West Virginia

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PRESIDENT CLINTON AND VICE PRESIDENT GORE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS: West Virginia PRESIDENT CLINTON AND VICE PRESIDENT GORE’S PRESIDENT CLINTON AND VICE PRESIDENT GORE’S

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: West Virginia

EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL

Unemployment Down to 5.9%: The unemployment rate in West Virginia has declined from 11.1% to 5.9% since 1993.

89,100 New Jobs: 89,100 new jobs have been created in West Virginia since 1993 -- an average rate of 11,374 jobs per year, compared to an average of just 8,175 in the previous administration.

81,200 New Private Sector Jobs: Since 1993, 81,200 new private sector jobs have been created an average of 10,366 jobs per year, compared to an average of just 6,725 private sector jobs per year in the previous administration.

4,900 New Construction Jobs: Since 1993, 4,900 new construction jobs have been created in West Virginia, an average of 632 jobs per year.

119,000 Have Received a Raise: Approximately 49,000 West Virginia workers benefited from an increase in the minimum wage—from $4.25 to $4.75 -- on October 1, 1996. They, along with about 70,000 more received an additional raise—from $4.75 to $5.15 -- on September 1, 1997. President Clinton and Vice President Gore have called on Congress to raise the minimum wage by an additional $1.00 over two years.

Poverty Has Fallen: Nationally, the poverty rate has fallen from 15.1% in 1993 to 11.8% in 1999, the lowest level since 1979. In West Virginia, the poverty rate has fallen from 22.2% in 1993 to 16.8% in 1999. [Census Bureau]

Home Building Up 5.8%: Home building in West Virginia has increased by an average of 5.8% per year since 1993, after falling by an average of 3.2% per year during the previous 12 years.

A $500 Child Tax Credit to Help Families Raising Children: To help make it easier for families to raise their children, the balanced budget included a $500 per-child tax credit for children under 17. Thanks to President Clinton, the Balanced Budget delivers a child tax credit to 175,000 families in West Virginia.

Business Failures and Bankruptcy Filings Down: Business failures have dropped 4.3% per year since 1993, after increasing 22.3% per year during the previous twelve years. Additionally, bankruptcy filings have declined 8.1% per year since 1993, after increasing 9.3% during the previous two administrations. [Oct. 98 data]

1.6% Growth in Commercial and Industrial Loans and Leases: Since 1993, West Virginia has experienced a 1.6% average annual growth rate in commercial and industrial loans and leases. In contrast, commercial and industrial loans and leases fell an annual average of 4.3% during the previous administration.

West Virginia's Families Reap Benefits of Deficit Reduction: Public debt is on track to be $2.4 trillion lower in 2000 than was projected in 1993. Debt reduction brings real benefits for the American people -- a family in West Virginia with a home mortgage of $100,000 might expect to save roughly $2,000 per year in mortgage payments. Reduced debt also means lower interest rates and reduced payments on car loans and student loans.

EXPANDING ACCESS TO EDUCATION

Over 7,000 Children in Head Start: 7,043 West Virginia children were enrolled in Head Start in 1999. In FY00, West Virginia will receive $40.2 million in Head Start funding, an increase of $17.3 million over 1993.

More High-Quality Teachers With Smaller Classes for West Virginia’s Schools: Thanks to the Class Size Reduction Initiative, West Virginia received $11.3 million in 1999 to hire about 291 new, well-prepared public school teachers and reduce class size in the early grades. President Clinton secured funding for a second and third installment of the plan, giving West Virginia $12.2 million in 2000 and $15.3 million in 2001.

$10.1 Million for School Repairs: President Clinton fought for and won a new initiative to repair America’s schools, providing $1.2 billion in the FY 2001 budget for urgent school renovation. West Virginia will receive $10.1 million in school renovation grants.

$3.9 Million for Technology Literacy: This year [FY01], West Virginia receives $3.9 million for the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund, which helps communities and the private sector ensure that every student is equipped with the computer literacy skills needed for the 21^st century.

$73.4 Million for Students Most in Need: West Virginia receives $73.4 million in Title I Grants (to Local Educational Agencies) providing extra help in the basics for students most in need, particularly communities and schools with high concentrations of children in low-income families [FY01].

Turning Around Failing Schools: West Virginia will receive over $2 million in Title I Accountability Grants in 2001. President Clinton created the accountability fund to help turn around the worst performing schools through such measures as overhauling curriculum, improving staffing, or even closing schools and reopening them as charter schools.

$71.9 Million in Pell Grants: This year [FY01], West Virginia will receive $71.9 million in Pell Grants for low-income students going to college.

Expanded Work-Study To Help More Students Work Their Way Through College: West Virginia will receive $6.8 million in Work-Study funding in 2001 to help West Virginia students work their way through college.

Nearly 2,000 Have Served in West Virginia through AmeriCorps: Since the National Service program began in 1993, 1,994 AmeriCorps participants have earned money for college while working in West Virginia’s schools, hospitals, neighborhoods or parks. [through 2/00]

Tuition Tax Credits in Balanced Budget Open the Doors of College and Promote Lifelong Learning: The balanced budget included both President Clinton’s $1,500 HOPE Scholarship to help make the first two years of college as universal as a high school diploma and a Lifetime Learning Tax Credit for college juniors, seniors, graduate students and working Americans pursuing lifelong learning to upgrade their skills. This 20% tax credit will be applied to the first $5,000 of tuition and fees through 2002 and to the first $10,000 thereafter. 32,000 students in West Virginia will receive a HOPE Scholarship tax credit of up to $1,500. 39,000 students in West Virginia will receive the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. [fully phased-in FY2000 estimate]

Expanded Job Training to West Virginia’s Dislocated Workers: President Clinton's FY 2001 budget would triple funding for the dislocated workers program over 1992 levels. West Virginia received $13.6 million in 1999 to help 8,040 dislocated workers get the training and reemployment services they need to return to work as quickly as possible. In FY 2000, West Virginia will receive over $23.3 million to provide job training services for dislocated workers.

FIGHTING CRIME AND VIOLENCE

Crime Falls 5% in West Virginia: Under the Clinton-Gore Administration, America has experienced the longest continuous drop in crime on record. Since 1992, serious crime in West Virginia has fallen by 5%. Property crime has also declined 6%. [1992 and 1997 Uniform Crime Reports]

Juvenile Arrests Down in West Virginia: West Virginia’s juvenile murder arrests have decreased 43% between 1992 and 1997. [FBI, Uniform Crime Report, 1992 and 1997]

616 More Police: The President’s 1994 Crime Bill has funded 616 new police officers to date in communities across West Virginia. [through 1/01]

$12.8 Million to Combat Domestic Violence: Through the Violence Against Women Act, West Virginia has received approximately $12.8 million in federal funds to establish more women’s shelters and bolster law enforcement, prosecution and victims’ services. [through 9/2000]

$400,000 in Grants for Battered Women and Children: In FY99, West Virginia received $400,000 in HHS’s Family Violence Prevention Program grants to assist women and children fleeing domestic abuse.

$3.1 Million to Keep Drugs & Violence Out of West Virginia’s Schools: West Virginia receives $3.1 million in FY01 for the Safe & Drug Free Schools Program, which invests in school security and drug prevention programs.

MOVING WEST VIRGINIANS FROM WELFARE TO WORK

88,884 Fewer People on Welfare: There are 88,884 fewer people on welfare in West Virginia now than there were at the beginning of 1993 -- a 74% decrease. [through 6/99]

Child Support Collections Up 207%: Child support collections have increased by over $73 million—or 207% -- in West Virginia since FY92. [through FY98]

Encouraging Responsible Choices—Preventing Teen Pregnancy in West Virginia: Since 1993, President Clinton and Vice President Gore have supported innovative and promising teen pregnancy prevention strategies, with significant components of the strategy becoming law in the 1996 Personal Responsibility Act. The law requires unmarried minor parents to stay in school and live at home or in a supervised setting; encourages "second chance homes" to provide teen parents with the skills and support they need; and provides $50 million a year in new funding for state abstinence education activities. Efforts are making a difference, adolescent pregnancy rates and teen abortion rates are declining. And between 1992 and 1997, teen birth rates declined 15.1% in West Virginia.

$23.8 Million for West Virginia Welfare-to-Work: In 1998 and 1999, West Virginia received a total of $18.9 million in Federal welfare-to-work state formula grants, helping West Virginia welfare recipients get and keep jobs. In addition, $4.9 million in competitive grants were awarded to West Virginia localities to support innovative welfare-to-work strategies. Part of the President’s comprehensive efforts to move recipients from welfare to work, this funding was included in the $3 billion welfare to work fund in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act.

Helping People Get to Work: Through the Access to Jobs initiative, the Clinton-Gore Administration is working with communities across the country to design transportation solutions to help welfare recipients and other low-income workers get to and from work. Weirton, Wayne County, Doddrige, Marion, Harrison, Taylor, Monongalia County, and Wetzel County have received a total of $483,736 this year to fund innovative transit projects.

INVESTING IN WEST VIRGINIA’S HEALTH

Health Care for Nearly 8,000 Uninsured Children in West Virginia: In 1997, President Clinton passed the largest single investment in health care for children since 1965 -- an unprecedented $24 billion over five years to cover as many as five million children throughout the nation. This investment guarantees the full range of benefits that children need to grow up strong and healthy. Two million children nationwide have health care coverage thanks to the President's plan, including 7,957 in West Virginia. [HHS, Health Care Financing Administration, FY99 SCHIP enrollment data]

Helping Nearly 52,000 West Virginia Women and Children with WIC: The Clinton Administration is committed to full funding in the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). In FY99, West Virginia received $28.8 million in total WIC grant funding, helping 51,881 women, infants and children in need receive health and food assistance. [through 8/99]

More Toddlers Are Being Immunized: As a result of the President’s 1993 Childhood Immunization Initiative, childhood immunization rates have reached an historic high. According to the CDC, 90% or more of America’s toddlers received the most critical doses of each of the routinely recommended vaccines in 1996, 1997, and again in 1998 —surpassing the President’s 1993 goal. In West Virginia in 1998, 95% of two-year olds received the vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis; 92% received the vaccine for polio; 93% received the vaccine for measles, and 97% received the vaccine for Haemophilus influenzae B, the bacteria causing a form of meningitis.

Funding for HIV/AIDS Assistance Programs: In FY 2000, West Virginia will receive $616,555 in Ryan White Title II formula grants. This funding provides people living with HIV and AIDS medical and support services. Also through the Ryan White Act, West Virginia will receive $846,071 for state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs), which help those without insurance obtain much needed prescription drugs. There has been a tenfold increase in ADAP funding in the last four years, up from $52 million in 1996 to $528 million in 2000. [HHS, Health Resources and Services Administration, 4/7/00]

Tobacco Plan Will Cut Smoking and Premature Deaths by 46% in West Virginia: The Clinton Administration’s tobacco proposal, combined with the recently enacted state tobacco settlements, will cut youth smoking and resulting premature deaths 46% in West Virginia by 2004. Between 2000 and 2004, 25,700 of West Virginia’s youth will be kept from smoking and 8,200 will be spared a premature tobacco-related death. [Treasury Dept., 2/99]

670,000 Americans in West Virginia Cannot Be Assured They Have Patient Protections: Even if West Virginia enacted all the protections in the Patients’ Bill of Rights, 670,000 people in West Virginia cannot be assured they have the comprehensive patient protections recommended by the President’s Advisory Commission. This is because the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) may preempt state-enacted protections. That is why the President has called on Congress to pass a federally enforceable patients’ bill of rights so that everyone enrolled in managed care may have a basic set of protections. Notably, 350,000 West Virginia women are in ERISA health plans and are therefore not necessarily protected. Women are particularly vulnerable without these protections because they are greater users of health care services, they make three-quarters of the health care decisions for their families, and they have specific health care needs addressed by a patients’ bill of rights.

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

Revitalizing Brownfields Project in Wheeling: As part of the Clinton-Gore Administration’s efforts to clean up Brownfields, the EPA has awarded grants to Wheeling, West Virginia for environmental clean-up and economic revitalization. This project is intended to jump-start local clean-up efforts by providing funds to return unproductive, abandoned, contaminated urban properties to productive use.

$7.7 Million in Safe Drinking Water Funding: This year [FY00], thanks to President Clinton, West Virginia will receive $7.7 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to provide low-interest loans to municipalities to build, improve, and prevent pollution of drinking water systems.

SPEARHEADING URBAN AND RURAL RENEWAL EFFORTS

Revitalizing West Virginia’s Communities: Central Appalachia, McDowell, and Huntington were all designated Enterprise Communities in December, 1994 and were awarded $3 million each to create more jobs, housing, and economic opportunity for area residents. In 1999, Huntington was named a New Urban Empowerment Zone and Charleston was declared a Rural Enterprise Community.

Expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Will Help Develop 1,100 To 1,300 New Affordable Housing Units in West Virginia Over the Next 5 years: Last year, the President and Vice President pushed for a 40-percent expansion in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. This year, the President and Vice President will try again to enact tax incentives to develop affordable housing. In West Virginia alone, this proposal would mean an additional 1,100 - 1,300 quality rental housing units for low-income American families during the next five years.

PROVIDING DISASTER RELIEF

$128.6 Million in Federal Emergency Assistance: Since 1993, West Virginia has received $128.6 million in disaster relief. This includes $18 million for severe storms, flooding and tornadoes in 1998, and $40 million in assistance to recover from severe floods that occurred in January of 1996. [FEMA, 2/29/00]

EXPANDING FUNDS FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT

$821 Million in Federal Highway Aid: Since 1993, West Virginia has received $821 million in federal highway aid, including $23.1 million for emergency relief in response to natural disasters and $2.8 million for scenic byways. This funding has helped generate 34,932 jobs. [through FY99]

Over $80.2 Million in Aviation Funds: From FY93-FY99 West Virginia received over $80.2 million in Airport Improvement Program funds to help build and renovate airports, and, when necessary, to provide funds for noise abatement to improve the quality of life for residents who live near airports.

Over $69.8 Million in Transit Funds: Since 1993, West Virginia has received over $69.8 million in Federal Transit Funding. Major projects include: FTA Section 5311 Nonurbanized Area Formula funds are being utilized to support Welfare to Work pilot programs in Harrison and Greenbrier counties.