House Bill Reverses Decades of Progress on Bike/Ped

[karlos]

I just received this notice from the League of American Bicyclists:

Today, the House releases its transportation bill, the American Energy and Infrastructure Act. You are receiving this action item because your Member (for me, that's Brian Bilbray) is on the transportation committee.

When we contacted you last week, we knew the bill would be bad news for biking and walking. But we didn’t think it would go so far as to completely cut every reference to bicycling and walking out of the federal transportation policy.

House leadership is pressing to eliminate bicycling and walking in the Transportation bill:

• Destroys Transportation Enhancements by making the program optional
• Repeals the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school
• Allows states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles
• Eliminates bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs
• Eliminates language that insures that rumble strips “do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled”

   
If you wish to contact your Congress person to ask them to support an amendment to this bill, sponsored by Representatives Petri (R-WI) and Johnson (R-IL), follow this link, enter your zip code and sign and send the message.

[Lisa Ruby]

Thanks for posting Karl. I went to the link and sent the message to my congressman.

[karlos]

Thanks to any who tried to help...
Karl

from the LAB:

You have probably heard that the Petri/Johnson/Lipinski amendment to restore dedicated funding for bicycling and walking lost narrowly by just two votes in this morning’s Transportation Committee meeting in the House of Representatives. The bi-partisan amendment and vote took place against the backdrop of a very partisan and rancorous mark-up of the legislation â€" the two Republican sponsors of the bike/walk amendment, Reps. Petri and Johnson, deserve a huge “thank you” for taking on this challenge on behalf of the cycling and walking community.

You also deserve a huge “thank you”. The League’s on-line advocacy center reported yours was one of more than 18,000 e-mails sent to Members of Congress on this issue â€" a stunning number, and surely part of the reason we were able to put up such a good fight today. We are meeting this evening with our colleagues in the America Bikes coalition to determine our next steps, greatly heartened by your incredible support. If nothing else, today’s vote has shown the leadership of the House and committee chairman Mica that we are a force with which to be reckoned.

Notwithstanding other developments, we expect the transportation bill will be debated on the floor of the House of Representatives very soon: February 13th. As soon as we have decided our strategy for this next critical phase, we’ll be in touch again. Meanwhile, you can check the League’s website, or America Bikes for more information; and please follow us on Twitter and Facebook for real-time updates.

[Paul Nevins]

The amendment to restore funding failed by 2 votes.
Calling Issa is a waste of time. Our only hope is with the senate. The senate can restore funding then the bill goes to the conference committee where a final bill is put together. Call, email and write Boxer and Feinstein. Remember one senator can hold their ground and freeze the entire process, it's time that power is used for a good cause.

[Paul Nevins]

What the English are doing to get more funding for cycling
http://road.cc/content/news/52416-london-cycling-campaign-urges-cyclists-sign-love-london-go-dutch-petition