PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) – From roads and bridges to capping abandoned oil and gas wells, there’s a lot for our region in the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill given approval by Congress November 6.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito was a key member of the Senate in talks with President Joe Biden during the summer on the makeup of the traditional portion of the president’s “Build Back Better” plan. Those talks ultimately failed, but a bill she later voted for was approved by the House of Representatives Friday. Biden is expected to sign it later this month.
“The basis of this bill is a highway bill, a surface transportation bill, and a water infrastructure bill,” Capito said while visiting Parkersburg Monday. “These are the building blocks of what I was considering: pnysical core infrastructure. It has broadband in there, it has airports, rail and a lot of other ways to modernize our transportation sector.”
The other portion of the president’s plan-the social spending measure-faces a tougher battle in Congress.
Capito disagrees with optimistic words Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio gave us last week, that the bill could get final approval by Thanksgiving.
“There’s still a lot of money our cities and states have to answer these issues. I think it’s the wrong thing at the wrong time, it’s way too expensive, and it’s wasteful spending.”
It’s something for which all eyes will likely be on Capito’s West Virginia counterpart, Democrat Joe Manchin.