Three of the House of Representative’s biggest supporters of cycling are going to be moving into key transportation positions when the 110th Congress begins in January 2007.
Bikes are going to be an integral part of our transportation network,” vowed DeFazio, whose subcommittee has broad jurisdiction over the nation’s roads and bridges.”
Here’s a rundown:
Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn., who helped author the 1991 law that opened the door to federal funding for bike projects, is in line to become chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., a one-time bike mechanic, expects to chair the Surface Transportation Subcommittee, is the chair of the subcommittee on Highways and Transit within the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., founder of the Congressional Bicycle Caucus, will either hold a senior position on the transportation committee or move to the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.
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By the way, the new Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, is also a member of the Congressional Bicycle Caucus. Don’t know how that might help, but it certainly can’t hurt.
That’s a different Pete DeFazio, not our old county police chief who’s now getting charged with some strong-armed fundraising tactics.
Update, Blumenauer is on the Ways and Means Committee.
Defazio is the Chairman of the subcommittee on Highways and Transit.