Elected to the US House of Representatives in 1996, Congressman Blumenauer is Congress’ chief spokesperson for Livable Communities. Visiting more than 200 communities across the country, he's worked with local governments, citizens and civic organizations to strengthen local efforts to manage growth, provide transportation options and foster sustainable economic growth. Congressman Blumenauer founded the Livable Communities Task Force, the Bicycle Caucus and several other caucuses. He is co-chair of the Passenger Rail Caucus and the Trails Caucus, and a member of the Open Spaces and Land Trust Caucus. In 1991, he founded Portland‘s Regional Rail Summit which evolved into the national Rail~Volution conference in 1995.