Stuck On Stupid

The Democrat majority in the US House of Representatives passed a deficient energy bill. With nuclear power, clean coal technology among other things to help make us energy independent, the Democrats, in all their omniscience decided to go green. In other words, get back to the communal life the Dems enjoyed in the 60’s to lead us into the twenty-first century.

You just can’t make these things up.

One of the many initiatives introduced for the bill was a Bike ‘Commuter Benefit’ and carbon audits proposed by Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore)

Today Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore), a member of the Ways and Means Committee, announced the inclusion of three of his environmental initiatives in the Committee’s energy bill. The Ways and Means energy bill includes the closure of the Hummer Tax Loophole, a Carbon Audit of the tax code and a Bike Commuter Benefit.

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“I am thrilled the Chairman has included these important environmental provisions in our energy bill,” said Congressman Blumenauer. “We are setting a high mark not only for our committee, but for the larger energy bill that will be on the House Floor in July. The provisions I worked hard to include in this bill – closing the Hummer Tax Loophole, doing a Carbon Audit of the tax code, and providing bikers with commuter benefits – are all important steps that move our country in a greener direction.

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“Doing a Carbon Audit of the tax code will help us identify ways to reduce emissions and give us great opportunity for reform. It’s a leg up for decision makers who will have the information they need to be able to formulate tax policies that make sense fiscally and environmentally.

“Providing cyclists with a fringe benefit – like those that employers can give employees for parking and transit – will level the playing field for people who burn calories instead of gasoline. Not only does the benefit encourage people to save energy and stay fit, but it minimizes congestion on the roads.”

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The Commuter Benefit for bikers amends section 132(f) of the IRS code to include “bicycles” in the definition of transportation covered by fringe benefits. Included in the Ways and Means energy bill is a benefit of $20/month for those employees who bike to work, which is a clean, healthy and efficient mode of transportation. The provision is based on H.R. 1498, legislation introduced by Blumenauer earlier this year.

Blumeauer’s Congressional Bike Caucus:

Every morning in Washington, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) rides his rusty red-orange Trek bicycle to work on Capitol Hill, a reminder of one of the first things he did when he came to Congress in 1996: create a bike caucus.

With 165 members, the bipartisan Congressional Bike Caucus promotes the use of bicycles as a substitute for cars — a way to exercise, reduce fossil fuel emissions and improve travel patterns. The caucus shepherded $4 billion for trails, bike paths and pedestrian facilities in a big transportation spending bill in the last Congress.

“I have saved hundreds of hours of time. I have burned thousands and thousands of calories instead of gallons of petroleum and, after 10 years, have probably saved $50,000,” said Blumenauer, who also chairs the Congressional Trails Caucus.

The bike caucus is just one of the zany-sounding groups that lawmakers have created on Capitol Hill to advance niche interests in Congress. There’s no trick to creating a caucus — or “congressional member organization” — in the House, where it takes just a letter to the Administration Committee. Nearly 300 have registered. The Senate has far fewer groups, and they don’t register at all.