Expressing the Sense of Congress in Support of a National Bike Month

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this is the 50th year we have observed Bike Month, and it has been somewhat delayed coming to the floor this year, but I think it is all the more significant.

We just witnessed this last week, American Floyd Landis in his heroic victory in the Tour-de-France, just in time for him to proceed with surgery to replace his hip.

We have watched this summer as gasoline prices have exceeded $3 a gallon across the country, and record high oil prices. To say nothing of the continued congestion, pollution and parking nightmares suffered by so many Americans. It is appropriate for us to reflect on the contributions of the bicycle today and its potential for the future.

The bicycle is the most efficient form of urban transportation yet designed by man. It is fun, healthy, inexpensive. It is often identified with kids; and that is appropriate. We are working hard to make it safe and attractive for children. The recent reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Act authorized almost two-thirds of $1 billion for our historic Safe Routes to School program. We are watching safety education for young cyclists around the country.

But it is important to note, as my colleague from Wisconsin pointed out, that this is not just for children. We do have over 57 million Americans who take part in cycling as part of their regular routine. It is the seventh most popular recreational activity in America.

It is also serious transportation. Those 5 million American bicycle commuters that my colleague referenced in his comments a moment ago burn 90,000 calories a year for a 5-mile commute on average instead of seven barrels of oil, a savings of 35 million barrels of oil at a time when we are concerned about our energy dependence on oil from imported sources.

It is serious in terms of our economy. That commuter who was cycling was saving money. I did a little back-of-the-envelope calculation. Since I came to Congress 10 years ago and made a decision that I was going to bring a bicycle to our Nation's capital instead of an automobile, I have been able to save, conservatively, $40,000.

The economic impact goes beyond individuals who use bikes. It is a significant part of our Nation's economy, somewhere between $5.5 billion and $6 billion a year in economic activity just in terms of the direct bicycle industry. Worldwide there are three times as many bicycles manufactured as cars, and even in the United States we sell more bikes than automobiles. There are some 5,000 independent specialized bicycle shops around the country, 2,000 companies that are involved with the marketing of bicycles, and manufacture of accessories.

In my community, we have recently completed an economic impact statement for cycling in Portland, Oregon. We have been able to identify well over 800 jobs and over $63 million in direct economic impact in our little community. It has dramatic ripple effects across the country.

We are also seeing an explosion in the number of bicycle events, in my community, every day across the country, hundreds of them. Bicycle tourism has assumed a very significant role, starting with the historic Ragbride, the ride across Iowa. State after State are now involved with similar activities. Oregon has the Cycle Oregon, a week-long adventure that often is sold out the day that the route is announced. But there are others in terms of mountain bike adventures, cycling events on behalf of charity. This is an important mixing of charitable, economic, and recreational activity.

Our celebration of cycling also should include reflecting on the effects of integrating bicycling into the fabric of our community. There is nothing that is a better expression of a livable community. Indeed, some would suggest that a family that is able to cycle safely down the street is an indicator species of a livable community. Making bicycles available on transit vehicles, having bike parking, all of these make a difference in terms not just of the adventure but the utility of cycling in everyday life.

Mr. Speaker, since we formed the Bicycle Caucus here in Congress, and my colleague referenced his membership, we have 164 bike-partisan members of the Congressional Bicycle Caucus that are active in terms of not just promoting some recreational activity on the Hill for Members, their families and staff but also advocating on behalf of cycling in our Nation's capital and around the country.

We have been able, through a collective effort, to invest in the most recent reauthorization, not just the two-thirds of $1 billion I mentioned for Safe Routes to School but some $4.5 billion of bicycle path trail amenities, several thousand projects that are priority projects of Members. It seems that every Member that I talked to has a bicycle story, something that makes a difference to them individually or to their community.

We are celebrating Bicycle Month and its importance to the country not a moment too soon. Cycling is important for the health of our citizens. It is playing a larger role for the health of our economy and our environment and literally the health of our communities and our planet. We are recognizing not just a Bicycle Month but the role in cycling in making a livable community, making all our families safer, healthier, and more economically secure.

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