WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) today marked one year since becoming Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee. Ranking Member Capito and Chairman Carper reflected on a year of accomplishments at the helm of EPW.
“Native-born West Virginians, Chairman Carper and I make a great team and I have thoroughly enjoyed working together to help lead our EPW Committee. It’s only been a year since we took over this committee together and we have achieved unprecedented victories for the American people. Most notably, our committee’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure legislation and surface transportation legislation were both included in the final bipartisan infrastructure package, which is now law. This is proof of our strong partnership and the results that can occur when we and our staffs work together in a bipartisan way to put the needs of the American people first—a goal that both Chairman Carper and I share. It is an understatement to say that we accomplished a lot in our last year together, and I look forward to many more ways to work together in 2022,” Ranking Member Capito said.
“When I took the gavel as Chairman of EPW, I wanted to lead this committee in a bipartisan, collaborative way to pass legislation that helps the American people and protects our environment. I also wanted to bring a focus on climate and equity to the center of all of our work,” Chairman Carper said. “The first week as Chair and Ranking Member of EPW, Senator Capito and I met with President Biden to talk about the need for bipartisan water and transportation infrastructure legislation. We knew that we could lead the way in the EPW Committee with drinking water and wastewater infrastructure legislation and a surface transportation reauthorization. Now, those bipartisan efforts by our committee have led to historic infrastructure legislation that is being implemented across our country each day, helping deliver cleaner water and safer roads to the American people. I’m grateful for my partnership with Senator Capito in this extraordinary achievement, and I know that we will have many more bright days to come, working side by side.”
Under the first year of Ranking Member Capito and Chairman Carper’s leadership, the EPW Committee reported favorably and confirmed 14 nominees and held 31 hearings and seven business meetings.
Capito and Carper successfully passed a surface transportation reauthorization in record time—the fastest that the committee has ever reported a surface transportation authorization—and drinking water and wastewater infrastructure legislation, which included the first reauthorization of the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund at increased levels since 1987. EPW’s Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act and Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act were the foundation for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, historic bipartisan legislation that Capito and Carper led to Senate passage.
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