Senators Johnson, Baldwin Join Bill to Expand Federal Funding for Bike and Pedestrian Safety and Honor Wisconsinite Killed in Biking Accident

Political foes from the left and right have actually found a reason to come together and agree on something.

On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, Wisconsin U.S. Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin joined other U.S. Senators in introducing a bipartisan bill that would increase funding to protect pedestrians and bicyclists. The bill is called the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Safety Transportation Act.

Named after a Wisconsin native who was killed while riding her bicycle in Bethesda, MD in 2022 after returning from being an American diplomat serving in Ukraine.

The legislation would expand federal funding opportunities for local governments to improve roadway safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. in 2022, overall traffic fatalities decreased, but bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities increased by 13 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively.

The act would also impose a stricter penalty on motorists who strike bicyclists in a bike lane. If convicted, a driver can receive a sentence of up to two months in jail and a fine of as much as $2,000. The jail portion of the penalty, which was not in place before, aligns with a current statute for hitting a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Senator Johnson said by investing in infrastructure to enhance road safety for pedestrians and cyclists, it will help prevent further deaths from preventable traffic crashes and ensure Americans feel safe when using our roads.