Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the City of Wheeling Small Business Façade Improvement Program will receive $500,000 and the Marshall University Division of Aviation will receive $1,000,000. The federal awards are two of the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) requests Senator Manchin secured on behalf of West Virginia through the Fiscal Year 2023 funding bill.
“I’m proud to have secured direct funding for the City of Wheeling Small Business Façade Improvement Program and the Marshall University Division of Aviation,” said Senator Manchin. “These investments will bolster commercial and residential infrastructure in Wheeling, as well as boost aviation workforce development through Marshall University as we continue to face a national pilot shortage. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for funding through Congressionally Directed Spending and other programs to support our communities and spur economic growth across the Mountain State.”
The funding announced today will support the city of Wheeling in expanding its successful Small Business Façade Improvement Program, which provides financial assistance to residential and commercial buildings for infrastructure and design improvements. The project will boost economic vitality in the downtown and support more than thirty businesses and 100 employees.
The funding will also be used to strengthen the Marshall University Division of Aviation, which houses the university’s four-year flight school and an aviation maintenance technology program. The continued growth of the airline industry and the nationwide pilot shortage ensure graduates will be in high demand, and the programs diversify the regional economy through training for employment in the aerospace industry.
The Senate Appropriations Committee allows members of Congress to submit CDS requests, which provides an opportunity for state and local governments, non-profits, and other public entities to receive targeted funding for projects that bolster their communities and directly support West Virginians. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Manchin works to ensure taxpayer dollars are allocated to priorities that benefit all West Virginians, boost economic growth and support the needs of communities across the Mountain State while remaining fiscally responsible.