Earl Blumenauer
A bow-tied congressman from Portland who became America's most persistent and creative advocate for bicycles, urban livability, and sustainable policy.
Born 1948 (age 78)·American politician·Birthday: August 16·Baby Boomers
Biography
Earl Blumenauer has spent a political lifetime championing the idea that how we build our communities—from transportation to tax policy—profoundly shapes our quality of life. A Portland native, his political career began in the Oregon legislature, where he helped pioneer the state's landmark bottle bill. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996, Blumenauer turned his signature bow tie and bicycle pin into symbols of a focused, wonky, and determined advocacy. He authored and shepherded legislation that directed billions toward transit, cycling, and pedestrian projects, fundamentally shifting federal transportation priorities. Beyond infrastructure, he was a leading voice for cannabis policy reform, climate action, and reviving America's inner cities. His approach was less about partisan combat and more about building practical, coalitions around what he called 'the livable community,' making him a unique and influential force in Congress for nearly three decades.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Earl was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Earl Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Earl's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded and chaired the Congressional Bike Caucus, advocating for federal funding and policies supporting cycling infrastructure.
- Was a principal author and advocate for the 2012 transportation bill provision that created the first dedicated federal funding for bicycling and walking projects.
- Played a key role in the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized industrial hemp production in the United States.
- Served as the U.S. Representative for Oregon's 3rd congressional district for 28 years, from 1996 to 2025.
Did You Know?
He is almost always seen wearing a bow tie and a bicycle lapel pin.
He once rode a bicycle across the United States.
He served on the Portland City Council and was a key figure in the development of the city's light rail system and urban growth boundary.
“The bicycle is a simple, elegant solution to some of the most complicated problems of our time.”
