Collins, King Announce More Than $500,000 in Funding to Support Small Businesses in Rural Maine

Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced a total of $528,563 in new funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will expand development and training opportunities for small businesses in rural areas of Maine. The Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, Eastern Maine Development Corporation, and Sunrise County Economic Council will use this funding to provide business training, technical help, and loan assistance to small businesses in Androscoggin, Franklin, Oxford, Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo, and Washington counties.

“Small businesses are vital to our rural communities – it means something more when the shopkeeper or the vendor is your neighbor, friend or fellow PTA member – this funding will help dozens of small businesses throughout the state continue to operate and contribute to Maine’s economy,” said Senators Collins and King. “The incredible staff at the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, Eastern Maine Development Corporation, and Sunrise County Economic Council are a driving force in providing economic development, business financing, job creation, and many other services. This investment will pay off in the form of meaningful jobs and technical training, and it will improve the livelihoods of families across rural Maine.”

The funding will be allocated as follows:

  • Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments will receive $12,884
  • Eastern Maine Development Corporation will receive $500,000
  • Sunrise County Economic Council will receive $15,679

The United States Department of Agriculture works to provide leadership on issues related to food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues. USDA consists of 29 agencies and offices and employs nearly 100,000 people.

Manchin Announces $167K for Generation West Virginia’s NewForce Program

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

December 13, 2022

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced Generation West Virginia will receive $167,000 to strengthen its NewForce program. NewForce is a technology skills training course that prepares underemployed West Virginians with no prior coding experience for their first career in the technology industry and connects them with good-paying, long-term software development jobs. The award is made possible by a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) request secured by Senator Manchin and is funded through the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA).

“Generation West Virginia’s NewForce program provides vital opportunities to keep our young people employed in critical jobs right here in West Virginia. When I joined Alejandra Castillo, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, in Huntington last year, we saw firsthand how NewForce is training West Virginians to work in the state’s growing tech industry. That is why I proudly secured this funding to support their efforts, which will help replace computers and monitors, bolster outreach and recruiting initiatives, purchase office supplies and more,” said Senator Manchin. “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources, including earmarks, to ensure quality economic opportunity for every West Virginian across the Mountain State.”
Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS), more commonly known as earmarks, allow state and local governments, non-profits, and other public entities to apply for targeted funding for projects to bolster their communities and directly support West Virginians. These local communities and organizations are now beginning to receive funding for projects that Senator Manchin fought for in last year’s funding bill. 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. 


Manchin Calls on Treasury Secretary Yellen to Ensure Inflation Reduction Act Vehicle Tax Credits Strengthen Domestic Manufacturing and Economic Security

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

December 13, 2022

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen calling on Secretary Yellen to release guidance that ensures Section 45W Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credits (45W) — included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) — are intended only for commercial use. 

Chairman Manchin said in part, “Unfortunately, I have heard that some automakers and foreign governments are asking your agency for a broad interpretation of 45W that would allow rental cars, leased vehicles, and rideshare vehicles (such as those used for Uber and Lyft), a huge piece of the U.S. vehicle market, to be eligible for the full $7,500 commercial vehicle credit as a way to bypass the strict sourcing requirements in the 30D Clean Vehicle Credit (30D). If these vehicles are deemed eligible, I can guarantee that companies will focus their attention away from trying to invest in North America to meet the requirements of 30D and will instead continue with business as usual, putting our transportation sector further at risk. The 45W credit, as the name implies, is intended only for commercial use and your department must follow congressional intent and release guidance that would ensure 45W will not be used on vehicles that will be leased, rented or used for ridesharing purposes.”

The full letter is available below or here.

Dear Secretary Yellen:  

I write to convey the importance of implementing the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022’s (IRA) Section 45W Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credits (45W) in a manner that strengthens domestic manufacturing while ensuring economic and national security through reduced vulnerability to unreliable supply chains. 

As the sector responsible for the largest portion of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, there is no question that we need to be doing all that we can to reduce emissions in the transportation sector. That is why there were several provisions in the IRA aimed at not only increasing the domestic manufacturing of cleaner vehicles, but also helping consumers and businesses enter the clean vehicle market.  

Unfortunately, I have heard that some automakers and foreign governments are asking your agency for a broad interpretation of 45W that would allow rental cars, leased vehicles, and rideshare vehicles (such as those used for Uber and Lyft), a huge piece of the U.S. vehicle market, to be eligible for the full $7,500 commercial vehicle credit as a way to bypass the strict sourcing requirements in the 30D Clean Vehicle Credit (30D).  If these vehicles are deemed eligible, I can guarantee that companies will focus their attention away from trying to invest in North America to meet the requirements of 30D and will instead continue with business as usual, putting our transportation sector further at risk. The 45W credit, as the name implies, is intended only for commercial use and your department must follow congressional intent and release guidance that would ensure 45W will not be used on vehicles that will be leased, rented or used for ridesharing purposes.

While electric vehicles can play an important role in reducing these emissions, when it comes to the electric vehicle battery supply chain, the U.S. has become overly reliant on bad actors like Russia and China for the minerals needed to power these cleaner cars and we have lost our footing as the automotive manufacturing superpower we used to be. In fact, China is responsible for 60% of the world’s cathode production, 80% of the world’s anode production, and 75% of the world’s lithium-ion battery cell production. These figures are alarming and were the impetus for the North American assembly pre-requisite and the strong sourcing requirements for the minerals and manufacturing of batteries in the 30D Clean Vehicle Credit (30D) included in the IRA.  

I recognize that many of our allies may be upset at the strong domestic sourcing requirements included in the IRA and are looking for a way around them. Let me be clear, this bill was not designed to hurt any of our allied partners, but it was designed to help this country and make us stronger. That is why the Department of Treasury must ensure that any guidance on 45W is not lenient to foreign companies to trying to find loopholes within our tax code that would enable them to flood our vehicle market. 

Our country is the birthplace of Henry Ford, who revolutionized the automotive industry with the Model T; being an automotive powerhouse is in our blood. That is why it is so disappointing to hear that many domestic automakers are looking to try to use 45W as a way around the requirements found in 30D.  Instead of trying to find loopholes within these credits, domestic automakers should be seizing the opportunity to solidify our country’s role as the automotive superpower we can and should be. 

As Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I am fully committed to ensuring this country is energy independent and solidifying our nation’s energy security. Congressional intent in the IRA is crystal clear. The tough but achievable requirements in the 30D credit were intended to help us reduce our reliance on foreign supply chains and create a viable domestic supply chain from mineral to vehicle.  Therefore it is vital that we do not allow companies to cheat the system by using the 45W credit for non-commercial uses.

I’ve been pleased to see the impact the sourcing provision in 30D has had so far with several companies already announcing new battery factories in the United States this year and if these credits are enacted as intended, I look forward to seeing many more of these investments brining jobs and economic opportunities to states across the country.  Thank you for your attention to this matter and I stand ready to work with you to ensure these credits are implemented the way they were intended.

Thune: Ending the Security and Humanitarian Crisis at the Southern Border Must Be a Bipartisan Priority

Source: United States Senator for South Dakota John Thune

Click here to watch the video.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke on the Senate floor about the unprecedented humanitarian and security crisis at the southern border. Thune noted that the Biden administration has escalated this crisis by failing to implement meaningful policies to deter illegal immigration. Thune also discussed November’s Consumer Price Index report, which shows inflation has increased 13.8 percent since President Biden took office.
Thune’s remarks below (as prepared for delivery):
 
“Mr. President, last Tuesday President Biden was asked why he wasn’t taking the opportunity to visit the border while traveling to Arizona.
 
“His reply?
 
“‘Because there’s a more important thing going on.’
 
“‘… a more important thing going on.’
 
“Mr. President, no offense to new investment, but if President Biden thinks that visiting a plant to celebrate new investment is MORE important than the security and humanitarian crisis raging on our southern border, then his priorities are seriously out of order.
 
“But, of course, we already knew that.
 
“This is hardly the first time the president has made it clear that he thinks of the crisis at our southern border as just an annoying distraction from what he’d rather be doing as president.
 
“In fact, he’s shown a remarkable ability throughout his presidency to ignore or minimize crises that he isn’t interested in dealing with.
 
“‘… there’s a more important thing going on.’
 
“Mr. President, I venture to suggest that for overwhelmed border communities struggling with an apparently never-ending influx of illegal immigration, there isn’t anything more important going on.
 
“And the president’s trivializing of our border crisis is a serious betrayal of the responsibility he owes to these Americans – and to all Americans. 
 
“The situation at our southern border is out of control – and has been that way for most of the president’s administration.
 
“Over this past weekend alone, Customs and Border Protection encountered more than 16,000 individuals attempting to cross our southern border illegally.
 
“That’s an average of 8,000 per day – higher than the daily average in May, which posted the highest number of attempted illegal crossings ever recorded.   
 
“October saw a staggering 230,678 attempted illegal crossings along our southern border.
 
“All told, U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountered nearly 2.4 million individuals attempting to cross our southern border illegally during fiscal year 2022. 
 
“That is the highest number ever recorded, exceeding the previous record set the year before by roughly 640,000.
 
“And of course these numbers just refer to individuals the Border Patrol actually apprehended.
 
“There have been almost 1 million known “gotaways” over the past two fiscal years.
 
“And an untold number of unknown gotaways.
 
“Mr. President, President Biden’s comment doesn’t just trivialize the scope of this crisis; it also trivializes the human misery that has resulted.
 
“At least 853 migrants died crossing the southern border in fiscal year 2022, the highest number ever recorded.
 
“It’s hard to imagine that that number wouldn’t have been smaller if President Biden had gotten serious about addressing this border crisis instead of inviting illegal immigration with his lax border policies.
 
“I mentioned overwhelmed border communities.
 
“I should also mention the incredible strain the past two years have placed on the Border Patrol, which has been forced to divert agents from border enforcement to the overwhelmed humanitarian mission.                                                       
 
“And then of course there’s the very real danger represented by unchecked illegal immigration, including the risk of dangerous individuals entering our country undetected and the potential for increased drug trafficking.
 
“Illegal drugs are flowing across our southern border – and contributing to violent crime not just in border communities but in communities around the nation.
 
“And that’s not to even mention our nation’s fentanyl crisis, which is being fed by drugs trafficked across – where else? – our southern border.
 
“And our current border crisis is an open invitation to increased illegal drug activity.
 
“But the president has more important places to be than the southern border.
 
“Even though, I should point out, he’s never actually visited the southern border.
 
“Not once.
 
“The closest he got was literally driving by the border on the way to a campaign rally in 2008.
 
“Mr. President, for border communities and strained Border Patrol agents, I venture to say that there is nothing more important than getting our nation’s border crisis under control. 
 
“But I guess they’ll just have to keep waiting.
 
“After all, the president has more important things to do. 
 
“Mr. President, in other tone-deaf comments from the Biden administration last week, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said, and I quote, ‘Fiscal responsibility is very important to us in the Biden administration.  We’re very well aware that we have to stay within our means economically.  I think … you see that in everything we’ve tried to do these past two years.’
 
“Mr. President, when I read that I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry – or just be angry on behalf of the millions of Americans who are currently suffering as a result of Democrats’ lack of fiscal responsibility over the past two years.
 
“Mr. President, we are currently in the midst of the worst inflation crisis in 40 years.
 
“My daughters, who are married with their own children now, weren’t even alive the last time inflation was this bad.
 
“November inflation numbers came out this morning, and they just confirmed what we already know – that we are still very much in the midst of this crisis.
 
“Currently, inflation is up 13.8 percent since January 2021, when President Biden took office.
 
“Even if our inflation crisis ended tomorrow, the inflation we’ve already experienced will cost the average household more than $9,000 over the next 12 months. 
 
“$9,000.
 
“For a lot of families, that’s the difference between prosperity and just getting by.
 
“For many others, it’s the difference between just getting by and not being able to get by at all.
 
“And how did we get here, Mr. President?
 
“Well, in substantial part thanks to the president’s and Democrats’ fiscal irresponsibility.
 
“When Democrats took office in January 2021, Congress had just passed a fifth bipartisan COVID bill that met essentially all current pressing COVID needs.
 
“But Democrats just wanted to keep spending.
 
“And so despite being warned that the size of the package they were contemplating risked overheating our economy, under the guise of COVID relief Democrats passed a massive, partisan, $1.9 trillion spending bill filled with unnecessary spending and payoffs to Democrat interest groups.
 
“And the economy overheated as a result.
 
“Inflation began climbing.  And climbing.  And climbing again.
 
“But what’s almost worse, Mr. President – and what makes the White House’s claim that they care about fiscal responsibility so incredibly ludicrous – is what Democrats and the president did next.
 
“Even as it became clear that their massive spending spree had helped set off a serious inflation problem, Democrats and the president kept pushing for more spending.
 
“In fact, their goal – which they were fortunately prevented from achieving – was passing another massive spending spree in the neighborhood of $5 trillion.
 
“And even after that plan was foiled, Democrats and the president kept right on pursuing more fiscally irresponsible legislation.
 
“In August Democrats passed legislation – their so-called Inflation Reduction Act – filled with hundreds of billions of dollars in Green New Deal spending partially financed by tax hikes that will raise energy prices and slow job creation.
 
“Democrats tried to clothe the bill in an aura of fiscal responsibility by claiming – dubiously, I might add – that it would reduce the deficit by $300 billion. 
 
“Do you want to know how long that purported deficit reduction lasted once the bill was signed?
 
“Eight days.
 
“Eight days.
 
“That’s how long it took for President Biden to completely wipe out any deficit reduction in the bill by implementing his massive student loan giveaway. 
 
“A giveaway that not only wipes out any possible deficit reduction but will also, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, ‘meaningfully boost inflation.’
 
“And yet we’re supposed to believe that the Biden administration values fiscal responsibility.
 
“Mr. President, when it comes to fiscal responsibility, the Biden administration has demonstrated that it could not care less.
 
“The Biden administration is interested in implementing the big-government priorities of the far left – no matter how much they cost.
 
“And unfortunately, the American people are paying the price.
 
“Mr. President, I yield the floor.”

HYDE-SMITH STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF MISSISSIPPI STATE’S MIKE LEACH

Source: United States Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss)

HYDE-SMITH STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF MISSISSIPPI STATE’S MIKE LEACH

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today issued the following statement regarding the death of Mississippi State University Head Football Coach Mike Leach:

“Mike Leach’s passing and the outpouring of sorrow, love, and support for him and his family reflects just how beloved he was as Mississippi State’s head coach and among football fans all over the country.  We’ll miss his influential leadership, unforgettable personality, and character defined by sportsmanship.  My prayers go out to his family, loved ones, and the Mississippi State community during this time of mourning.”

###

   
  
 
 
 

Capito, Manchin Announce CDS Award to Renovate Thomas Health’s St. Francis Campus to Strengthen Addiction Healing Center

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), both members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that Thomas Health Systems will receive $1,200,000 to renovate the Medical Office Building South on the campus of St. Francis Hospital in Charleston, West Virginia. The project will enhance and expand the ability of St. Francis Hospital’s medical providers and behavioral health therapists affiliated with the hospital’s Addiction Healing Center to provide services to a greater number of individuals dealing with substance use disorders.

The funding is made possible by a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) request secured by Senators Capito and Manchin. In total, Senator Capito secured $241,135,000 and Senator Manchin secured more than $166 million in direct spending measures for initiatives and projects across West Virginia through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations omnibus package.

“I’m proud to secure this funding for Thomas Health Systems through the Congressionally Directed Spending process, which will help bolster the Addiction Healing Center at St. Francis Hospital by renovating the facility and obtaining new equipment that expands services provided by behavioral health therapists. This is a critical aspect of our continued battle against the addiction crisis, and will help connect more West Virginians struggling with substance use disorder with the resources they need to continue their road towards recovery. Thomas Health conveyed to me the importance of this project, and I will continue to use my role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to provide our medical facilities with the tools they need to effectively serve West Virginians,” Senator Capito said.

“The Thomas Health Addiction Healing Center at St. Francis Hospital is leading the fight against the devastating drug epidemic that continues to ravage our state. I proudly secured this funding to support their efforts to provide our fellow West Virginians with the support and recovery services they need and deserve,” Senator Manchin said. “The funding announced today will support Thomas Health’s work to address mental and behavioral health needs in Kanawha County and throughout the state, and I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of the investment. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources, including earmarks, to support our healthcare organizations as they continue to provide lifesaving care for West Virginians across the Mountain State.”

“I applaud Senators Capito and Manchin for their work in securing this funding that will expand access to quality care and improve facilities at the Saint Francis campus, benefiting patients and residents of the Kanawha Valley,” Albert L. Wright, Jr., President and CEO of WVU Health System and Interim-President and CEO of Thomas Health System, said. “Part of providing exceptional care means creating an environment that is modern and comfortable for our patients and their families.”

# # # 

Rubio, Gallagher Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Ban TikTok

Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, is required by Chinese law to make the app’s data available to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). From the FBI Director to FCC Commissioners to cybersecurity experts, everyone has made clear the risk of TikTok being used to spy on Americans. 
 

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation to ban TikTok from operating in the United States. The Averting the National Threat of Internet Surveillance, Oppressive Censorship and Influence, and Algorithmic Learning by the Chinese Communist Party Act (ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act) would protect Americans by blocking and prohibiting all transactions from any social media company in, or under the influence of, China, Russia, and several other foreign countries of concern. U.S. Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

  • “The federal government has yet to take a single meaningful action to protect American users from the threat of TikTok. This isn’t about creative videos — this is about an app that is collecting data on tens of millions of American children and adults every day. We know it’s used to manipulate feeds and influence elections. We know it answers to the People’s Republic of China. There is no more time to waste on meaningless negotiations with a CCP-puppet company. It is time to ban Beijing-controlled TikTok for good.” — Senator Rubio

  • “TikTok is digital fentanyl that’s addicting Americans, collecting troves of their data, and censoring their news. It’s also an increasingly powerful media company that’s owned by ByteDance, which ultimately reports to the Chinese Communist Party – America’s foremost adversary. Allowing the app to continue to operate in the U.S. would be like allowing the U.S.S.R. to buy up the New York Times, Washington Post, and major broadcast networks during the Cold War. No country with even a passing interest in its own security would allow this to happen, which is why it’s time to ban TikTok and any other CCP-controlled app before it’s too late.” — Representative Gallagher

  • “At a time when the Chinese Communist Party and our other adversaries abroad are seeking any advantage they can find against the United States through espionage and mass surveillance, it is imperative that we do not allow hostile powers to potentially control social media networks that could be easily weaponized against us. The bipartisan ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act is a strong step in protecting our nation from the nefarious digital surveillance and influence operations of totalitarian regimes. Recent revelations surrounding the depth of TikTok’s ties to the CCP highlight the urgency of protecting Americans from these risks before it’s too late.” — Representative Krishnamoorthi

 
Want more information? Rubio and Gallagher announced the legislation in a Washington Post op-ed last month, writing that “Congress needs to act against the TikTok threat before it’s too late.”

Rubio, Coons Introduce Legislation to Establish National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day

Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

According to the James W. Foley Legacy Center, there has been a 175 percent increase in incidents of U.S nationals who have been wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad in the past decade. As of 2022, Americans are wrongfully detained in at least 19 countries, including Iran, China, Venezuela, Syria, and Russia. 

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced bicameral legislation that would establish March 9 as the annual National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day. The commemoration of a national day will increase attention for those Americans that are unjustly held abroad and increase the urgency to bring home every wrongfully detained American. The legislation would also establish an official Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag. U.S. Representatives French Hill (R-AR) and Haley Stevens (D-MI) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

  • “The death of Florida constituent Robert Levinson, who was the longest-held hostage in American history, was a devastating reminder of the tragic practice of hostage-taking. Unfortunately, far too many American families have lived through the nightmare of seeing their loved ones unjustly detained abroad. Establishing the National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day will provide another opportunity to honor individuals like Paul Whelan, Marc Fogel, Kai Li, Emad Shargi, Morad Tahbaz, Theary Seng, and the many American citizens who are suffering in foreign prisons without due cause. We must show our fellow Americans that they have not been forgotten, and at the same time must stop incentivizing our adversaries to take more Americans hostage.” — Senator Rubio

  

  • “The creation of a National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day and flag will help ensure Americans never forget the tragic stories of Robert Levinson, James Foley, and other U.S. citizens held hostage or detained illegally in foreign countries. Brittney Griner’s release and unjust imprisonment has only underscored the need for Congress to continue working to safeguard the lives of wrongfully detained Americans. I promise to keep unjustly held Americans at the forefront of our foreign policy and work until every last American is brought home safe and sound.” — Senator Coons

Young Recognizes Hoosier Students Interning in Washington this Fall

Source: United States Senator for Indiana Todd Young

December 13, 2022

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) recognized Hoosier students who participated in the fall session of his internship program in Washington, D.C. 

The students assisted legislative and communications staff with daily activities and special projects. The intern class included [as pictured from left to right] Mason Pickett, a junior from Fort Wayne attending Indiana University; Jasmeen Saini, a junior from Fishers attending Butler; Mia Schul, a junior from West Lafayette attending Indiana University; and Katelyn Rickert, a junior from Brownsburg attending Georgetown University.

Senator Young’s office offers internship opportunities year-round, in both his Washington and Indianapolis offices. The internship program offers students the opportunity to experience the legislative branch of government and serve Hoosiers. 

Students interested in applying can visit Senator Young’s internship webpage or call (202)-224-5623 to learn more.

Senator Young released a video to provide more information about the internship program. 

***Full resolution photos available upon request.***



Manchin, Capito Announce CDS Award to Renovate Thomas Health’s St. Francis Campus to Strengthen Addiction Healing Center

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

December 13, 2022

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), both members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that Thomas Health Systems will receive $1,200,000 to renovate the Medical Office Building South on the campus of St. Francis Hospital in Charleston, West Virginia. The project will enhance and expand the ability of St. Francis Hospital’s medical providers and behavioral health therapists affiliated with the hospital’s Addiction Healing Center to provide services to a greater number of individuals dealing with substance use disorders.

“The Thomas Health Addiction Healing Center at St. Francis Hospital is leading the fight against the devastating drug epidemic that continues to ravage our state. I proudly secured this funding to support their efforts to provide our fellow West Virginians with the support and recovery services they need and deserve,” Senator Manchin said. “The funding announced today will support Thomas Health’s work to address mental and behavioral health needs in Kanawha County and throughout the state, and I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of the investment. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources, including earmarks, to support our healthcare organizations as they continue to provide lifesaving care for West Virginians across the Mountain State.”

“I’m proud to secure this funding for Thomas Health Systems through the Congressionally Directed Spending process, which will help bolster the Addiction Healing Center at St. Francis Hospital by renovating the facility and obtaining new equipment that expands services provided by behavioral health therapists. This is a critical aspect of our continued battle against the addiction crisis, and will help connect more West Virginians struggling with substance use disorder with the resources they need to continue their road towards recovery. Thomas Health conveyed to me the importance of this project, and I will continue to use my role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to provide our medical facilities with the tools they need to effectively serve West Virginians,” Senator Capito said.

“I applaud Senators Capito and Manchin for their work in securing this funding that will expand access to quality care and improve facilities at the Saint Francis campus, benefiting patients and residents of the Kanawha Valley,” Albert L. Wright, Jr., President and CEO of WVU Health System and Interim-President and CEO of Thomas Health System, said. “Part of providing exceptional care means creating an environment that is modern and comfortable for our patients and their families.”