We just learned that the Petri/Johnson/Lipinski Amendment, which would have funded for biking and walking programs in the House Transportation Bill, was defeated by a close vote of 29 - 27. We want to give a huge thanks to Representative Michael Capuano, who voted in favor of the amendment, and to all of you who asked him to support it. We lost this battle, but the fight isn't over. For a full listing of how the committee members voted, click here.

The good news is that because the vote was so close and had bipartisan support, there is a chance that we will be able to get the funding put back in later in the legislative process. However, this is by no means a certainty. We are almost definitely going to be calling on you again soon to voice your support to your member of Congress. In the meantime, we will be working hard with our national partners to form a strategy to continue funding for biking and walking.

We got an overwhelming response from our supporters in Mr. Capuano's district, many of whom reported that they had contacted his office. This highlights how much we depend on our members and stakeholders to be effective in our advocacy. We need your help to continue the fight for biking, so please consider joining or making a donation to MassBike. (Our online store is undergoing maintenance, so please give us a call at 617-542-2453.)

Thanks so much for your support, and stay tuned!