Category: US Senate

To view a recording of the event, click here.

Weirton, WV – Today, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, joined Form Energy Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Mateo Jaramillo, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, West Virginia Economic Development Secretary Mitch Carmichael and other Form Energy and West Virginia leaders at the groundbreaking for Form Energy’s new iron-air battery manufacturing plant in Weirton, West Virginia. 

Form Energy’s investment in West Virginia is a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), an energy security bill designed to incentivize domestic manufacturing and drive energy innovation. The IRA will help ensure that Weirton and West Virginia remain on the cutting-edge of the energy technologies of the future for years to come. 

A historic steel community, Weirton is located on the Ohio River with direct access to rail, river, and highway infrastructure that will enable Form Energy to transport West Virginia made batteries across the nation. Form Energy selected Weirton as the home of its first factory after a robust, year-long, nationwide site selection process that included reviewing over 500 candidate locations across 16 states. The company ultimately chose a 55-acre site in Weirton because of the historic steel community’s strong cultural heritage and existing transportation infrastructure.

Form Factory 1 is Form Energy’s first factory in West Virginia and the company’s first high-volume battery manufacturing plant. The manufacturing facility represents a total direct investment of up to $760 million and, when operating at full capacity, will employ at least 750 workers from Weirton and the surrounding communities. Form Factory 1 is being constructed on a site that previously housed the Weirton Steel Mill. 

“For generations, West Virginians have done the heavy lifting. We’ve mined the coal that forged the steel that built the tanks and ships that allowed our country to become the greatest industrial might the world has ever known. West Virginian workers and families have made the hard sacrifices to power our country to become superpower of the world and a global energy leader. With today’s groundbreaking, West Virginia is once again stepping up to the plate and building on our legacy as America’s energy powerhouse while helping ensure our nation’s energy security and independence.

“Today’s groundbreaking is a direct result of the Inflation Reduction Act, and this type of investment, in a community that has felt the impact of the downturn in American manufacturing, is an example of the IRA bill working as we intended. The people of Weirton’s unbeatable work ethic, our strong community college workforce programs, and the infrastructure already in place, along with incentives we included in the Inflation Reduction Act, have all come together to ensure that Weirton and all of West Virginia will continue to use our natural resources — coal and gas that we can produce cleaner than anywhere else in the world — as we invest in advanced energy technologies of the future. Today, we have proven that competitive investments that drive innovation, not elimination, are the keys to a thriving, energy independent nation,” said Chairman Manchin.

Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $249,794 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a linguistic research project at West Virginia University (WVU). The project will examine the acoustic properties of consonants in different languages.

“West Virginia University continues to make our state proud with important research projects,” said Senator Manchin. “I’m pleased the National Science Foundation is supporting our hardworking students, faculty and staff involved with this initiative, which will advance our understanding of linguistics and contribute to the professional development of the next generation of language researchers. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources to support our educational institutions across the Mountain State.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today made the following statement after theInstitute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded Kuskokwim Consortium Library in Bethel, Alaska, the 2023 National Medal for Museum and Library Service – the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries.

“I nominated the Kuskokwim Consortium Library for thisprestigious awardbecauseI have been so impressed bytheimportantresources andpersonalized servicesthey provide—includingaccess tointernetconnectivity, educational support,help for the homeless and food insecure,and cultural preservation—not onlyto the students at the UAF Kuskokwim Campus but to everyone in Bethel. Being awarded the National Medalis an impressive accomplishment and well-deserved recognition for all their hard workand dedication and I’m very proud of everyone involved,”said Senator Murkowski.

“UAF is proud of our rural campuses and the services they provide in Alaskan communities. The Kuskokwim Consortium Library is a shining example of UAF’s commitment to our communities, and I am grateful for the leadership of Kuskokwim Campus Director Carolyn Goolsby and Library Director Theresa Quiner in carrying out this mission. Thank you to the IMLS for recognizing the exceptional work and impact of the Kuskokwim Consortium Library, and to Senator Murkowski for her steadfast support of the Kuskokwim Consortium Library and all of UAF,” said Dan White, Chancellor of the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Bethel is one of eight awardees of the 2023 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. For more information,click here.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee and vice chair of the Senate Western Caucus, celebrated the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling yesterday in Sackett vs. the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), which reins in the Biden administration’s expansive interpretation of the federal government’s authority under the Clean Water Act to regulate “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). Sen. Sullivan has long argued the expansive interpretations of WOTUS under rules promulgated by the Obama administration and the Biden administration usurped the constitutional authority of the states and threatened the rights of individual land owners.

“The Supreme Court delivered a stinging rebuke of the expansive and unconstitutional Obama-era interpretation of the “Waters of the United States,” which ran roughshod over the Clean Water Act, the rule of law, and the economic opportunity of Alaskans and all Americans,”said Sen. Sullivan. “The court’s unanimous ruling against the EPA ends much of the legal and regulatory limbo facing the Sackett family and millions of land owners across the country. This case was particularly important for a state like Alaska, home to sixty percent of the nation’s wetlands. With this ruling, the EPA should now return to the balancedand statutorily-based implementation of theClean Water Actthat we achieved during the Trump administration, through multiple court victories, and through multiple field hearings I chaired as a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee—including in Alaska. I will continue to fight against any attempts by out-of-control federal agencies to usurp the rights of Alaskans as we work to protect our cherished waterways without devastating our economy.”

Below is a timeline of Sen. Sullivan’s work on the WOTUS Rule.

• On April 6 and April 8, 2015, Sen. Sullivan chaired EPW Subcommitteefield hearingsin Anchorage and inFairbanks on the impacts of the previously proposed WOTUS Rule on state and local governments and stakeholders.
• On April 30, 2015, Sen. Sullivan, along with Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Pat Roberts (R-Kas.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), introduced the bipartisan Federal Water Quality Protection Act (S. 1140) to direct the EPA and the Department of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to issue a revised WOTUS Rule that protects navigable water from water pollution, while also protecting farmers, ranchers and private landowners.
• On May 19, 2015, Sen. Sullivan chaired a subcommittee legislative hearing on S.1140 The Federal Water Quality Protection Act. This bill would have withdrawn the WOTUS Rule and required the EPA to more appropriately define what bodies are “Waters of the United States.”
• On October 9, 2015, Sen. Sullivan issued a statement on the nationwide stay of the EPA’s previous WOTUS Rule.
• On September 30, 2015, Sen. Sullivan chaired a subcommittee hearing titled “Oversight of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Participation in the Development of the New Regulatory Definition of ‘Waters of the United States.’”
• On May 24, 2016 Sen. Sullivan chaired a subcommittee hearing titled “Erosion of Exemptions and Expansion of Federal Control –Implementation of the Definition of Waters of the United States.”
• On February 28, 2017, Sen. Sullivan attended a meeting at the White House where President Trump signed an executive order that began to roll back the EPA’s WOTUS Rule.
• On April 26, 2017, the EPW committee held an oversight hearing titled “A Review of the Technical, Scientific, and Legal Basis of the WOTUS Rule.” At the hearing, Chairman Barrasso called for the withdrawal of the fundamentally flawed rule. Witnesses testified that the 2015 WOTUS Rule is not supported by the Corps’ experience and expertise, scientific studies, or the law.
• On June 27, 2017, Senator Sullivan shared his views on the EPA’s efforts to withdraw and rewrite the overreaching WOTUS Rule.
• On September 27, 2017, Senator Sullivan, along with committee members Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jerry Moran (R-Kas.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), sent a letter to the EPA and the Corps in support of the proposed withdrawal of the 2015 WOTUS Rule.
• On December 11, 2018, the EPA and the Corps proposed a revised definition of the WOTUS Rule.
• In January 2020, the EPA and the Corps issued a revised definition of the WOTUS Rule.
• In April 2022, Sen. Sullivan joined EPW Ranking Member Capito, 44 other senators and 154 House members in filing an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the petitioners in the pending case Sackett v. EPA II.
• In July 2022, Sen. Sullivan was joined by all of his voting Republican colleagues and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) in passing his legislation to overturn the Biden administration’s onerous “National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Regulations Revisions.” The CRA was never taken up by the House of Representatives.
• On December 30, 2022, Senator Sullivancriticized the Biden administrationfor releasing its “final” WOTUS Rule, rather than waiting for the Supreme Court’s ruling inSackett vs. EPA II, which will determine the scope of the agency’s authority under theClean Water Act. The rule was published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2023 and took effect on March 20, 2023.
• In March 2023, Sen. Sullivan and 52 of his Senate colleagues passed EPW Ranking Member Capito’sCongressional Review Act(CRA) joint resolution of disapproval to overturn President Biden’s overreaching WOTUS Rule.

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May 26, 2023

**For three decades, the SPP has been a highly successful effort to pair state National Guard units with foreign partner military forces for training, partner capacity building and cultural exchange** 

**Shaheen & Graham are Co-Chairs of the Senate National Guard Caucus** 

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), co-chairs of the Senate National Guard Caucus, announced that they recently introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing 30 years of the National Guard’s State Partner Program (SPP), a highly successful effort to pair state National Guard units with foreign partner military forces for training, partner capacity building and cultural exchange.  

The program was created in 1993 to assist countries following the fall of the Soviet Union but it has now grown to include 100 countries and the participation of every National Guard unit. The New Hampshire National Guard deeply values their partnerships with El Salvador and Cabo Verde and the South Carolina National Guard currently partners with the Republic of Colombia, which not only give Guard members unique exposure to foreign military forces but also provides the U.S. with intangible but valuable influence and presence in emerging regions. 

 “As the thirtieth anniversary of the State Partner Program approaches, it’s important to pause and recognize the valuable and long-lasting partnerships that the United States has forged thanks to this National Guard effort,” said Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “The New Hampshire National Guard specifically enjoys a trusted partnership with El Salvador and Cabo Verde, and I know that connection is replicated by other Guard units around the country with partner nations. These partnerships enhance our bilateral relations and can often outlast the mission. Amid Russia’s unprovoked further invasion of Ukraine, a Ukrainian soldier contacted a Guard Member he worked with through the SPP for guidance on using a Javelin anti-tank missile. The Guard Member walked him through the process, mid-battle, helping the Ukrainian soldier to deploy the missile and defend his nation. I’m a proud supporter of the SPP and equally proud to co-lead this resolution recognizing its importance, while honoring the Guard Members who make it successful.” 

 “As a co-chair of the Senate National Guard Caucus, I appreciate Senator Shaheen leading this resolution to commemorate the 30^th anniversary of the National Guard’s State Partnership Program,” said Senator Graham. “As a veteran who also served in the Air National Guard, I understand how important the State Partnership Program is for advancing U.S. interests and assisting our partners and allies with their military readiness.”

Text of the resolution is available here. 

It is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Blackburn (R-TN), Blumenthal (D-CT), Boozman (R-AR), Capito (R-WV), Cardin (D-MD), Carper (D-DE), Collins (R-ME), Coons (D-DE), Cornyn (R-TX), Cramer (R-ND), Crapo (R-ID), Duckworth (D-IL), Durbin (D-IL), Ernst (R-IA), Fischer (R-NE), Hassan (D-NH), Hirono (D-HI), Hoeven (R-ND), King (I-ME), Klobuchar (D-MN), Manchin (D-WV), McConnell (R-KY), Merkley (D-OR), Moran (R-KS), Murkowski (R-AK), Murray (D-WA), Risch (R-ID), Smith (D-MN), Tester (D-MT), Van Hollen (D-MD), Wyden (D-OR) and Young (R-IN). 

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Washington, D.C.  – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding over $4.5 million to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Nevada. Brownfield sites are parcels of land that are abandoned or underutilized due to pollution from industrial use. Cleaning up and reinvesting in these sites can help communities access new land for economic development, increase their local tax base, and create new jobs.

Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen helped pass, EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities than ever stimulate economic opportunity and environmental revitalization on brownfield sites.

“Brownfields funding continues to make a real difference across Nevada by turning unusable, polluted land into real economic opportunity,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll always support efforts to spur economic development, create new jobs, and make it easier for Nevada communities to build new businesses, affordable housing, and public services.”

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law I helped write and pass is delivering much-needed investments in communities across Nevada and creating good-paying jobs along the way,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to have helped secure these funds to clean up and repurpose neglected brownfield sites to revitalize communities in our state.”

“We are so excited to receive this grant and we believe that this could be a turning point for the economic growth in our struggling community,” said Alyssa Burke, Grant Administrator for Mineral County.

“Northern Nevada Development Authority is excited to be once again the recipient of EPA Brownfield Grant Funding. These funds will provide us with needed resources to continue our work in diversifying the economy of our region, create job opportunities, and ensure a great quality of life for all Nevadans and their families,” said Amy Barnes, Director of Business Development at the Northern Nevada Development Authority.

Many communities that are under economic stress, particularly those located in areas that have experienced long periods of disinvestment, often lack the resources needed to initiate cleanup and redevelopment projects on polluted or contaminated land. EPA’s Brownfields Program helps clean contaminated sites and better position them for economic development. Through this announcement, Nevada sites will receive the following funding:

• $2,000,000 for the City of Las Vegas: This grant will be used to clean up Symphony Park, the largest brownfield site in Las Vegas. Remediation will position the site for redevelopment into a cultural center.
• $1,517,000 for Mineral County: This grant will clean the Babbitt Housing Area, a site originally built to house Naval Ammunition Depot workers and their families. It will help spur commercial development and create employment opportunities in the community.
• $498,750 for the City of North Las Vegas: The City of North Las Vegas will use this grant to conduct environmental site assessments in Downtown North Las Vegas, focusing on former gas stations, auto shops, and sites with chemical contamination.
• $500,000 for the Northern Nevada Development Authority: This assessment grant will support redevelopment for new housing and for industrial, commercial and public services in Northern Nevada.

Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen supported historic investments for the Brownfields Program in the Inflation Reduction Act, and Cortez Masto led efforts to create an Energy Community Tax Credit Bonus to support renewable energy projects located on brownfield and other disadvantaged sites. Senator Cortez Masto also drafted language in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, that Senator Rosen helped pass, to allow brownfield mining sites to be converted to renewable energy projects.

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