Earlier in the day, Rahall was in Varney at the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new airport in Mingo County being built through cooperation between the mining industry and local government. Rahall said such a joint venture could become the wave of the future in getting important things done and saving taxpayers money.
Rahall noted that when the Economic Stimulus Package, which has been used to build roads and bridges and schools across the country was announced it was attacked immediately.
"Not all the money has been spent," he noted, explaining that President Obama wanted to ensure that funds for projects are utilized on needed works, not wasted frivolously. To date over $700 million has come to West Virginia from the Stimulus Package for infrastructure work. Rahall said Route 10s new $88.6 million dollar grant application is a competitive one, but it's not a sure thing and that much more money will be required to complete the project, which is about halfway funded at this point.
Rahall also spoke about the state highways fund, which comes from gasoline taxes, noting its' pretty much empty, thanks to high gasoline prices causing motorists to stay home or buy more fuel efficient vehicles.
"We have to reauthorize that by September," he explained. "I can't be optimistic as there is so much on the plate." Rahall had requested an additional 80 million in federal funding be earmarked through the Highway Fund, and noted that the state also has some discretionary funds it can use. "It's a long battle," he admitted.
"I don't build highways, the state does," Rahall said. "My job is to get the funding for them earmarked."
Rahall said replacing Route 10 with a safe, modern road is not a local issue but a national priority because many tourists from other states travel through the area.
Rev. Mike Pollard from the Route 10 Committee told The Logan Banner that the original estimates on the Route 10 project were that it would cost about $250 million to $300 million if completed back then. Over time, the estimates raised with inflation and fuel costs. To date, $200 million has been spent on the project and if completed soon the current estimate is that it will cost $400 million.
"We are essentially halfway there," Rahall said following the meeting.
Rahall was grilled by many people at the meeting about Healthcare Reform measures being slugged out in Washington. There were vocal critics and supporters of health care reforms in the audience who asked about public options and rationed care.
Rahall said he was a longtime proponent of some healthcare reform measures noting "the status quo was just not acceptable."
Rahall said he did not like seeing people with preexisting medical conditions get the short end of the stick from insurance companies and noted that insurance companies have been rationing healthcare for many years, denying people needed treatment. Rahall said one reason they have managed to mess the healthcare system up so badly and make it so unaffordable was that there was no competition for them and that competition benefits the consumer by lowering prices.
"I would like to see some competition out there," Rahall said, noting that there were many issues to address. "A final bill has not been written yet. There are three different versions floating around."
Rahall said the public option could give insurance companies competition, forcing them to provide more services to the customer for less. He pointed out that there were delicate balances in dealing with some of the proposed reforms. When one person asked how a private business could compete with the government, Rahall pointed to UPS and Federal Express, which have competed with the US Post Office for years.
One person asked about stimulus money for the Man Hospital/Level Five Trauma Center project that has also been a major topic in Man for a decade. Rahall said the project should submit a grant application as the Route 10 supporters had.
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