Transportation and Housing Choices for Gas Price Relief Act of 2008

To authorize programs and activities to support transportation and housing options that will assist American families in reducing transportation costs, and for other purposes.

7/15/2008--Introduced.
Transportation and Housing Choices for Gas Price Relief Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to:
(1) carry out a competitive grant program that supports community efforts to invest in transportation alternatives and travel demand management strategies; and
(2) award grants to eligible entities, giving priority to activity proposals for reducing single occupancy vehicle trips. Provides certain formula grant funding for specified improvement activities to increase use of public transportation. Requires the Secretary to award grants for a national consumer awareness program on the environmental, energy, and economic benefits of transportation alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle, including carpooling, vanpooling, transit, and bicycles. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to:
(1) allow a telework tax credit of up to $400 per year;
(2) include a qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement as a qualified transportation fringe benefit, excludable from gross income;
(3) equalize and increase to $200, with a modified cost-of-living adjustment, the tax exclusion for both transportation and parking fringe benefits;
(4) make self-employed individuals eligible for transit pass fringe benefits;
(5) include employer-established parking cash-out programs as qualified transportation fringe benefits; and
(6) allow a vanpool (general business) tax credit. Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to:
(1) incorporate transportation costs associated with location of housing into affordability standards for allocating low-income housing tax credits related to rental assistance vouchers or other affordable housing programs; and
(2) develop a model transportation cost field for Multiple Listing Services to measure transportation costs associated with the location of a home. Amends the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) Charter Act and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) Act to include the use of location-efficient mortgages among their purposes. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to require the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to establish graduated annual goals for the purchase by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac of location-efficient mortgages for single-family, owner-occupied homes. Requires the Secretary of HUD to make grants to states to construct or acquire affordable housing that is location-efficient. Amends the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to include high schools in the safe routes to school program.


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Sponsor

• Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D, OR-3]
• and 16 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Russ Carnahan [D, MO-3]
  • Rep. Mazie Hirono [D, HI-2]
  • Rep. Jay Inslee [D, WA-1]
  • Rep. Edward Markey [D, MA-7]
  • Rep. Doris Matsui [D, CA-5]
  • Rep. James McDermott [D, WA-7]
  • Rep. Jerry McNerney [D, CA-11]
  • Rep. James Moran [D, VA-8]
  • Rep. Steven Rothman [D, NJ-9]
  • Rep. John Sarbanes [D, MD-3]
  • Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D, IL-9]
  • Rep. Allyson Schwartz [D, PA-13]
  • Christopher Shays
  • Rep. Hilda Solis [D, CA-32]
  • Rep. Ellen Tauscher [D, CA-10]
  • Rep. David Wu [D, OR-1]
  close

Committees

• House Ways and Means
• 4 more
  • House Financial Services
  • House Oversight and Government Reform
  • House Transportation and Infrastructure
  • House Transportation and Infrastructure
  close

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.6495

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
July 15, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Jul 16, 2008: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
• Introduced on Jul 15, 2008.
• Jul 15, 2008: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Financial Services, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• Jul 15, 2008: Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure
• Jul 15, 2008: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1459-1460)
• Jul 15, 2008: Referred to House Financial Services
• Jul 15, 2008: Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform
• Jul 15, 2008: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H6475-6476, E1459-1460)
• Jul 15, 2008: Referred to House Ways and Means

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Blog Coverage

October 29, 2008 Aging and Disability in America: H.R.6893 Fostering Connections to ...

... HR 6410 (1); HR 6414 (1); HR 6422 (1); HR 6427 (1); HR 6444 (1); HR 6445 (2); HR 6448 (1); HR 6485 (1); HR 6494 (1); HR 6495 (1); HR 6498 (1); HR 6503 (1); HR 6600 (1); HR 6605 (1); HR 6619 (1); HR 6800 (1); HR 6835 (1); HR 6893 (1) ...

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October 29, 2008 Reps. Blumenauer, Tauscher and Shays Introduce Bill to Provide ...

Titled, "H.R. 6495: Transportation and Housing Choices for Gas Price Relief Act of 2008", the proposed bipartisan legislation was referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform, Ways and Means, Financial Services and ...

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September 28, 2008 Public Transportation, Walkable-Community Development Bill

The Transportation and Housing Options for Gas Price Relief Act of 2008 (HR 6495) has been introduced in the House of Representatives. Sponsored by Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), the bill is cosponsored by Chris Shays (R-CT), Ellen Tauscher ...

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