CHARLESTON – The president of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce says his group supports the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
“Businesses need a solid infrastructure to conduct commerce and this important legislation makes a significant investment in the traditional ‘hard infrastructure’ of the United States," Steve Roberts said September 29. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bill sometime this week.
The bi-partisan measure passed the U.S. Senate last month on a 69-30 vote. Both of West Virginia’s senators – Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin – vote in favor of the bill.
Roberts said West Virginia stands to gain nearly $4.4 billion in federal funding should the House pass this bill and it be signed into law by President Biden.
The breakdown of what West Virginia can expect to receive is:
- $3 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs
- $506 million for bridge replacement and repairs
- $487 million for drinking water infrastructure
- $100 million (minimum allocation) for broadband coverage
- $190 million for public transportation
- $46 million for electric vehicle charging stations
- $44 million for airport infrastructure development
- $11 million for wildfire protection
- $14 million for cybersecurity protection
“The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce joins our national colleagues at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in strongly encouraging the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act," he said.
(The West Virginia Record is owned by the U.S. Chamber's Institute for Legal Reform.)