Providing for Consideration of H.R. Investing in A New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2, which reflects years of hard work with my staff, with hundreds of advocates, innovators, and local officials to deal with the challenges of a sustainable transportation future, especially in a time of upheaval. I appreciate the committee and staff reflecting these opportunities.

It includes a national clearinghouse to research the secondary impacts of autonomous vehicles that my friend from Washington just talked about.

It adds bikeshare as an eligible expense for CMAQ funding.

It provides Federal funds for cities and States to establish and implement Vision Zero plans to protect quality of life and reduce the carnage on the highways.

It increases funding for State road user charge pilot projects that is the vision for the future of how to fund transportation.

It increases small starts reauthorization.

It increases the volume cap on private activity bonds issued for surface transportation.

It increases the value of the historic tax credit and makes it more accessible for different types of projects.

Most critically, when we are dealing with renewable energy projects, it provides for direct payment in lieu of tax credits for renewable energy projects at a time when there is less appetite for traditional tax credits.

It clarifies that energy storage projects qualify for investment tax credits to spur the development.

It increases the value of section 179D energy efficient commercial buildings that we have worked on with them for years.

It reinstates the bicycle commuter tax, increases the value of the benefits, and allows them to be used with transit funds.

These are the nuts and bolts of often technical elements that form the basis for action and progress in the future.

I look forward to working with the vast array of stakeholders that are counting on us to make this visionary document a reality.

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