Congressman Earl Blumenauer: The Bike Advocate You Should Know

As the popularity of cycling has grown in recent years, it has become a political issue. Some politicians support cycling because it reduces traffic congestion, improves air quality, and is a legislative win for their constituents. Other politicians like Congressman Earl Blumenauer embrace cycling as a way of life—since securing his seat to represent Oregon in 1996, Blumenauer, 74, has never driven a car in the nation's capital.

"I didn't bring a car to Washington, D.C.," Blumenauer told Slate. "I’ve been in Washington more than a quarter century without a car, and I’ve never had to look for a parking space. I’ve saved tens of thousands of dollars and lots of time, and it's helped my blood pressure and state of mind."

Blumenauer reaches for his two-wheeled steed daily regardless of the weather. In an interview with NPR, the Congressman rolls from his home "somewhere between 5:45 and 6:30" in the morning on, interestingly, a non-electric bike.

Like many commuters, Blumenauer may arrive at the office drenched in sweat or wet from a rainstorm but he doesn't seem to mind. "We’re set up here where there are shower facilities for members of Congress and for our staff," Blumenauer explained.

Blumenauer wants other legislators and fellow Washingtonians to reach for a bike rather than a car "because 20 percent of the trips in this country are a mile or less. Virtually everywhere in the country, 40 percent are two miles or less," said Blumenauer.

To this end, the Congressman worked with D.C. city officials for two years to create "protected bike lanes between the White House and the Capitol," according to Slate.

Despite such an accomplishment, Blumenauer's cycling initiatives like the E-Bike Act which aimed to create a federal tax credit for new e-bike purchases, still faces resistance. Most notably from his colleague, Utah Senator Mitt Romney.

"I’m not going to spend money on buying e-bikes for people like me who have bought them—they’re expensive," said Romney according to an Insider interview. "Removing automobile lanes to put in bike lanes is, in my opinion, the height of stupidity, it means more cars backing up, creating more emissions."

To such rebuttal, Blumenauer confirms that "retrofitting a street to make it more bike-friendly can end up slowing traffic and makeing it safer. It actually results in higher property values. The tangible results are pretty compelling—if we can get people's attention."

With more than 100 miles of bike lanes traversing the District, Blumenauer can definitely get the right people's attention.

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