This was a vote on an amendment by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) to transportation, housing, and urban affairs legislation that would have eliminated a provision of the bill providing $1 million for a bicycle path in North Smithfield and Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

Flake urged support for his amendment: “I love biking. I will go home this weekend and bike. But why in the world should the taxpayers at the Federal level be on the hook for an earmark for a bike path in Rhode Island? Why did we just choose this one? That's part of the problem of this system of earmarking that we have.”

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) urged opposition to the amendment: “In case people don't understand, there is a public health epidemic. It's called diabetes. It's called lack of exercise. I think we actually ought to be encouraging people to be outdoors. It is a public health issue. We will be paying for this public health problem if people don't exercise. But this gentleman seems to dismiss the cost of a bike path.”

The House rejected Flake’s amendment by a vote of 163-260. 151 Republicans and 12 Democrats voted “yea.” 243 Democrats and 17 Republicans voted “nay.” As a result, the House rejected an amendment to transportation, housing, and urban affairs legislation that would have eliminated a provision of the bill providing $1 million for a bicycle path in North Smithfield and Woonsocket, Rhode Island.