Capito Visits Lewis County, Announces New Legislation

Op-Ed

Capito Visits Lewis County, Announces New Legislation

Letter from Shelley

Friends and Colleagues,

Congress reconvenes next week, but it's been a busy couple of weeks here in West Virginia. I had the opportunity to tour the US Route 35 construction site, while also meeting with local business owners and local students. Just this week I announced new legislation to encourage information technology businesses to invest in rural areas.

Progress on US 35

US Route 35 has been a priority of mine since I came to Congress, because it's such an important safety concern for those who regularly travel through Putnam and Mason Counties. It's also an important economic development tool that creates jobs and helps ensure that our infrastructure needs are addressed.

I recently had an opportunity to tour one of the construction sites to see the progress being made, and I was encouraged by the progress I saw. Since coming to Congress, I've helped secure $105 million in funding for the project, and US 35 will continue to remain a key priority of mine until the project is complete.

Mountaineer Packaging Tour

The owners of Dunbar-based Mountaineer Packaging - Joshua Pearson and Brian Canterbury - were named Entrepreneurs of the Year by the Small Business Administration and I recently had the privilege of touring their facility.

I enjoyed meeting with them to learn more about how they've been successful, and it was clear that the entire Mountaineer Packaging team provides a model for small businesses throughout the state.

West Virginia EXPO

Every year the West Virginia EXPO hosts engineers, architects and builders from across the state to showcase new technology and share ideas across the industry. It was great to see such a vibrant community of business and industry leaders as I visited with EXPO attendees.

The West Virginia EXPO is always a great event, and this year was no different.

Rural Information Technology Bill

As was evident at the EXPO, we live in an increasingly high-tech world that demands investment in information technology.

With a lower cost of living and lower labor costs, West Virginia has a lot to offer information technology businesses looking to establish new facilities. Yet, many high-tech support jobs can be performed almost anyway - be it overseas, or right here in the Mountain State.

To encourage investment in our communities, I announced new legislation that would provide incentives for business that chose to invest in our rural areas. With grants to encourage business investment, we can create a partnership between the business community and local colleges or workforce training centers to provide opportunities for West Virginia residents.

I intend to introduce this legislation when Congress reconvenes next week and I call on my colleagues to support this bill.

Sincerely,

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Member of Congress

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