are stored in our garages and 
basements and locked to a back porch and putting them to use. The role 
for the Federal Government is not to tilt in favor of cycling, although 
I could certainly make that argument, but just to level the playing 
field.
  Why do some Members of Congress think it's all right to give tax 
benefits to commuters that burn gasoline to help them cushion their 
costs, but are against providing modest tax benefits for those who burn 
calories instead? Three times the House of Representatives has passed a 
modest reform for bike commuter equity, but it has yet to be enacted 
into law.
  Mostly it's time to set the table for the massive transportation 
reauthorization that will be before us next Congress. I have introduced 
House Concurrent Resolution 305, which would be the first comprehensive 
bicycling policy statement as a guide for authorization and beyond.
  I urge my colleagues to look at it. It's the simplest, most cost-
effective direction the Federal Government can give to make more 
transportation choices for Americans, to provide safer opportunities 
for our children to get to school, to deal with health and climate 
change, and to heal our communities while we strengthen our bodies and 
improve our spirits.
  Bicyclists are an indicator species of a livable community, a place 
where our families are safe, healthy and economically secure. It's time 
for the Federal Government to step up and do its part.

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