House Transportation and Infrastrucuture Chair, John Micah (R - FL)
A number of action alerts have recently been circulating regarding drastic cuts to bike and pedestrian funding by the current Congress.
House Transportation Chairman John Mica announced that his proposed long-term federal transportation bill will eliminate dedicated funding for biking and walking — including Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and the Recreation Trails Program — referring to these programs as “not in the national interest.”
Senator James Inhofe has also discussed similar cuts in the Senate.
Based on our conversations with Senator Warner and Webb’s offices, we are confident that Virginia’s Senators will work diligently to make sure this does not happen on their side.
Things aren’t as clear, though, with the House.
The VBF encourages interested Virginia voters to let their Representatives know that continued dedicated funding for bicycling and walking is a must. It is a critical part of a safe, accessible and effective transportation system. Click on this link (provided by our colleagues at Safe Routes) to let your Representative know how you feel.
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This makes me extremely upset. I mean, absolutely furious. 🙁
Not in the national interest? Right, because smog, destruction of habitat, and motor vehicle accidents are what we are all about here in the USA.
What do walking and cycling have in common? Well, a lack of petroleum might actually mean something to these representatives. And perhaps that is what they really meant by “national interest”. Well, not surprising really. Politics is business, in many respects.
Then there’s always the police, how would they possibly make a living in a world without impatient motorists to fine?
You know, that’s what I am starting to discover about CARS the more I commute and the less I drive them. They turn a nation against itself, where we all become a significant danger to each other daily as we attend to our human needs. The urge to travel faster, faster, faster to shave a mere minute off the clock becomes more important the more boring driving becomes. Cars aren’t about comfort, I feel comfortable climbing mountains on my bike. Cars are designed to be easy, and there’s nothing more comfortable to most Americans than a lesser effort. And how dare that damn light change red as I was almost there.. it knew I was coming!
Not that cyclists don’t put each other at risk sometimes, but I can think of a million things more likely than being ran over by another cyclist on a bike path. Critical mass yeah!
Looks like John likes trains and planes, according to his skimp Wiki.
He has great interest in expanding rail transportations, and keeping “terrorists” out of the sky.
Also here’s a revealing link:
http://www.ontheissues.org/FL/John_Mica_Energy_+_Oil.htm
“Rated 0% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence.”
Voted in support of numerous bills to support the oil industry.