For the past decade, Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) has been leading the crusade for transportation improvements and bike advocacy on Capitol Hill. He started a bike caucus in the U.S. Congress that now has over 100 members and promotes advocacy for cycling around the D.C. area. His caucus also tracks national policy issues that include tourism, recreation, health, the economic benefits of cycling, and improvements for bike transportation. BRO talked pollution solutions with the country’s top cycling spokes-person.

BRO: What’s the biggest issue on the slate for your bike caucus right now?
Blumenauer: It’s reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Act and making sure we’ve got a transportation bill that America needs for cycling. Every six years congress reauthorizes a major chunk of federal spending for transportation. This legislation deals with roads, transit, cycling, and reduction of congestion and air pollution. There was an effort to eliminate this funding, and the bike caucus played a huge role in protecting it.

BRO: What’s the latest in your efforts for transportation improvements?
Blumenauer: This is the most important three or four months of the last four years. We have the biggest coalition we’ve ever had in support of a healthy transportation bill, but the President is threatening a veto of anything that’s over $356 billion. We’ve got issues of freight, mobility, cycling, safe routes to school, enhancements for trail projects, and encouraging people to look at the big transportation picture. My goal is to have a bill that is big enough for America’s needs that encourages planning in a comprehensive fashion and doesn’t ignore things like cycling.

BRO: What are the biggest obstacles you are facing in your quest to improve bike advocacy on the national level?
Blumenauer: Bike advocacy is gaining momentum. I’m encouraged that people get it. We just had our biggest bike summit ever here in Washington, D.C. These issues sometimes get lost amid all the other burning issues of the day, and that means that people who care about cycling, recreation or commuting need to be more outspoken.

BRO: What is the most effective thing cycling enthusiasts can do for bike advocacy?
Blumenauer: It’s critical that cyclists across the country engage their representatives and senators. Cyclists need to schedule formal meetings and show up at general public meetings to put their concerns on the table. The people that are successful in getting the federal government to be involved in things they care about are people who keep their issues front and center. We cycling advocates have been too shy a little too often, and we’ve got a lot to talk about.

BRO: Any important legislation that bike advocates should push for right now?
Blumenauer: In addition to the transportation bill, there is another bill called Safe Routes to School, which makes clear what we should be doing to ensure children in this country can make it safely to school on their own. It is a comprehensive effort to make sure that the students of America are connected by cycling to their schools. It will be a huge boom to cycling.

BRO: Are you still biking to work?
Blumenauer: Everyday-I biked in this morning. There’s been some real progress here in D.C. There is a dynamite group of local cycling advocates and an amazing number of bike commuters. One of the reasons I work on cycling here is it’s America’s capital, and the more that people see the bicycle can be part of a transportation system here, it puts it in the spotlight and will help us all across the country.

–Jedd Ferris