•HCON 305 EH 
benefits to the quality of life for cities and towns across 
the country will be realized; 
Whereas we now live in a Nation with 300 million people, and 
that number is expected to grow to 365 million by 2030 
and to 420 million by 2050 with the vast majority of that 
growth occurring in urban areas with limited ability to 
accommodate increased motor vehicle travel; 
Whereas since 1980, the number of miles Americans drive 
has grown 3 times faster than the United States popu-
lation, and almost twice as fast as vehicle registrations; 
Whereas one-third of the current population does not drive 
due to age, disability, ineligibility, economic cir-
cumstances, or personal choice; 
Whereas the United States is challenged by an obesity epi-
demic, 65 percent of United States adults are either over-
weight or obese, and 13 percent of children and adoles-
cents are overweight, due in large part to a lack of reg-
ular activity; 
Whereas the Center for Disease Control estimates that if all 
physically inactive Americans became active, we would 
save $77 billion in annual medical costs; 
Whereas over 753 of our Nation’s Mayors have signed onto 
the climate protection agreement of the United States 
Conference of Mayors urging the Federal Government to 
enact policies and programs to meet or exceed a green-
house gas emission reduction target of a 7 percent reduc-
tion from 1990 levels by 2012; 
Whereas the transportation sector contributes one-third of 
the greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and 
passenger automobiles and light trucks alone contribute 
21 percent;
•HCON 305 EH 
Whereas bicycle commuters annually save on average $1,825 
in auto-related costs, reduce their carbon emissions by 
128 pounds, conserve 145 gallons of gasoline, and avoid 
50 hours of gridlock traffic; 
Whereas the greatest potential for increased bicycle usage is 
in our major urban areas where 40 percent of trips are 
2 miles or less and 28 percent are less than one mile; 
Whereas in 1969 approximately 50 percent of children in the 
United States got to school by walking or bicycling, but 
in 2001 only 15 percent of students were walking or bicy-
cling to school; 
Whereas as much as 20 to 30 percent of morning traffic is 
often generated by parents driving their children to 
schools, and in the United States, motor vehicle crashes 
are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14; 
Whereas many public agencies in cities are using bicycles to 
deliver critical municipal services, for example, more than 
80 percent of police departments serving populations of 
50,000 to 249,999 and 96 percent of those serving more 
than 250,000 residents now have routine patrols by bicy-
cle; 
Whereas surveys show that a majority of people want to ride 
and walk more but are dissuaded by concern over traffic 
danger and other barriers, and case studies have shown 
that when those barriers to bicycling are removed, people 
start riding; 
Whereas investment used for improvements for bicyclists and 
promoting bicycle use resulted in the quadrupling of bicy-
cle use in Portland, Oregon, since 1994 and a recent re-
port to Congress on the nonmotorized transportation 
pilot program reveals that 19.6 percent of trips in Min-
•HCON 305 EH 
neapolis, Minnesota, are made by biking and walking, re-
flecting the benefit of initial investments in nonmotorized 
infrastructure; 
Whereas the American bicyclist generates enormous economic 
returns, in 2006, the national bicycling economy contrib-
uted $133 billion to the United States economy, sup-
ported nearly 1.1 million jobs across the United States, 
generated $17.7 billion in annual Federal and State tax 
revenue, produced $53.1 billion annually in retail sales 
and services, and provided sustainable growth in rural 
communities; 
Whereas a national network of interconnected urban and 
rural bikeways can provide valuable community benefits, 
including low or no-cost recreation and alternative trans-
portation options for people of all ages and abilities; 
Whereas mountain biking is an environmentally friendly, 
healthy nonmotorized outdoor recreation activity that en-
courages young people to experience our natural world, 
and engenders community support for preservation of 
open space; 
Whereas each year major charity bike rides in communities 
across the country raise in excess of $100 million for crit-
ical medical research to find cures for life-threatening 
diseases; 
Whereas 57 million adults in the United States bicycle each 
year, and bicycling and walking currently account for 
nearly 10 percent of trips and 13 percent of traffic fatali-
ties, yet less than 2 percent of Federal transportation 
safety funding is currently spent to make bicycling and 
walking safer; and
•HCON 305 EH 
Whereas communities across the United States are seeking 
ways to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, in-
crease the safety of their neighborhoods, and decrease pe-
troleum dependence, bicycles offer a simple, healthy, en-
ergy-saving alternative to driving: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress— 
(1) recognizes that increased and safe bicycle 
use for transportation and recreation is in the na-
tional interest; 
(2) supports policies that— 
(A) establish national target levels for in-
creased bicycle use, reduce the number of motor 
vehicle miles traveled (VMT), improve bicycle 
safety to be achieved within a specific time-
frame, and collect data needed to monitor 
progress; 
(B) increase intermodal travel between 
public transportation and bicycles; 
(C) provide incentives for State and local 
governments to adopt and implement complete 
street policies designed to accommodate all 
users, 
including 
motorists, 
pedestrians, 
bicyclists, transit riders, and people of all ages 
and abilities;
•HCON 305 EH 
(D) encourage bicycle use in communities 
where significant segments of the population do 
not drive and where short trips are most com-
mon; 
(E) expand funding for core Federal trans-
portation programs that support non-motorized 
infrastructure, education, and encouragement 
programs by— 
(i) 
safeguarding 
existing 
funding 
sources for nonmotorized transportation 
from inequitable treatment in the Federal 
transportation funds rescission process; 
(ii) supporting funding for core Fed-
eral transportation programs that support 
nonmotorized travel, including transpor-
tation enhancements, safe routes to school, 
and recreational trails; and 
(iii) ensuring that highway safety im-
provement program funds are spent in pro-
portion to the percentage of bicyclist and 
pedestrian fatalities in each State; 
(F) facilitate the development of a coordi-
nated system of United States bicycle routes 
across the country that cross state borders and 
connect metropolitan regions;
•HCON 305 EH 
(G) create bicycle-friendly Federal land 
protection legislation, such as national recre-
ation areas, to encourage regulations and man-
agement practices for mountain biking as an 
environmentally friendly nonmotorized use of 
natural surface trails; 
(H) provide flexibility in Federal transpor-
tation law that would speed up the delivery of 
nonmotorized infrastructure without sacrificing 
necessary environmental protections; 
(I) provide Federal tax or funding incen-
tives to— 
(i) States that adopt motor vehicle 
laws that protect the rights of bicyclists to 
share the road; 
(ii) businesses that expand bicycle- 
friendly programs for their employees; 
(iii) the health care industry to de-
velop more member discount programs, 
that target increased physical activity such 
as bicycling and walking; and 
(iv) provide bicycle commuters the 
transportation fringe benefits currently 
provided to people who commute by car or 
mass transit; and
•HCON 305 EH 
(J) build upon the ‘‘Green the Capitol Ini-
tiative’’ as a model, create and provide an envi-
ronmentally sustainable and healthy working 
environment for employees that includes the 
promotion of bicycling as a transportation alter-
native; 
(3) encourages the Department of Transpor-
tation to provide leadership and coordination by re-
establishing the Federal bicycle task force to include 
representatives from all relevant Federal agencies. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2008. 
Attest: 
Clerk.