Transportation bill passes in the House!

This afternoon the House of Representatives passed the INVEST in America Act, a five year transportation bill, as part of a larger infrastructure package. This is an important first step in our efforts at the federal level to make biking better for everyone. 

The bill that passed on the floor today included two of the three amendments the League and our advocates weighed in on:

• Amendment 130 by Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Julia Brownley (D-CA) adds a requirement to the Climate Resilient Transportation Infrastructure Study to outline how Federal infrastructure planning, design, engineering, construction, operation, and maintenance impact the environment and public health of disproportionately exposed communities. 
• Amendment 203 by Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL)  requires NHTSA to issue a rule that motor vehicle bumpers and hoods be designed to reduce the impact on vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle.

The League’s mission is to build a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone and these amendments will help us attain our goal.  

• Amendment 130 will help the US Department of Transportation, and all of us, understand the mistakes of the past, and help us build a transportation system that serves everyone. 
• Amendment 203 ensures that the United States requires our cars to have the same protections for bicyclists and pedestrians as cars sold in Europe.

Thank you to all our supporters who spoke up for a safer, more equitable future that prioritizes people and our ability to get around. Now that this bill has passed the House, the League will advocate for similar changes in the Senate version of the transportation bill. The current transportation bill expires on September 30, 2020, so stay tuned for more developments as we near that critical date. We are one step closer to building a more Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.