Commutation Legislation
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Bike commuters benefit from bacon…
The October bailout of Wall Street may bring the entire institution of free enterprise under revision, or, as the Brits are saying… we are all socialists now, comrades! But the rapid passing of HR 1424, the “Bail-Out Bill”, had some particularly tasty bacon attached to it. Since 2001, several congressmen have tried to pass versions of a law to give bicycle commuters some of the benefits so often loaded upon other segments of society. HR 1424, passes in congress and signed by Bush this October, contains the long-sought “Fringe Benefit for Cyclists” in Section 211.
Exactly how this will translate to the workaday cyclist is a subject of debate, but the intent of the bill is to provide a subsidy up to $20 a month to those who bicycle to work for a substantial part of each month. Employers will pay their pedalers and be reimbursed by the federal government. Here’s how the San Francisco Chronicle describes it.
About TIME!
National Bike Bill Passes House
–League of American Bicyclists
In May 2008, the House passed H.CON.RES. 305, known as the National Bike Bill and sponsored by Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). The resolution documents the many ways in which bicycling benefits individuals, communities, and the nation, and was a key element of the National Bike Summit agenda in March 2008. The initiative still needs Senate supporters. A similar effort to gain support with Mayors was made to introduce a similar resolution at the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in June 2008.
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