Action Alert: Funding For Biking Under Attack!

Written by Boston Biker on Sep 15

Got the following from MassBike, Seems the republicans are not happy enough ruining health care and environmental legislation they also need to attack biking…jerks.

—–

ACTION ALERT
Funding for Biking and Walking Under Attack!

Transportation Enhancements (TE) is the primary source of federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects, and it is under attack again. We expect Senator Coburn (R-OK) to offer two amendments to strike funding to TE in the transportation appropriations bill being debated on the Senate floor TOMORROW (9/16/09). The two Coburn amendments are S. Amendment 2370 and S. Amendment 2371.

The Transportation Enhancements program has provided between one-half and three-quarters of all Federal funding invested in bicycling and walking improvements in the last 20 years. More than $250 million is at stake in fiscal year 2010 – if Coburn’s amendments are successful it will affect hundreds of trail projects, sidewalks, bicyclist education programs, bike rack on bus programs, and roadway improvements for bicyclists.

S. Amendment 2370 will prohibit funding for Transportation Enhancements if the Highway Trust Fund does not contain amounts sufficient to cover unfunded highway authorizations (and the Fund is bankrupt).

S. Amendment 2371 will allow states to opt out of the 10% set aside rule that require states to spend at least 10% of their surface transportation funding on Transportation Enhancements.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: We expect the amendments to be offered and voted on during Senate floor debate tomorrow, Wednesday, September 16. Please call Senator Kerry’s office immediately at (202) 224-2742 and urge him to vote NO on S. Amendment 2370 and S. Amendment 2371 to the FY10 transportation appropriations bill.

Click here for more information, including specific talking points.

Tags: bicycle funding, jerks, republicans, stupid
Posted in advocacy, news | 1 Comment »