MORGANTOWN — The U.S. Senate passed the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill — the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — Tuesday in a 69-30 vote, with 19 Republicans joining the majority.
Both West Virginia senators, Republican Shelley Moore Capito and Democrat Joe Manchin, voted yes. Both issued statements about the bill’s passage.
Capito said, “This legislation reflects our commitment to keeping Americans safe, improving our global competitiveness and growing our economy. It also includes transformative wins for West Virginia and our entire nation.”
Capito said the core of the bill is based on two bipartisan bills crafted by the Environment and Public Works Committee, where she serves as ranking Republican: the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act and the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act. This process also was built on discussions and negotiations she had with the White House over several weeks.
“The inclusion of our bills in the package means West Virginia will receive funding for programs and areas I have long supported, like roads, bridges, water and wastewater projects, construction of the Appalachian Development Highway System, and more,” she said.
“As a member of the Commerce Committee, I am also glad to see that this package makes major broadband investments that will help tremendously with closing the digital divide in our country. … The core infrastructure investments that will result from this legislation are all investments not just for now, but also for the next generation.”
Manchin said the bill will bring at least $3.8 billion to West Virginia for infrastructure investments over the next five years.
“West Virginia has 1,545 bridges and over 3,200 miles of highway in poor condition and 32% of trains and other transit vehicles in the state are past useful life. At least 258,000 West Virginians have no broadband access,” Manchin said. “Our bipartisan bill will help West Virginia, and every other state in the nation, address the infrastructure needs of our nation while creating good-paying jobs and growing the economy.
“This type of investment hasn’t been made in three decades,” he said. “This success proves to the nation, and the entire world, that Congress is not broken and when we create compromise together, by reaching across the aisle and forging true relationships, we can accomplish big things. I have always said that the best politics is good government, and I’m incredibly proud of my bipartisan colleagues for their tireless efforts to get this across the finish line and deliver on this major investment in the needs of America.”
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said passage of this bill depends on tandem passage of the $3.5 trillion social infrastructure package. That bill doesn’t yet exist. Senators will work on a budget resolution that includes instructions for drafting the $3.5 trillion spending package. The actual bill would follow in September after the summer break.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes:
- $303.5 billion over five years for federal highway programs, which is a 35% increase over current law. West Virginia will receive $3.013 billion in highway formula funding over five years. It ensures that 90% of the funding in the EPW bill is distributed by formula, giving states certainty to plan and prioritize road and bridge projects. It includes $40 billion in dedicated resources for bridges. West Virginia will receive $506 million over five years for bridge infrastructure.
- Creates a new $2 billion Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program that will dedicate resources to the Appalachian Development Highway System and other critical projects across rural America. On top of this funding, West Virginia will receive $195 million to help complete projects like Corridor H.
- The package includes a total of $48.4 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure.
- Provides initial funding of at least $100 million for broadband deployment in addition to formula-based funding for West Virginia. West Virginia’s unserved and underserved areas would be first and second in line, respectively, to then receive formula-based funding, through the U.S. Department of Commerce. Ensures rate transparency for consumers by directing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action to ensure providers label price and subscription rates in a clear and understandable way.
- Invests $2.48 billion in primary airports each year for five years, which includes Charleston, Huntington, Lewisburg and Clarksburg. Invests $20 million to airports participating in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Contract Tower Program, which includes Wheeling Ohio County, Morgantown, Parkersburg/Wood County and Greenbrier Valley.
- Reauthorizes the Abandoned Mine Land program and provides billions of dollars to clean up abandoned mine sites. Authorizes funding for a new program to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells. Boosts carbon capture infrastructure by investing in the development of carbon capture use and storage infrastructure as a critical means of reducing carbon emissions while creating regional economic opportunities and jobs.
- Includes the bipartisan Energy Infrastructure Act, which includes funds for grid reliability and resiliency and support for a Grid Deployment Authority; critical minerals and supply chains for clean energy technology.
- West Virginia would be eligible for approximately $16 million from a new revolving loan fund for states to encourage energy-efficiency upgrades and approximately $47 million in funding for weatherization based on the current formula.
- Authorizes $750 million in grants for small- and medium-sized manufacturers to build new or retrofit manufacturing and industrial facilities to produce or recycle energy products in communities where coal mines or coal plants have closed. This complements the 48C tax credit, which would provide a tax credit for similar activities in these areas.
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