WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today voted to pass the most recent minibus appropriations legislation. The bill includes four FY2019 government funding measures: the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act; the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act; the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act; and the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Act. It passed the Senate by a 92-6 vote. Senator Capito issued the following statement after the vote:
 
“The minibus we passed today includes significant resources for a wide range of priorities that are important to West Virginians and will go a long way in helping to meet numerous needs in our state. From driving economic growth and development and cutting regulatory red tape to improving rural broadband access and fighting the opioid epidemic, this legislation will help support programs and projects that can improve the lives of families and individuals across the Mountain State.
 
“I am especially proud to have helped include funds in this legislation for a pilot program at USDA that will improve connectivity in unserved and underserved areas. The bill also maintains the historic increase in funding I secured as FSGG chairman for programs at the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which will help strengthen our efforts to fight back against the drug crisis that is devastating so many of our communities. These are just a few examples of the important West Virginia priorities this legislation will support.
 
“Having now passed more than half of the FY2019 funding bills, this vote also marks a significant step forward in returning regular order to the appropriations process. Reestablishing regular order will help ensure that we are using taxpayer dollars responsibly and effectively, directing our limited financial resources to the programs and priorities that will make the biggest and most positive difference in the lives of West Virginians and all Americans.”
 
Last week, Senator Capito spoke on the Senate floor to highlight a number of the West Virginia wins in the minibus. For a video of Senator Capito’s remarks, click here. Additional information on all four of the funding measures passed today is available below. 
 
The FY2019 Agriculture bill includes: 

  • $3.8 billion for rural development, including an additional $825 million in funding dedicated for infrastructure investments in rural America.
  • $425 million for the rural broadband loan and grant pilot program and $53 million in Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants, of which $20 million is dedicated to assist rural communities combat the opioid epidemic. 
  • $2.97 billion in discretionary funding for the Food and Drug Administration, $159 million over the FY2018 enacted level, including $59 million for opioid prevention efforts. 
  • Mandatory funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and child nutrition programs.

 

The FY2019 Interior, Environment bill includes:

  • No increase in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help ensure the agency is focused on its core mission of environmental cleanup.
  • Funds that benefit counties and local governments such as the PILT program, the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, and grant programs that help states implement environmental regulations.
  • An emphasis on deferred maintenance at National Parks as a funding priority within the National Park Service.
  • Proposed increases for the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities, which will benefit numerous festivals, cultural programs, and historical initiatives across West Virginia. 

 

The FY2019 THUD bill includes: 

  • More than $3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant, a critical resource for many West Virginia cities.
  • Language mandating Amtrak to improve their communications and outreach efforts when making decisions such as those that impact the Hinton Railroad Days.
  • Report language directing Amtrak to provide at least one station agent in every state where it operates, which would save the presence of this capacity in Charleston.
  • Language in support of commuters in the Eastern Panhandle in encouraging “the Federal Transit Administration to work with states to help them maintain rail service providing commuter access to Washington, DC.”
  • A statement of disapproval for a proposed rescission of funding for the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), along with direction for the Federal Highway Administration “to work with relevant state departments of transportation in Appalachia to ensure that construction and repair projects are prioritized for roads of critical commercial importance in the ADHS.”
  • $1 billion for Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grants, previously known as TIGER grants.
  • Funding for Essential Air Service, Contract Towers, and Airport Improvement Grants.

 

The FY2019 FSGG bill includes:

  • $270 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program.
  • $99 million for the Drug Free Communities Program.
  • Language discouraging a proposal to eliminate the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
  • $338 million for the Bureau of Fiscal Service in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
  • Sufficient funds for the IRS to implement pro-growth tax reform.
  • Language authored by Senator Capito asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to consider a state’s topography when developing procedures to facilitate wireless broadband in rural areas. More information here.

 

# # #