WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following opening statement on July 21, 2021, at a hearing to examine the potential cybersecurity threats currently facing the U.S. infrastructure: * * * "Thank you, Chairman Carper, and I want to thank all of the witness who are here and my colleagues, Senator King and Representative Gallagher, for being here with us today. "We look forward to hearing from you today on the best ways to protect ou more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Benjamin Cline, R-Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: Congressmen Ben Cline (R-VA) and Jared Golden (D-ME) announced the introduction of H.R. 4434 - the Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act. This legislation would require all rules proposed by Federal agencies, except in limited circumstances, to be signed and issued by an individual appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Supreme Court held in Buckley v. Valeo (1976) that rule making  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, ranking Republican member of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement on July 21, 2021: * * * Republican Leader of the Education and Labor Committee Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued the following statement hitting the Biden administration for publishing a proposed rule to increase the minimum wage to $15 for federal contractors: "This proposed rule solidifies Big Labor's stranglehold over the Biden administration. "Disguised as a win for workers, this $ more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Bob Good, R-Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: U.S. Representative Bob Good (VA-05) along with 23 other House Republicans sent a letter to President Biden today urging him to reject calls from Congressional Democrats to include amnesty in the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package. "Including amnesty for millions of illegal aliens in this reconciliation package further exacerbates and incentivizes Biden's raging border invasion, converting it into a permanent crisis," said U.S Repres more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Elaine Luria voted for the PFAS Action Act (H.R. 2467), a bipartisan bill to protect Americans from harmful forever chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their drinking water. PFAS are synthetic chemicals found in firefighting foam, food packaging, household cleaners, and many other products. These chemicals are resistant to breaking down and can contaminate sources of drinking water. PFAS have been linked with adv more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: Congresswoman Elaine Luria yesterday voted for the Consumer Protection and Recovery Act (H.R. 2668), which will help the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recover refunds for individuals harmed by telecommunications fraud and other scams. "Over the past year, Americans lost nearly $30 billion at the hands of phone scammers," said Congresswoman Elaine Luria. "We must do more to protect Americans from bad actors who seek to steal their persona more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. A. Donald McEachin, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) announced two grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for two educational programs in Virginia's Fourth Congressional District. The City of Richmond will receive a grant for $149,437 to help fund a program for students working on local watershed issues, and the James River Association will receive a grant for $150,000 for a program for students to investigate and  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. A. Donald McEachin, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) voted to protect Virginians by passing the bipartisan PFAS Action Act of 2021. The legislation, which Rep. McEachin cosponsored, will clean up per- and polyfluoralkyl substances, known as "forever chemicals," and introduce stronger protections against future pollutants. Research shows that exposure to PFAS chemicals can cause life-threatening illness and disease, including multiple forms of can more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Carol Miller, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) joined with Reps. Jackie Walorski (R-IN), Mike Kelly (R-PA), and Ron Estes (R-KS) to reintroduce the Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act. This legislation encourages employer-led partnerships with state and local agencies to hire recipients from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to provide job skills training to strengthen America's workforce. "As a member of the Ways and Means Co more PR

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Rep. Carol Miller, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) today released the following statement and resourcesregarding ongoing passport application delays experienced by Third District residents. "As we emerge from COVID-19, it's wonderful to see Americans traveling once again," said Congresswoman Miller. "However, a surge of people seeking passports for international travel - combined with an already existing backlog at the State Department due to COVID-19 closures - has  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Carol Miller, R-West Virginia, issued the following statement: * * * Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) today visited Five Loaves & Two Fishes Food Bank. She toured the facility and learned how the food bank works to support McDowell County and the surrounding region by providing West Virginians with non-perishable food items, hygiene products, household goods, and access to clean drinking water. "Five Loaves & Two Fishes Food Bank has readily answered the calls of the community and does invaluable work in McDowell more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement on July 21, 2021: * * * Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor released a proposed rule implementing President Biden's Executive Order 14026, which requires all federal contractors to pay a $15 minimum wage. "I applaud the Biden Administration for making good on its promise to increase the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 an hour. more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Within the first two weeks of re-entry, individuals released from correctional facilities are 129 times more likely to die from an opioid overdose than the general population. To help ensure that individuals can access the care they need, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) reintroduced the Supporting Positive Outcomes After Release Act. This legislation would require states to suspend, rather than more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger -- a Member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus -- helped introduce a federal resolution that would recognize the ongoing maternal and infant mortality crisis impacting women and families in Virginia and across the country. These escalating maternal mortality rates are uneven across racial divides. In Virginia specifically, Black mothers are three times more likely to die during childbirth than white women -- w more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, chair of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry, issued the following statement on July 21, 2021, at a hearing entitled "The U.S. Wood Products Industry: Facilitating the Post COVID-19 Recovery": * * * Welcome to today's hearing -- "The U.S. Wood Products Industry: Facilitating the Post COVID-19 Recovery." The U.S. wood products industry directly employs about 1 million people and contributes more than $5 billion dollars in state and local taxes. In my home o more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) and Don Bacon (R-NE) applauded the passage of the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law (EQUAL) Act out of the House Judiciary Committee 36 to 5. The bipartisan legislation would eliminate the federal crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity and retroactively apply it to those already convicted or sentenced. "The failed war on dru more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. David McKinley, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: Congressman David McKinley (WV-01) introduced a resolution to promote drug takeback programs with Congressman David Trone (MD-06). The resolution would encourage state and local governments to use a portion of proceeds from any litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors to increase participation in drug take back programs. These programs facilitate the safe disposal of unused medications. "Safe disposal of prescriptio more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following statement on July 21, 2021: * * * U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, released the below statement after she opposed a procedural motion to consider infrastructure legislation that has not yet been written. The motion to proceed failed on a vote of 51 to 49. "I have and continue to be in favor of making  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following joint statement on July 21, 2021: * * * U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and 21 fellow Senators today released the following statement on the bipartisan infrastructure proposal negotiations. "We have made significant progress and are close to a final agreement. We will continue working hard to ensure we get this critical legislation right--and are optimistic that we will finalize, and be prepared to advance, this historic bipartisan proposal to strengthen America's more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: As many Virginians adapt to life with a new pet in the wake of the pandemic, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is requesting more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding a recent decision to temporarily suspend the importation of dogs from countries with heightened risk for rabies. In a letter to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, the senator commended the CDC for working to keep animals and people safe, w more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Vice Chairman of the Committee, and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), a senior member of the Committee, today led several colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation requiring federal agencies, government contractors, and critical infrastructure owners and operators to report cyber intrusions within 24 hours of their di more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following joint statement: * * * U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Jon Tester (D-Mon more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: Last night, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan, bicameral Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021, legislation cosponsored by U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). The legislation will redirect monetary penalties from federal deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements into the Crime Victims Fund to increase funding for state victim compensation and assistance programs. The House  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $9,669,333 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Fiscal Year 2021 competitive preparedness grant programs. This funding was appropriated to help West Virginia prepare against man-made threats and natur more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $9,669,333 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Fiscal Year 2021 competitive preparedness grant programs. This funding was appropriated to help West Virginia prepare against man-made threats and natural disasters. "West Virginia must be prepared for any disaster or crisis and having compreh more PR

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release on July 21, 2021: U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) today sent a letter to Senate leadership and the Senate Appropriations Committee requesting the continued inclusion of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding for elective abortions, in legislation that will soon be considered by the committee. "The Hyde Amendment is a decades-long, consensus-building compromise, and we urge you to maintain this longstanding provisio more PR