To watch Senator Capito’s questioning, click here or the image above.

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) questioned Mayor Pete Buttigieg, the nominee for Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, during today’s nomination hearing in the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

Today’s hearing follows a recent meeting Senator Capito had with Mayor Buttigieg where the two discussed a number of transportation items important to West Virginia and the nation’s infrastructure future. During today’s hearing, Senator Capito received several commitments from Mayor Buttigieg on several key priorities for West Virginia.

HIGHLIGHTS: 

IMPORTANCE OF HIGHWAY BILL: “As you know, I serve on Commerce, but I also serve on the Environment and Public Works Committee, which has quite a bit of jurisdiction in terms of transportation. Last year, we were able to have the bipartisan American Transportation Infrastructure Act. We had a good compromise between Republican and Democrat asks and wants, and we were able to win the entire EPW Committee, both Republicans and Democrats with unanimous consent for this bill. Unfortunately, we were unable to get it across the line. I would like to ask for your commitment that, if confirmed, you’ll work with me and others to craft a reauthorization bill that does satisfy both sides of the isle, and both parties of both chambers.”

ADVANCING THE HYPERLOOP IN WEST VIRGINIA: “In October 2020, Virgin Hyperloop announced the selection of West Virginia, and we were elated, as the new home for their Hyperloop Certification Center. This exciting new mode of transportation has the potential to transform the way Americans travel, it’s a high-speed rail. But, as this new mode of transportation continues to develop, it’s really falling between different regulator environments and we want to make sure that we are balancing innovation with assuring passenger safety, while also being able to move this along. It’s going to be critical for our future. So, would you commit to working with me to build on the work that has already been done to examine the proper regulatory framework for innovations like Hyperloop? I’m wondering if you have any perspective on that or other emerging technologies.”

FINISHING CORRIDOR H: “I want to talk to you about the completion of the Appalachian Highway Development System that was conceived in the sixties to open up Appalachia. There is one very important project remaining that is very important to my state, Corridor H. It is moving towards completion, but it’s still pretty rugged territory and we need to have that commitment. So, I would like to ask you to work with me to continue this commitment. To see the completion of Corridor H as the last phase of the Appalachian Highway Development System.”

 

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