Rep Earl Blumenaneur (D-Pedal Power) had this to say about bikes in HuffPost recently (I wasn't paying close enough attention when it first came out on the 6th):

Investment in bike paths will not only improve our economy, and take our country in the right direction for the future; it is exactly the kind of investment the American people want.

Moreover, bicycle and pedestrian paths are precisely the kind of infrastructure projects our country needs. These projects tend to the most "shovel-ready" and are more labor-intensive than other projects — therefore putting more people to work per dollar spent.

We might have understood these attacks a decade ago, but today they ignore the explosion of bicycling in this country in recent years that has been nothing short of phenomenal.

This is the kind of uber-partisan attack from the right that underscores their overarching goal in the stimulus debate: stopping the Dems, and Pres Obama, from winning. Just as they did when they were in power (and laying the groundwork for engorging the federal government while simultaneously destroying the economy), they show no intention of trying to make things better for the majority of Americans but simply to score ideological points and destroy any plans of the Dems. Nevermind the American people back the Democrats and the President; nevermind that the Rs failed when in leadership; nevermind the world is falling to pieces.

Better to destroy their enemies even if they take the nation down with them.

Earl's whole piece is worth a read. Understand why bike paths make such good economic sense.