MIL-OSI USA: Manchin Secures West Virginia Priorities, Over $191 Million In Earmarks In Bipartisan Appropriations Package

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured a number of West Virginia priorities in a bipartisan appropriations package, which included the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water; Interior and Environment; Commerce, Justice, Science; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bills.

These six funding bills included critical priorities Senator Manchin championed such as keeping West Virginia on the cutting edge of innovation, promoting our energy and national security, rebuilding West Virginia’s infrastructure, and keeping the Mountain State Wild and Wonderful. They also included $191,265,370 in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) requests, or earmarks, for 151 West Virginia projects.

“As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I fight every day to ensure West Virginia receives the federal resources we need to build stronger communities, spur economic opportunity, and strengthen our energy and national security. This package of six funding bills includes historic wins for the Mountain State, including more than $191 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for projects like expanding Corridor H, renovating the Wheeling Gateway Visitors Center, and upgrading the Elkins-Randolph County Public Library. I look forward to seeing President Biden sign this legislation into law and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for West Virginian and American priorities while also working to get our fiscal house in order,” said Senator Manchin.

Senator Manchin also secured strong provisions critical to bolstering American national and energy security, including funding to onshore domestic uranium production needed for both civilian and military use, prohibit sales of our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China, and a renewal of the Compacts of Free Association (COFA) with the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau to combat China’s efforts to expand its influence in the region. The COFA legislation is the result of year-long bipartisan negotiations across eight primary committees with equities in the House and Senate and will protect U.S. geopolitical interests in the Pacific for the next 20 years.

West Virginia Priority Highlights:

1. Generating Hydrogen: $390 million for crosscutting hydrogen research, development, demonstration, and deployment opportunities for the production, storage, and delivery of hydrogen to promote energy security and economic development.

2. Fighting Against the Drug Epidemic:Includes language reflective of Senator Manchin’s FREED of Opioids Act, requiring the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review the problematic enriched enrollment randomized withdrawal (EERW) clinical trial methodology used to approve opioids.
3. Economic Development: $28.6 million for West Virginia for Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Grants, $65m for ARC POWER Grants & $75 million for EDA’s Assistance to Coal Communities.
4. Protecting our great outdoors: Allocates $900 million in mandatory funding for Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Federal and State programs, and $1.97 billion in mandatory funding for Department of the Interior (DOI) and Forest Service deferred maintenance projects, as provided in the Great American Outdoors Act. Projects receiving funding include:

• New River Gorge National Park and Preserve:
• $36.1 million of National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund allocated to remove excess structures and abandoned buildings (Phase II), address deficient utilities, historic structures, and visitor facilities.
• $655,000 in Land and Water Conservation Fund allocations.
• Gauley River National Recreation Area: $920,000 in Land and Water Conservation Fund allocations.
• Monongahela National Forest: $685,000 of National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund allocated to replace the Holcomb Bridge.
5. Rebuilding our infrastructure: 55% of WV’s 38,000 miles of public roads are considered to be in poor or fair condition, while 20% of our 7,314 bridges are considered structurally deficient.
• $350 million for the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), including $250 million in advance appropriations through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
• $250 million for a new bridge bundling grant program.
• $345 million for discretionary grant programs at the Department of Transportation, including RAISE grants. Thanks to Senator Manchin, WV has received $128.1million in RAISE grants in the past several years. 

Full list of West Virginia priorities can be found here.

West Virginia CDS Highlights:

Senator Manchin also secured a total of $191,265,370 in CDS requests in the six funding bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee allows members of Congress to submit CDS requests, which provide opportunities for state and local governments, non-profits, and other public entities to receive targeted funding for projects that bolster their communities.

• Finishing Corridor H: $12,500,000 to build the Wardensville to Virginia State Line section of Corridor H.
• Camp Dawson: $8,300,000 to ensure all soldiers at Camp Dawson have access to facilities that help them meet physical fitness standards.
• Upgrading water systems: $10,022,00 to improve the water system for the town of West Union.  
• Reinvigorating outdated infrastructure: $5,000,000 to transform the blighted Wheeling Gateway Visitors Center and $2,2000,000 to expand and renovate theElkins-Randolph County Public Library
• Protecting our communities: $4,165,000 to construct a new fire station in Huntington. 

Full list of West Virginia Congressionally Directed Spending requests can be found here.