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When the Senate gets back to work after the November election, U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., will renew his push for approval of $89 million in construction funding for the new federal prison in McDowell County.
"This facility has been in the planning stages for long enough. It’s time to start to build this facility. It’s time to end the delays and get moving on construction," Byrd said.
Byrd has included the final construction dollars -- $89 million -- in legislation that funds the federal Bureau of Prisons. Already this year, the West Virginia Senator spearheaded the effort to protect the already approved construction funds, which the White House sought to cancel in its budget earlier this year.
Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., will join Byrd in pressing for Senate approval of the funding legislation.
"The federal prison will be an enormous economic development anchor for the entire region, which is why it is essential that we work to facilitate its construction," Rockefeller said. "It is unfortunate that needless delays and partisan funding priorities have hampered the project this long. While progress has been made on preparing the location, the majority of work remains -- and I look forward to working with Senator Byrd on moving this legislation through so that McDowell County can finally see the benefits this prison will undoubtedly yield for the area."
Third District Congressman Nick J. Rahall, also D-W.Va., who has been a major proponent of the prison, hopes that the funding can be cleared by the Congress and signed into law quickly.
"Senator Byrd has been the legislative architect and master builder of the federal prison facility to be located at Indian Ridge on the McDowell-Wyoming Counties’ line. The capstone $89 million in funding, a political hostage of the Republican Congressional leadership, needs to be freed after November 7. I have little doubt that with Senator Byrd’s mastery in the masonry of building majorities in Congress, the funding will flow freely," Rahall stated.
The new prison will be located near the border of McDowell and Wyoming counties, and very close to the proposed interchange of Route 52/the King Coal Highway and the Coalfields Expressway. The 1,280-bed facility is expected to employ approximately 330 men and women, and infuse as much as $35 million each year into the local economy.
"This new federal prison will provide benefits for the country as well as for Southern West Virginia because it will mean much-needed prison space for the Department of Justice. At the same time, it will bring jobs to the region and could help to speed the construction of new infrastructure, such as the Coalfields Expressway," Byrd stated. "It's a win-win for our state and our country."
The Senate Republican Leadership delayed debate and votes on the overall funding legislation until after the election. Byrd believes that, when the elections are over, it’s time for the Senate Leadership to drop the political maneuvering and get back to work.
"Not only does this legislation provide funding for the McDowell County prison, but it also has important support for our police officers, the FBI, and public safety efforts. Law enforcement should not be held up by political games at the U.S. Capitol. It’s time for the political games to end, and the people’s priorities to take center stage," Byrd said. ###
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