Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
Washington, DC – This evening, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted for the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) omnibus and $13.6 billion in direct aid for Ukraine. Senator Manchin also secured West Virginia priorities in the FY22 federal budget, including more than $166 million for Congressionally Directed Spending Requests in West Virginia.
“This evening I voted for the FY22 funding bill that is a bipartisan, fiscally sound compromise. Many of the West Virginia priorities that I fought for, including water and wastewater upgrades, healthcare and education investments, transportation projects and economic development opportunities are included in this omnibus legislation,” said Senator Manchin. “This legislation also includes $13.6 billion in direct aid for the Ukrainian people as they fight against Putin’s unprovoked invasion. I look forward to seeing President Biden sign this legislation into law and will continue working to get our fiscal house in order while supporting West Virginian and American priorities.”
The Ukrainian Supplemental Appropriations Act provides $13.6 billion directly to Ukraine’s government and in support of United States federal agencies efforts supporting the Ukrainians in the defense of their homeland. Direct assistance ranges from humanitarian aid to supporting the transfer of arms and munitions to the Ukrainian military; additional funding is provided to American agencies’ efforts towards enforcing sanctions.
West Virginia Priority Highlights:
- Assisting Ukraine ($13.6B): Emergency funding for Ukraine in response to Russia’s brutal invasion, including $6.53B for the Dept. of Defense to provide equipment and arms, $3.97B for the State Department to support refugees and assist Ukraine and other Eastern European countries, and $2.8B through USAID for emergency food assistance and health care, among other funding.
- Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization: Includes the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, which authorizes this important program through FY27. Senator Manchin is an original cosponsor of this bill.
- Fighting Fentanyl & Opioids ($3.9B): Dedicated funding across the government to fight drugs, a $99.8M increase. This includes $1.5B for the State Opioid Response Grant program with 15% set aside for the hardest hit states like WV – a $25M increase. The bill also extends the schedule I status of fentanyl related substances through the end of 2022, which Senator Manchin has supported through his FIGHT Fentanyl Act.
- Broadband & Telehealth ($3.004B): Includes $2.4B for VA Telehealth, $486.6M for USDA ReConnect, and $25M for ARC broadband programs. The bill also extends current telehealth flexibilities currently allowed under the Public Health Emergency that Senator Manchin supported through his Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act to allow doctors to continue to offer audio-only telehealth services.
- Fixing Our Roads & Bridges ($193.4M): This spending package is critical to allowing many of the programs in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to proceed. When combined with funds in IIJA, WV will receive a total of $52.1M for Corridor H and $141.3M for bridge replacement and rehabilitation in FY22.
- Clarksburg Courthouse ($55.4M): Senator Manchin has been working to assist the Clarksburg Federal Building & Courthouse with much-needed repairs, and this bill funds major repairs at the site.
- Rare Earth Elements ($26M): $23M for DOE research into separating REEs from coal & coal byproducts, $3M for a DOD pilot program to separate REEs from Acid Mine Drainage, and language directing the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to report on its work to address China’s control over the global supply of REEs.
- WV’s Federal Workforce ($59.85M): Additional funding for WV’s federal facilities, inc. the Bureau of Fiscal Service in Parkersburg, FBI CJIS Division in Clarksburg, NOAA Hera Supercomputer in Fairmont, & National Energy Technology Laboratory in Morgantown, among others.
- Youth Homelessness ($3.5B): $3.2B to address homelessness, as well as $107M to stop youth homelessness & $149M for the Administration for Children & Families’ Runaway & Homeless Youth Program. According to the WV Dept. of Education, there are over 10,000 youth experiencing homelessness in WV.
- Suicide Prevention ($2B): Includes Senator Manchin’s Crisis Care Improvement & Suicide Prevention Act, which provides an increase of $100M to the Mental Health Services Block Grant, including a 5% set aside for evidence-based crisis care programs.
- Economic Development ($256.4M): $149.9M for Abandoned Mine Land Grants ($26.3M for WV), $65M for ARC POWER Grants, & $41.5M for EDA’s Assistance to Coal Communities. WV has received over $109M in POWER grants since 2016 and is the largest per capita recipient of EDA funds.
- Clean Water ($2.7B): Supports billions in funding toward drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
Full list of West Virginia priorities can be found here.
West Virginia Congressionally Directed Spending Requests Highlights:
- Canaan Valley Wastewater System Improvement Project ($8M): Provides funding for the development of a new water plant in Canaan Valley to supply treated water to residents of the region.
- Clarksburg North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) Terminal Project ($5M): Completes the necessary work to provide a site for CKB Airport’s new terminal facility.
- Charleston Kanawha River Streambank Stabilization ($1.836M): Stabilizes the riverbank of the Kanawha River in Charleston along Route 60.
- Kermit Water Treatment Facility Rehabilitation ($2.747M): Supports the rehabilitation of a water treatment plant and waterlines in Kermit, WV.
- Marshall University Aerospace Manufacturing Training ($1M): Assists Marshall University in standing up training programs related to the aerospace sector
- Mingo County Appalachian Regional Airport (KEBD) Access Road ($3M): Supports the development of an access road at the Appalachian Regional Airport, enabling Mingo County to develop new industry and grow economic sectors.
- New River Gorge Regional Development Authority Trail Connectivity Project ($1.5M): Funds the construction of multi-use trails in Fayette County.
- Smithers Integrated Trail System ($4.688M): Constructs an integrated tail system in the City of Smithers that expands opportunities for recreational tourism.
- Weirton Frontier Crossing Industrial Access Road ($3M): Constructs an industrial access road to the old Weirton Steel Facility to provide access to the site and reduce traffic congestion.
- West Virginia University Children’s Hospital ($2.79M): Completes the construction of a new West Virginia University (WVU) Medicine Children’s Hospital.
- Williamson Memorial Hospital Reopening ($2M): Reopens the Williamson Memorial Hospital, which would be the only hospital in Mingo County.
Full list of West Virginia Congressionally Directed Spending Requests can be found here.