Election results — Fewer uphill battles on Capitol Hill for bicyclists?

Members of the House and Senate bike caucuses fared very well in this week's mid-term elections, and members are slated for top committee appointments.

The changes could bode well for bicycling-related legislation, such as the Bicycle Commuter Act.  The act would enable employers to qualify for a tax deduction by paying employees to bicycle to work.

The League of American Bicyclists reports that of the 157 House bike caucus members, 138 were reelected to the House of Representatives and three won election to the US Senate. Of the 7 Senate bike caucus members up for reelection, 6 were successful.

Committee chairmen

In addition, many bike caucus members are up for key leadership positions in the House and Senate. Committee and subcommittee chairmen play large roles in deciding what bills are taken up for hearings and for votes.

The likely elevation of US Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minnesota) to chairmanship of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is great news for bicycling, as he's been a champion of cycling issues for the past 20 years.

Bike commuter bill

A pending change on the subcommittee on Health in the Ways and Means Committee could free up the Bike Commuter tax benefit bill that's been bottled up for nearly two years.

The ranking minority member of that health subcommittee is House bike caucus member Rep. Fortney “Pete” Stark, a longtime Democratic congressman from California. Stark was chairman of the committee from 1985 to 1994, and stands to regain the chairmanship in January.

The bill (HR 807), introduced by Oregon Democrat Earl Blumenauer, would give a tax credit to employers who pay their employees up to $100 a month for bicycling to work. It would be added to the tax code's transporation fringe benefit package, which now includes vanpools. (Follow the status of HR 807 at Thomas.)

A companion bill in the Senate, Bicycle Commuters Benefit Act of 2006, was introduced in May by Senate bike caucus members Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.

Check out the League of American Bicyclists for this election's winners and losers in the House and Senate bike caucuses and pending Congressional committee chairmanships.