James Oberstar, a member of the U.S. Congress, has been the driving force behind legislation that created Rails-to-Trails and Safe Routes to Schools, initiatives that are now growing in communities across America.

Oberstar keeps a bike in his Washington apartment to use when he’s at his D.C. office and he has several at his Minnesota home. Most weekends he can be found at charity rides talking and mixing with his constituents and encouraging them on the ride.

Oberstar has led an evolution of thinking among his congressional colleagues in Washington; thinking that includes bicycles in transportation bills, bikes in city street planning and safe routes to schools.

What does he mean to people in bike advocacy? “In a word, everything. No one has done more to increase bicycle funding or awareness of all the benefits of bicycling in Congress than Mr. Oberstar,” said Tim Blumenthal, Executive Director of Bikes Belong.

“Bicycle facility and program funding has grown from 20 million/year to nearly a billion dollars a year and that’s just a start. Without Congressman Oberstar’s leadership and commitment we would be well short of this level of support. We couldn’t have a better or more effective ambassador for bicycling than Mr. Oberstar” adds Blumenthal.

Oberstar’s clear and bold vision for the future of bicycling is noticed by many, including Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists.

“It’s hard to overstate the importance of Jim Oberstar to the bicycling movement. He has rallied the industry and advocates to the cause; he has championed bicycling issues in Congress; and has a real passion for riding his bike. To have someone like that in Congress would be terrific enough. To have an avid bicyclist as the Chairman of the Transportation Infrastructure Committee, now that’s something special in a town where rank matters! His leadership is directly responsible for every state having a bike coordinator and a bike plan. He created the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center to share knowledge, and in 2005 launched the $600 million Safe Routes to School program. Few members of Congress can truly lay claim to changing the habits of a generation of schoolkids. Jim Oberstar is one of those people, ” said Clarke.

Thanks, Mr. Oberstar, from all of us who love to “go by bike!”