November 8, 2006 * Special 2006 Election Edition
Bike Caucus Retains 137 Seats in House
The mid-term U.S. elections were very successful for the Bike Caucus. Of the 157 House Bike Caucus members, 137 were reelected to their seats in the House, three were elected to the U.S. Senate -- Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and two elections are still too close to call -- Reps Barbara Cubin (R-WY) and Jim Marshall (D-GA).
Six members lost reelection: Representatives Charlie Bass (R-NH), J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), Sue Kelly (R-NY), Anne Northup (R-KY), E. Clay Shaw, Jr. (R-FL), and Charles Taylor (R-NC).
Nine did not seek reelection -- this number includes Congressional Bike Caucus member Harold Ford (D-TN) who ran for the U.S. Senate and lost, Mark Foley (R-FL) who stepped down several weeks ago, and Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), Ed Case (D-HI), Jim Davis (D-FL), Mark Green (R-WI), Major Owens (D-NY), Martin Olav Sabo (D-MN), and Ted Strickland (D-OH). For the complete list of Reps in the Bike Caucus, click here.
Senate Bike Caucus Retains Six of Seven
Of the 15 Senate Bike Caucus members, one retired and seven were up for reelection. Six won their reelections. Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) were reelected. Senator Jim Jeffords (I-VT) retired, and Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) was defeated. For the complete list of Senators in the Bike Caucus, click here.
Oberstar May be Transportation Chair
Representative Jim Oberstar (D-MN) was returned to Congress yesterday by voters in Minnesota's 8th district. As the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee there's every likelihood that he will become the next Chairman of that critical committee when the 110th Congress convenes in 2007. Oberstar has been a consistent champion of bicycling issues for the past 20 years. Bicyclists across the nation can look forward to working with a fellow bicycling-enthusiast in the years ahead. Other Democrats with a strong bicycling pedigree on the Transportation & Infrastructure committee who may step into leadership positions include Earl Blumenauer and Peter DeFazio, both Democrats from Oregon.
Other Bike Caucus Committee Chairs
According to Nancy Pelosi’s office, the most likely House committee Chairs will be as follows (we are only listing the committee chairs that are also on the Bike Caucus):
Agriculture Committee: Collin Peterson (D-Minn.)
Budget Committee: John Spratt (D-S.C.)
House Administration Committee: Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Calif.)
Intelligence Committee: Jane Harman (D-Calif.)
Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)
Resources Committee: Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.)
Rules Committee: Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.)
Transportation & Infrastructure: James Oberstar (D-Minn.)
Science Committee: Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.)
Veterans Affairs Committee: Bob Filner (D-Calif.)
These important positions and representatives will figure prominently in our efforts to move forward on a number of important legislative issues, such as funding for the Conserve by Bike program, and the Commuter Tax Benefit Act.
Sorry to See Them Leave
Several bicycling supporters will not be returning to the 110th Congress, and we'll miss them. Among those retiring are Senator Jim Jeffords (I-VT) and Representative Sherry Boehlert (R-NY) who were recognized at the 2006 National Bike Summit for their contributions to cycling; and Martin Olav Sabo (D-MN), the architect of the landmark 1994 National Bicycling and Walking Study. Rep. Mark Foley, who resigned his seat prior to the election, was an original co-sponsor of the Bicycle Commuter Act for many years. Rep. Sue Kelly, who has been a strong supporter of local bicycling initiatives, lost her bid for re-election.
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