MORGANTOWN — Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin are both supporting the long-awaited bipartisan infrastructure package – the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – and anticipating how it could help West Virginia.
Manchin’s office sent out a document touting its potential benefits and a statement of support. Capito talked about the bill during a Thursday morning press conference.
The roughly $1 trillion bill would provide more $3.5 billion for West Virginia across five years, Capito said. She’s the GOP leader on the Senate floor helping her party members get their amendments considered. She expected the amendment process to wrap up Thursday, leading to a Saturday vote.
“This is a far-reaching modernization of our transportation sector,” she said. The bill includes broadband development. “This, I think, should bring us to the point where we can say that we have gotten to the last house, the last business.”
The crux of the bill, she said, came out of the surface transportation and water infrastructure bills passed unanimously out of the Environment and Public Works Committee, where she is ranking Republican.
The bill contains about $550 billion to $570 billion of new spending above the current baseline, and Republicans have been concerned about the “pay-fors,” which are revenue measures to pay for new spending. The Congressional Budget Office said Thursday afternoon that it projects the bill would add about $256 billion to the federal deficit across 10 years: A decrease in direct spending of $110 billion and an increase in revenues of $50 billion would be offset by an increase in discretionary spending of $415 billion, resulting in a net $256 billion in projected deficits.
Capito said the bill is about half paid for, and the pay-fors include gas taxes and repurposed, no-longer-needed COVID funding, plus projected economic growth from improved infrastructure. She knows some will oppose it because of deficit spending, but she’s supporting it because it’s important.
The bill channels money into expanding electric vehicle use: $7.5 billion to build out a national network of EV chargers. But Capito said it includes no EV pay-for — no fees for EV users to contribute their share for wear and tear on the highways.
That’s a sore spot with her, she said. “The president said absolutely not because he made a pledge that he would not put any kind of a tax on anybody making $400,000 or less.”
But EVs are so expensive, she said, owners could afford a user fee, and user fees are needed. There is a pilot study in the bill to look at Vehicle Miles Traveled as a way for users to contribute.
Manchin’s information sheet shows West Virginia would receive a minimum $100 million for broadband expansion, providing access for 258,000 residents. Also, 543,000 residents will be eligible for the Affordability Connectivity Benefit, intended for low-income families.
For roads and bridges, West Virginia would receive $3 billion for federal aid highway projects and $506 million for bridge replacement and repairs. It can also compete for $12.5 billion Bridge Investment Program funds and $16 billion for community projects that will boost state economies.
West Virginia would receive $196 million for public transit and $46 million for EV charging stations. It could also apply for a portion of $2.5 billion in grant funds for EV chargers.
Manchin said of the bill, “This is big. This is a big deal. I don’t care who is looking at it any way they can. It’s been said that nothing like this has been done in 30 years. It hasn’t … The American people are speaking loudly and clear. The polls are overwhelming. Whether it’s Democrat, Republican, Independent, they could care less. They want their infrastructure repaired. … They want to be able to communicate and compete for the jobs in the 21st Century.”
Immediately on the heels of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act vote, the Senate will take up the Democratic $3.5 trillion social infrastructure spending package.
As Capito pointed out, there is not an actual social infrastructure proposal yet. The Hill explained that senators would vote on a budget resolution that includes instructions for drafting the $3.5 trillion spending package. Capito said the actual bill would follow in September after the summer break.
The budget resolution is expected to pass via reconciliation, perhaps by Wednesday, without GOP support. Capito said she opposes it. “That is massive deficit spending. It will not be paid for. And I think it’s massive tax increases as well.”
Asked if she’s relying on Manchin and maybe a few other Democrats to put the breaks on it and at least pare it down, she said, “Our great hope is to stop this. This is the Green New Deal times 10 in here.”
It does contain some good ideas — free community college and preschool, she said. But they should be discussing what the needs are together. “This proposal is totally backwards. It saying we’re going to spend $3.5 trillion and then we’re going to start filling it in with some of our wants and needs.”
At home, she said, we decide we need a new car, then figure out what we can spend on it. We don’t say we have $30,000 and then decide to use it for a car. “We’re going to fight hard to try to stop it,” or at least pare it down.
It will need all 50 Democratic votes plus Vice President Kamala Harris to break the tie. Manchin has not yet promised his support, questioning the price tag and how it could be paid for.
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