Editorial: Help getting off the road

Partisanship being what it is nowadays, it almost seems like news whenever Republicans and Democrats agree on anything.

But some measures aren't fodder for conservative or liberal slogans. They're just good policy.

An example is federal telework legislation that passed the House last week, thanks in no small part to all three of the Prince William area's congressmen: two carrying an "R" after their names; the other, a "D."

The Telework Improvements Act expands telecommuting in the federal government, makes working away from the office a key part of agencies' emergency plans and has other good features.

It passed with a bipartisan vote of 290-131, as Rep. Frank R. Wolf noted in an e-mail to supporters. The Republican, who represents Manassas, Manassas Park and part of western Prince William County, has been a champion of getting commuters off the roads for more than two decades.

He sponsored the bill along with Rep. John Sarbanes, a Maryland Democrat, and Rep. Gerald E. "Gerry" Connolly, a Democrat who represents most of Prince William.

Like Wolf, Connolly long has been a telecommuting proponent, and he touted the legislation's benefits of reducing gridlock and lessening emissions. As he did earlier in the year, he also noted that telework allowed the government to continue operating months ago when our weather problems were not 100-degree days but seemingly 100 feet of snow.

In addition, one of the co-sponsors of the bill was Rep. Robert J. Wittman, a Republican who represents part of southern Prince William. He's no telework slouch, either. He introduced legislation last year to give teleworkers a tax break, and this man knows some commuting. He drives to Washington every day from his home in Montross in the Northern Neck.

So kudos to Wolf, Connolly and Wittman for getting behind this bill. Telecommuting isn't a sexy or controversial matter. But it is of obvious significance in a region where just getting to the office can be an adventure.

The Telework Improvements Act also fits in well with President Barack Obama's pronouncement Tuesday that federal workers should commute by car less to reduce emissions and, therefore, help clean the air.

Guess that means he'll sign the telework bill, assuming it passes the Senate and gets to his desk. What took him so long to become a telecommuting advocate? Our guys in Congress have been on the case for years.