In The News

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was passed by the U.S. Senate last week may not have included federal permitting reform, but West Virginia will reap benefits from the annual act needed up primarily update defense spending needs.The act passed 83-11 with both West Virginia senators supporting it.“After too long a delay, I am pleased that Congress has finally passed legislation that demonstrates our continued support of our military, especially during these challenging times,”... Read More

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released a draft of a map detailing broadband availability across the U.S., but unlike previous versions, residents can now challenge the accuracy of the information about their internet.For years, the FCC has generalized broadband coverage, and the data did not accurately reflect internet access in rural areas.Kelly Workman, director of the West Virginia Office of Broadband, said they’ve already found 138,000 instances where the map wrongly... Read More

WYOMING COUNTY (LOOTPRESS) — Today, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), both members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $25 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help construct a segment of the Coalfields Expressway between West Virginia Route 16 and the City of Mullens.“When the EPW Committee was crafting the surface transportation bill,... Read More

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced $25 million in funding to build a portion of the Coalfields Expressway in West Virginia.The money will go toward the segment of the road between State Route 16 and Mullens in Wyoming County.Once finished, the expressway will be a limited-access, multi-lane expressway connecting the West Virginia Turnpike (Interstate 64E/I-77S) at Beckley, West Virginia, and Slate, Virginia.Our Bipartisan... Read More

Grant funding totaling $25 million is going towards the Coalfields Expressway in the southern part of the state.The money comes from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and will go towards the construction of a new segment of road connecting the north end of Mullens in Wyoming County to the segment of West Virginia Route 16 east of New Richmond.The proposed four-lane highway has been in development on-and-off since 1998. When completed, it will connect Interstates 64 and 77, also... Read More

Federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will keep the Coalfields Expressway moving forward.On Monday, U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., both members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $25 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help construct a segment of the Coalfields Expressway between Mullens and W.Va. 16.“That’s... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new federal highways program will result in $25 million for the under-construction Coalfields Expressway in southern West Virginia.U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin announced the funding in a Monday news release.Capito said she pushed for what’s called the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program when negotiations were taking place in Congress on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.“We are seeing the benefits of that program come to fruition,”... Read More

HUNTINGTON — Flood prevention projects for Cabell County and throughout West Virginia received funding Thursday night as the U.S. Senate passed the national defense bill.Required annually by the National Defense Authorization Act, the bill provides nearly $858 billion to support troops and enhance national security, both across the nation and internationally. While the main purpose of the bill is to fund the military, contained within the 4,408-page document is the Water Resources Development... Read More

CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-W.Va.-03) introduced the Emergency Taxpayer Paperwork and Audit Relief Act, legislation to delay the implementation of the Democrat budget gimmick in the American Rescue Plan that lowers the threshold for Americans to receive a 1099-K form from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).“The Democrats’ so-called ‘American Rescue Plan,’ which contributed largely to our high inflation economy,... Read More

With only days left before the scheduled expiration of Title 42 at the southern border, legislators, including both U.S. Senators from West Virginia, are trying to get an extension.Title 42 was initiated by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) during the Trump administration in 2020 in response to the pandemic and directed the U.S. to turn away migrants at the border as a precaution to avoid the spread of COVIID.President Joe Biden continued the precaution when he was elected, except for... Read More

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore-Capito are urging state residents to check the accuracy of draft FCC broadband coverage maps used to determine total funding for each state to enhance coverage.All 50 states will receive at least $100 million but the final sum will be based on the total number of households who are unserved or underserved.“The promise is that everybody will have broadband accessibility but also vibrant broadband,” Capito said. “Not something that’s... Read More

U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I), U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, and Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Ranking Member of the T&I Committee, have announced a final agreement on the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA 2022).The Water Resources Development Act is biennial... Read More

WASHINGTON, (WV News) – U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., recently announced U.S. service academy nominations for 29 qualified high school seniors from 18 counties throughout West Virginia.Nominees were selected by a board chosen by Senator Capito that reviewed each application, interviewed candidates and made recommendations. Additionally, Sen. Capito released a video message congratulating the nominees.“Each year, I have the honor of nominating young West Virginians for admission to our... Read More

WASHINGTON — A congressman who won’t be returning to office in January was praised Tuesday by a West Virginia senator.U.S. Rep. David McKinley was instrumental in advancing bills impacting West Virginians, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said in a speech from the Senate floor.“David has played an essential role in advancing legislation critical to infrastructure, life-altering hearing aid devices and securing the pensions and retirement benefits that our West Virginia coal miners rely... Read More

Any West Virginian knows we can’t exactly trust the federal government to get it right when it comes to understanding the Mountain State. We should feel no differently about the Federal Communications Commission’s updated National Broadband Map — and take seriously the plea from our own officials that we log on to report inaccuracies in the depiction of our internet service.At broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home, residents can enter their home address and review whether the federal government’s report on... Read More

MORGANTOWN – Bridges, defense spending, permitting reform and the southern border were among the topics of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito’s Thursday conversation with West Virginia reporters.Bridges came up as a question following Gov. Jim Justice’s Wednesday announcement that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will bring an additional $548 million across five years to West Virginia to address its ailing bridge system.Capito said she worked on specifically negotiating bridges into the IIJA... Read More

The Medicaid and CHIP Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act, introduced this week in Congress, would create standardized coverage in Medicaid and CHIP plans for approved digital health tools and platforms.A new bill introduced to Congress aims to improve coverage for digital therapeutics in Medicaid and state Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIPs).The Medicaid and CHIP Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act (S.5238), introduced on December 12 by Senators Shelley Moore... Read More

The Government Accountability Office concluded a December 2021 memo issued by the Federal Highway Administration to guide states on using infrastructure law funds went beyond listing legal requirements and instead expressed a policy preference.The GAO determined the internal memo, which indicates states should prioritize fixing existing assets over highway expansions, meets the definition of a regulation under the Administrative Procedure Act and could be reviewed by Congress.The Congressional... Read More

The state will receive more than $548 million over the next five years from the Federal Highway Administration to invest in its bridges.Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston said the infusion of funds will allow the state to repair 2,700 bridges over 10 years.“So you’re going to start seeing a lot of bridge work in West Virginia," Wriston said. "A lot of bridge work in West Virginia.”Wriston said about 75 bridges owned by municipalities are eligible for 100 percent funding, where a 20 percent... Read More

The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday received a bipartisan bill for consideration co-led by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) that would ensure equal pay for all Americans who represent the United States in global athletic competitions after the U.S. Senate gave it approval on Dec. 8.The Equal Pay for Team USA Act of 2022, S. 2333, which Sen. Capito cosponsored in July 2021 alongside bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), would require that all athletes representing the U.S. in... Read More