David B. McKinley, P.E. has represented the First District of West Virginia since January 3, 2011.
Born in Wheeling in 1947, David attended public schools and worked his way through college, graduating from Purdue University with a degree in Civil Engineering. After graduation, he worked in the construction industry as a certified professional engineer.
David is the founder of McKinley and Associates — an architectural and engineering firm — with offices in Wheeling and Charleston, W.Va. and Washington, PA. Over the 44 years that David ran the business, he created thousands of jobs.
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Community Project Funding The House Appropriations Committee supports the Community Project Funding (CPF) initiative to allow Members of Congress to directly address the most significant needs of the communities they represent. Members of Congress will be allowed to submit 15 qualified, local projects to the Appropriations Committee for consideration of targeted federal funds. CPF is available to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. In addition, only projects with evidence of strong support from the community will be considered, and evidence of community support and community need is required as part of your submission. What projects are eligible for CPF consideration? ELIGIBILITY: *For-profit entities are ineligible for Community Project Funding
REQUIREMENTS:
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Drug addiction and opioid abuse have become growing problems in America. Drugs have particularly devastated rural areas like West Virginia. Sadly, many of those who start abusing at a young age are unable to kick their addiction as it spirals out of control. According to a study, West Virginia had the highest rate of drug overdose deaths in the country, 12.56 per 100,000 youth, almost double the national average. This crisis must be addressed. In 2016 Congress took steps to strengthen prevention, treatment, and drug education programs so that we can turn the tide and reverse this heartbreaking problem before more lives are taken. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recover Act will:
This legislation was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and the President signed it into law in July 2016. While this legislation was a good first step, there is much more to be done to increase access to treatment, improve education and prevention programs, and target drug traffickers to disrupt the flow of drugs to our streets. Making progress in this fight also means we need to improve coordination between local, state, and federal officials. Congressman McKinley personally worked with local leaders, law enforcement officers, and officials at the DEA, to bring a new Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS) to Clarksburg to help stop the supply of opioids. This new force will play a key role in helping us win this battle. |
We need an economic environment that will provide more people with the opportunity to live the American Dream. That will only come when we empower the private sector’s ability to grow and succeed. Washington simply cannot create jobs as well as American entrepreneurship.
The nation’s punishing tax structure and burdensome regulations are harming economic growth. Rep. McKinley is fighting to lower taxes and slash bureaucratic red tape, so more Americans will be inclined to start new businesses and existing businesses will be able to expand.
We also need to reduce our national debt. At $19 trillion and counting, our unsustainable debt is having a negative impact on our nation right now. The best way to kick-start our economy, lower the national debt solution to our debt and solve our jobs crisis is to reduce the burdensome size of government and let Americans get back to work.
We need economic growth, more jobs, and a more competitive America - and that is the goal of the legislation Rep. McKinley writes and cosponsors.
Pro-jobs legislation Congressman McKinley has introduced:
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Our nation needs a national energy policy, one that transcends partisan politics and includes all energy sources. Congressman McKinley believes in market-based solutions to provide America’s energy needs. We can protect American jobs while we protecting the environment.
We need to incentivize the development of a 21st Century energy infrastructure, increase funding for fossil energy rese arch, and commercialize the work of our energy laboratories. It is time to reassert our global leadership in energy production.
Coal
The “War on Coal” needs to stop. Coal and other energy sources provide tens of thousands of West Virginia jobs. They are the lifeblood of our state. As Chairman of the Congressional Coal Caucus and a member of the Energy & Commerce Committee, Rep. McKinley is devoted to pushing back on the EPA's over-regulation, especially its destructive and misleading "Clean Power Plan."
Since coming to Congress in 2010, the Congressman has introduced and co-sponsored over 40 pieces of legislation to support coal miners and push back on cumbersome regulations. Key Legislation: Coal Ash Legislation Rep. McKinley's legislation to ensure safe storage and recycling of coal ash was signed into law in December 2016. This legislation protects the 316,000 jobs that rely on the coal ash recycling industry.
Natural gas & oil
Natural gas and oil are very important to the economy of West Virginia and the rest of the country. They both need to play an important role in our nation’s energy future. The safe exploration and aggressive drilling for these two fuels should be encouraged. Moreover, it is imperative that we accelerate the oil & gas pipeline permitting process so we can build the infrastructure necessary to get more resources to the marketplace. This will result in new industries coming to West Virginia and the jobs that come with it.
Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency has proven to be a key issue where Congress can find common ground. As an engineer, Rep. McKinley understands our country needs to make new homes and commercial buildings more energy efficient. In addition, the Department of Energy (DOE) needs to work with the private sector to encourage research, development, and commercialization of innovative energy efficient technology. Advancing energy efficiency technology will not only save energy, but will save money for the consumer and create jobs.
Environment
The production and use of fossil fuels does not have to come at the expense of our environment. Environmentally-conscious mining, drilling, and electricity generation should be the goal. Any kind of environmental regulations should be realistic and scientifically achievable. We can grow American jobs while protecting the environment.
The high cost of health care is unaffordable to thousands of West Virginian families. As a former hospital board member and the husband of a critical care nurse, Congressman McKinley draws upon his experiences to influence his work on health care. As more families see their health care needs grow, Rep. McKinley believes we need to increase access to high- quality care while keeping patients in charge of their health. The federal government should work towards policies that lower the price of health care, not raise it.
Obamacare
Rep. McKinley continues to pursue a repeal of the health care law that has led to double digit increases in the cost of health care for many West Virginian families. In its place, he believes we need reforms that will help ensure access to affordable, quality health care to all Americans without hurting our economy and adding to our national debt. All of the promises that were made about the Affordable Care Act – that you could keep your plan if you like it, you could keep your doctor, premiums would be more affordable, and the plan would insure the uninsured – have not come true. We can do better. House Republicans have offered a better way and proposed alternatives that will maintain coverage for pre-existing conditions, allow consumers to purchase plans across state lines, keeps young adults on their parent’s plan until they are 26 and give patients and doctors more control; not unelected government bureaucrats.
Key Health Care Priorities
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Our immigration system is broken. That’s why Congressman McKinley believes that any immigration reform must start with securing our borders and taking interior enforcement of our immigration laws seriously before we do anything else. There are already laws on the books governing these principles and they need to be enforced. Lastly, while Congressman McKinley believes that immigration reform is necessary, he will not support “amnesty” to anyone who has entered this country illegally.
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Congressman McKinley understands that one of the federal government’s sacred responsibilities is the defense and security of our nation. Politics must be put aside when it comes to our military. |
The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States protects the fundamental right of an individual to keep and bear arms, including for purposes of individual self-defense.
Congressman McKinley is a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights and as a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association he will continue to defend the Second Amendment from those who wish to erode gun rights. He has co-sponsored legislation to protect the rights, privileges, and immunities guaranteed to a citizen of the United States.
There are better ways to lower the number of gun crimes in America than by limiting the ownership and sale of firearms to law-abiding citizens. Part of that solution includes enforcing and reviewing existing laws, and changing how government and society deal with mental illness.
While considering a range of legislative proposals, Congressman McKinley continues to stay focused on promoting gun safety and protecting the Second Amendment rights of American citizens.
Hardworking Americans struggle to get ahead because of an unfair tax system. Since 1913 the tax code has exploded from 400 pages to over 70,000 pages. It is too long and too complex. We need common sense tax reform so that our tax code is much simpler and fairer.
This will include lowering taxes on all Americans, closing loopholes, and making the tax brackets more simplified. We must also lower the corporate tax so that American companies return to the United States instead of keeping their operations overseas.
Congressman McKinley believes that American workers and business owners, not the government, are the best stewards of their money. Washington has a spending problem that has led to a tax code that is hurting American families, small businesses, and our nation's economy. He will continue to support and fight for legislation that lowers taxes, cuts wasteful government spending, and strengthens our economy.
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Water Resources Development Act The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is beginning its work on the 2022 Water Resources Development Act. This legislation—which the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has developed and passed on a bipartisan and biennial basis since 2014—is critical to all 50 states, territories, and Tribal communities, and will include key provisions to invest in our ports, harbors and inland waterways; build more resilient communities; and ensure that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers carries out projects in an economically and environmentally responsible manner. As a part of this package, the Committee has accepted requests from Members of Congress for specific environmental infrastructure projects, which require additional transparency requirements, including a Member certification letter of no financial interest and that Members publicly post project information on the Member’s official house.gov website.
Project Name: H.R. 6719, which would amend the Water Resources Development Act to move the counties covered by the section 219 environmental infrastructure program into the environmental infrastructure programs covering central and southern West Virginia, based on the two new congressional districts. Project Location: West Virginia Congressional District: Districts 1, 2, and 3 Project Sponsor: N/A Requested Amount: N/A Certification of No Financial Interest
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Congressman McKinley believes that America benefits from fair trade with its international partners and that international commerce can raise the wages and standards of living for American workers.
However, Congressman McKinley does not support unfair, “free trade” deals that result in the shipping of good-paying American jobs overseas to foreign nations that do not play by the same rules we do. He supports trade agreements that benefit American workers and families.
He opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership on these grounds and has also opposed free trade agreements with Panama, Columbia and South Korea during his time in Congress. He also voted against giving President Obama Trade Promotion Authority.