Future Caucus Members Lead Effort to Unanimously Pass Ridesharing Legislation Through House

The Modernizing Government Travel Act, which was brought before the House floor by Future Caucus Members Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Representative Will Hurd (R-TX), passed the House with unanimous bipartisan support on September 22nd, 2016. Introduced in July, the bill quickly brought together cosponsors from both sides of the aisle, including Future Caucus Member Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA).  The bill, now in front of the Senate, would push the General Services Administration (GSA) to establish regulations allowing federal government employees to be reimbursed for utilizing ridesharing services while on government business. The bill also calls on the GSA to submit annual reports to Congress on the application of these regulations and the resulting savings.

Representative Moulton sees this bill as an opportunity to, “bring innovation into how government functions by utilizing the new technology that is available to us”, and solidifying the availability of ridesharing and other innovative transportation options to government officials. The bill is believed to also save taxpayers money by enabling federal employees to opt-in to ride sharing options are more cost effective than traditional transportation options

Representative Hurd offered that the bill would enable the federal government to “catch up with the private sector and move the needle toward a more innovative and responsive government,” one that rewards innovation and functions more efficiently.

Millennials helped build this sharing economy, or the collection of online peer-to-peer marketplaces from which companies like Uber and Lyft emerged, from the ground up. Now, sharing things like rides and apartments has become commonplace. Millennials are perhaps best positioned to understand the opportunities presented by a growing and evolving economy. Future Caucus members work together and lead national efforts to transition our policies into the 21st-century. Through these efforts, the Future Caucus plays a pivotal role in breaking down barriers between government and innovation, all while expanding opportunities for Americans of all ages.

The goal of the Congressional Future Caucus is to foster a nonpartisan community of young elected officials that models post-partisan leadership on future-oriented issues. To learn more about the Congressional Future Caucus, click here.