The new Transportation Bill is MAP-21 passed June 30, 2012 and extends until October 1, 2014.

As the new law is implemented, we will provide updates as they become available and distribute through facebook and twitter.

*** Visit @americabikes on twitter for latest news **

also visit http://www.politico.com/morningtransportation/

Last Update: 7/2/12:

America Bikes, Caron Whitaker:

As you have likely heard, the House and Senate passed a new transportation bill last week. 


This new bill disproportionately cuts local funding for biking and walking projects and represents a major step backwards in transportation policy for better, healthier, safer transportation choices. 


Click here to see America Bikes' analysis of biking and walking in the new bill. 

While there isn't much good news about this new bill, we believe that the language improved significantly in the final few weeks of negotiations thanks to efforts from thousands of people like you around the country. 


Together, we logged hundreds of thousands of emails and hundreds of phone calls to Senators and Representatives in favor of better biking and walking policy. They heard us. 

Without your outreach, the bill would have been much worse. Thank you. 


At this point, Congress has passed a one-week extension of current law in order to give President Obama time to sign the new bill into law. Current levels of funding will continue until October of this year, at which point all biking and walking programs will be consolidated into the new Transportation Alternatives program with reduced funding. 

What can we do now? Well, because current funding will remain for several months, there is still time to make sure that your local elected officials take full advantage of remaining dedicated biking and walking funding. 

There is also still time to work with governors and state departments of transportation to encourage states not to opt out of funding that local governments could receive for biking and walking projects. 

When the new law takes effect, advocacy at the state and local levels will become even more essential. 

Thank you for all your work to improve biking and walking policy. For the latest updates on federal policy related to biking and walking, please tune in to our blog. 

Sincerely, 


Caron Whitaker


Campaign Director, America Bikes


http://www.americabikes.org/

Last Update: 6/30/12

Analysis of the New Transportation Bill, MAP-21

America Bikes

Posted by Mary Lauran Hall on June 29, 2012 

http://www.americabikes.org/analysis_of_the_new_transportation_bill_map_21

Last Update: 6/29/12

America Bikes

Next Steps

http://www.americabikes.org/what_the_bill_means_for_biking_and_walking

Last Update: 6/18/12

League of American Bicyclists

Congress Needs to Hear from Everyone who Rides a Bike — Again

http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2012/06/congress-needs-to-hear-from-everyone-who-rides-a-bike-again/

Last Update: 6/5/12

Why Cardin-Cochran?

Posted by Mary Lauran Hall on June 05, 2012 · http://www.americabikes.org/why_cardin_cochran

Last Update: 4/25/12

Senate and House Announce Transportation Bill Conferees

On Tuesday, he Senate released the names of the lawmakers from that chamber who will sit on the conference committee for the transportation authorization bill. The committee, made of up Senators and Representatives from both parties, will have to negotiate the differences between the Senate’s MAP-21 and the modified extension of the current transportation authorization, SAFETEA-LU, passed by the House last Wednesday.  

Conference Committee includes Patrick Tiberi (OH-12) of the Ways & Means Committee

http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2012/04/senate-announces-transportation-bill-conferees/

Last Update: 4/19/12:

Transportation Bill Moves Forward, Bicycling Funding Dodges a Bullet

Posted by Caron Whitaker on April 19, 2012 

Yesterday the House voted to extend current transportation law for another 90 days, and dedicated funding for biking and walking remains safe!

While House leadership did include amendments to incorporate Republican priorities such as the Keystone XL pipeline and provisions to weaken environmental oversight, biking and walking programs survived unscathed.  

On Wednesday, the House passed another 90-day extension of current transportation law. If it were to pass the Senate, this extension would apply from July 1 until September 30, 2012.  This time, the extension contained a number of policy-add ons, but no legislation attacking biking and walking. 

Read More: http://www.americabikes.org/congress_update_april_19_2012

Last Update: 4/5/12:

Politico

Transportation bill faces more bumps ahead

As Congress starts back down the road on hammering out a transportation bill, expect more nail-biting extension deadlines, delayed projects for states and partisan spats. The reason is simple: money.

With gas tax revenues falling, there just isn’t enough money to go around for federal transportation programs. The simplest solution would be to raise the gas tax, but that’s politically poisonous. Still, the pressure from states and outside groups to finish a bill has politicians upping the rhetoric and reaching for some unorthodox and ultimately temporary solutions.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/74891.html

Last Update: 4/2/12:

Wonkbook: Congress fails on infrastructure. Again.

Posted by Ezra Klein at 07:34 AM ET, 04/02/2012

On Friday, President Obama signed the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012. Odds are you didn't hear about it. There wasn't a signing ceremony in the Rose Garden, and no one on the Hill rushed to the cameras to take the credit. The White House's statement was less than 50 words, and neither John Boehner, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, or Mitch McConnell even issued a press release. And for good reason: Each and every one of them is ashamed of this bill. As they should be.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/wonkbook-congress-fails-on-infrastructure-again/2012/04/02/gIQARwrcqS_blog.html

Last Update: 3/29/12:

The Hill

White House signals it will accept 90-day highway extension

The White House signaled to Senate Democrats that it was OK to accept a short-term extension of federal transportation funding passed Thursday by the House, even as it criticized Republicans for punting on a long-term bill.

After debating the length of a short-term extension for most of the week, the House approved an extension of the current legislation that provides funding for road and transit projects on a 266-158 vote. The extension, which lawmakers in both chambers said initially they did not want to have to do, is the ninth of the transportation legislation that expired in 2009.

Source: http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/highways-bridges-and-roads/219045-white-house-signals-it-will-accept-90-day-highway-extension

Last Update: 3/24/12:

Obama Urges House of Representatives to Pass Transportation Bill

VOA News

U.S. President Barack Obama is urging the House of Representatives to pass a transportation bill he says will put more Americans back to work and prevent a setback to the economic recovery. The Senate has already passed a bi-partisan version of the bill to repair roads, bridges and support construction jobs.

Last Update: 3/16/12:

The House won’t take up a transportation bill until after the two-week Easter recess, transportation committee aides told a group of transportation officials yesterday. 

Source: http://www.politico.com/morningtransportation/0312/morningtransportation100.html

Last Update: 3/9/12:

View from beyond the Beltway: Pass a bipartisan transportation bill

By Mick Cornett, Mayor, Oklahoma City, Eugene A. Conti, Jr., Secretary of Transportation, N.C. and Steve Heminger, Exec. Dir., Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission- 03/09/12 11:21 AM ET

We also would like to see House leaders restore dedicated funding for programs that make local communities safer for bicycling and walking. Given what a tiny share of the transportation budget it represents, we can’t see any advantage in killing these programs. But we see a lot of good in continuing to help towns revitalize their Main Streets and connect neighborhoods to make it safer for kids to walk or bicycle to school, getting some exercise in the process.

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-a-budget/215189-view-from-beyond-the-beltway-pass-a-bipartisan-transportation-bill

Last Update: 3/8/12:

House speaker ready to drop stalled transport bill

(Reuters) – U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, signaling a lack of Republican support for a stalled $260 billion transportation bill, said on Thursday he was ready to pursue a less-ambitious version under consideration by the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Last Update: 3/6/12:

Source: People for Bikes

Good news for bicycling in the Senate – but the future remains uncertain

Despite our gains in the Senate, the future of federal funding for bicycling remains uncertain. The battle returns to the House of Representatives, where some leading members continue to push to eliminate key bike programs

Last Update: 2/27/12:

Source: League of American Bicyclists

Good News Roundup          

Last Update: 2/16/12:

Source: League of American Bicyclists

Inspiring moments amid ugly legislative “sausage-making”

===

But there have been many truly inspiring moments as well.

Bicyclists have really stepped up. At all levels – in local communities, in states, and nationally, and at universities and businesses across the country – we have seen a tremendous outpouring of energy. It has come from a wide range of people interested in promoting cycling, including transportation experts, health advocates, safety advocates, bicycling buffs, and even those concerned about the military preparedness of our young people.

Source:  Inspiring moments amid ugly legislative “sausage-making”

Last Update: 2/15/12:

Source: The Hill

Boehner delays highway bill vote

Speaker John Boehner is delaying a vote on the $260 billion transportation bill that was scheduled this week.

Boehner (R-Ohio) told his conference Wednesday morning that it was "more important that we do it right than that we do it fast" in explaining his decision, a clear signal GOP leaders lack the votes to win approval of the package.

====

Democrats have called on Boehner to scrap the entire transportation bill, which has come under fire from the right for spending more than revenue that the federal gas tax brings in and the left for cutting funding for public transit, pedestrian and bicyclist projects. The Speaker could count on few Democratic votes in the House, and President Obama threatened to veto the bill if it passes.

Another complication for the Speaker arose on Tuesday night, when negotiators on the payroll tax extension agreed to use a federal pension reform to pay for extending unemployment insurance benefits and a fix to the Medicare reimbursement rate. The change partially overlaps with an offset in the highway bill, so Republicans must find another provision to ensure the highway legislation is fully paid for.

http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/highways-bridges-and-roads/210787-boehner-delays-highway-bill-vote

Last Update: 2/14/12:

Source: Rails to Trails Conservancy

Update: Moments before this email was sent, we received word that, against all odds, the House just announced that their bill will be broken into smaller pieces… arguably an implicit acknowledgement that support for the bill was faltering after a groundswell of opposition!

By now, you hopefully know we don't cry wolf.

We respect your time and try to only ask for your voice when it's truly important.

It couldn't be more important than right now.

We need your help for the second time in less than a week because both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate will be moving quickly on their respective drafts of our nation's next multiyear transportation bill.

So, please know our increased messaging is only because we face the most dangerous time in our movement's history.

Unfortunately, both the House and Senate bills take drastic steps to eliminate dedicated funding for trails, walking and bicycling despite 20 years of wildly popular and cost-effective investment in building safer and healthier communities.

But thankfully, there is a solution! U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) have introduced an amendment (Amdt. #1549) to the Senate bill that would ensure communities a fair shot at dedicating funding for trails, walking and bicycling. Further, Senator Klobuchar (D-Minn.) will introduce an amendment that would restore the Recreational Trails Program.

Please ask your senator to support the Cardin/Cochran and Klobuchar amendments. Your senator's backing could help ensure that communities like yours will have the opportunity to apply a tiny slice of the federal transportation funding to build trails and other facilities that make it safe to walk and bicycle.

Please stay tuned as we continue to closely monitor the progress of these bills. Your action is already making a difference, as the above update indicates.

Thank you, in advance, for your willingness to read and respond to these urgent calls for action.

Sincerely,

Kevin Mills
Vice President of Policy and Trail Development
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Last Update: 2/13/12:

Source: League of American Bicyclists

Transportation Bill Update 

The House bill has moved through committee and a vote on the floor is expected on Friday. Last week we sent an advocacy alert asking you to contact your representatives to encourage them to vote no on H.R.7 American Infrastructure and Energy Jobs Act. Late last week, our bipartisan allies in the House who proposed an amendment in Committee announced they are trying again to restore funding for bicycling and walking programs on the floor of the House. We are working in key districts to support the Petri/Johnson amendment so we can send a strong message to House leadership that dedicated bicycle/pedestrian funding should be in the next bill. 

To improve the Senate Transportation Bill (MAP-21) we are asking senators to vote for a bipartisan amendment, authored by Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Thad Cochran (R-MS), to guarantee local governments a voice in transportation decisions. We expect a Senate floor vote the week of February 27th. For up-to-date information, visit bikeleague.org and americabikes.org. 

 

Share this American Bicyclist Update with your cycling friends and fellow bike commuters. The generous support from the League's members make publications like this possible. Join the League today.

The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests of America's 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org.

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Last Update: 2/11/12:

Source: The Outspoken Cyclist 

Our first guest is Republican Congressman Steve LaTourette, representing Ohio’s 14th District. Congressman LaTourette disproves the notion that walking and biking infrastructure is a partisan issue, and will be bringing amendments to the transportation bill aimed at restoring the modest amount of funding set aside for bike/ped projects. Diane caught up with Mr. LaTourette earlier this week, and he has some interesting things to say.

Show Link: http://www.wjcu.org/2012/02/11/the-outspoken-cyclist-02112012