WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following their meeting last week, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) questioned Elaine Chao, the nominee for transportation secretary, during today’s nomination hearing in the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Senator Capito focused her questions on the infrastructure needs of rural America, as well as financing for transportation projects, broadband deployment and efforts to prevent impaired driving.
“As someone who lives in and represents a rural state, I’m concerned about how we are going to incent private dollars to go to less populated and developed areas of our country because those investments are just as important. I was glad to hear Elaine agree that rural America needs to be more connected, and I am confident that she will consider the needs of West Virginia and Appalachia,” Senator Capito said following the hearing.
“I also urged support for ‘dig-once,’ a strategy for deploying broadband at the same time that new highways and roads are constructed, and encouraged innovative efforts to prevent impaired driving. Elaine’s responses give me hope that West Virginia’s days of being overlooked by Washington are over, and I look forward to voting for her confirmation,” Senator Capito added.
Senator Capito joined the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in the 115th Congress. On December 12, Senator Capito sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump encouraging the new administration to include broadband deployment as a core component of any infrastructure proposals. Read the letter here.
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