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Message started by FlyingLaZBoy on Sep 16^th, 2009, 1:51pm

Title: Call your congressperson
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Sep 16^th, 2009, 1:51pm

[ Never mind, see below... but hooray!!!] [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif]

From BROL:

Received this from Rails to Trails Conservancy just a bit ago.
It is posted here FYI.

Quote:

Your voice is urgently needed. The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on eliminating walking and biking funds [TODAY], September 16.
About an hour ago, we received word that Senators Tom Coburn (Okla.) and John McCain (Ariz.) just issued amendments to the FY10 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill. Their changes specifically attack funding for rail-trails, bicycling and walking.
Please take a minute right now to call your senator and ask him or her to vote against Amendments 2370 and 2371 to H.R. 3288.
Amendment 2370 would prohibit the use of federal funds for pedestrian or bicycle facilities, efforts to reduce vehicle collisions with wildlife, or other specified Transportation Enhancement (TE) projects if the Highway Trust Fund cannot cover unfunded highway authorizations.
Amendment 2371 would allow states to eliminate spending on TE, the nation’s largest funding source for trails, walking and bicycling. Congress currently sets aside a portion of federal funds for TE to support these projects in all states.
This is truly an all-hands-on-deck moments. Please act now—call your senator and ask him or her to vote against the proposed amendments.
Thank you,
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Title: Re: Call your congressperson
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Sep 16^th, 2009, 1:54pm

UPDATE: Amendments are Defeated!

Thank you to everyone for your calls to your senators' offices speaking up against the two amendments below. Please stay tuned for a more detailed analysis and follow-up. Read below for background on the alert.

If you are not on Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's free e-mail list, RTC Online, please sign up now.

Title: Re: Call your congressperson
Post by Stevesbent on Sep 16^th, 2009, 6:28pm

Both of our Senators voted yeh.

After seeing all of the other garbage that is in the ammendment that I believe should be cut I kind of wish it had failed.

I know it would mean we would have to do some leg work getting the R to T projects funded but I am not so sure the other baggage in the bill that will also be funded makes it worth it. They put R to T at the bottom of the list (even below removing road kill [smiley=sad.gif]).

Title: Re: Call your congressperson
Post by robert.j on Sep 17^th, 2009, 1:25pm

Must...resist...urge...to...get...political! [smiley=duel.gif]
(Apologies to Dilbert fans)