Located in the heart of Appalachia, West Virginia is a transportation hub of the Mid-Atlantic. West Virginians rely heavily on roads, bridges, and highways to fuel our economy, access hard to reach areas in our state, get to and from work and school, and transport necessary goods and services.
As the ranking member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, Senator Capito has worked extensively to better America’s federal roadways. Her roles on both the EPW and Appropriations Committees have allowed Senator Capito to look out for West Virginia roads, particularly Route 2 and Corridor H.
Senator Capito helped negotiate and craft the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law in November 2021 and provides record investments to upgrade roads and bridges, address aging water and wastewater systems, support our airports and ports, and connect rural America with broadband infrastructure in order to finally close the digital divide.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is built around two critical infrastructure bills crafted by the EPW Committee - the Surface Transportation and Reauthorization Act of 2021 (STRA), which passed the committee unanimously, as well as the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA 2021), which passed the EPW Committee unanimously and the Senate 89-2. Senator Capito began negotiations with President Biden in early 2021, which led to the final bipartisan infrastructure package that ultimately was signed into law. She also served as the Republican floor manager during the debate process on the Senate floor.
Previously, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee within EPW, Senator Capito served as one of the four chief negotiators of America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act, bipartisan legislation to rebuild and support America’s surface transportation system. She included provisions dedicating funding for bridges, which are often neglected in favor of large highways. Senator Capito also sponsored the Advancing Infrastructure Development (AID) in Appalachia Act, which would accelerate completion of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), which was first authorized more than 50 years ago to better integrate Appalachia with neighboring regions and support economic development.
Water and wastewater infrastructure is also critically important to West Virginia, particularly in the southern part of the state. Senator Capito has worked across the aisle to write legislation that helps address wastewater challenges faced by rural communities, such as the Decentralized Wastewater Grant Act. Senator Capito also sponsored the Innovative Water Workforce Development Act, which established a competitive grant program to help develop the next generation of water utility workers. As a leader on the EPW and Appropriations Committees, she will continue to advance proposals that provide West Virginians with safe, dependable water and wastewater services.