U.S. Rep. David McKinley speaks about economic growth

CUMBERLAND — U.S. Rep. David McKinley sat down with the Times-News on Friday to discuss economic growth, the Islamic State and immigration.

“Jobs are No. 1, the economy is so soft,” said McKinley.

McKinley stressed the importance of protecting and expanding the business that already exists.

“Economic development or growth is not always about bringing in a new company. A lot of it is making sure you take care of the companies that are here. I think we spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to attract someone to an area. You better have something very unique to try and get someone to come into your site.”

McKinley’s focus is more on making sure existing companies’ needs are being met.

“It’s far easier to expand an existing one than to attract someone else,” said McKinley. “Take care of the ones that are here and find out what it is you need to expand.”

McKinley has met with officials from Alliant Techsystems Inc. and IBM in Rocket Center, Automated Packaging Systems in Keyser and NewPage Corp. in Westernport to discuss what their needs are.

He also briefly discussed the Carpendale Bridge project and the attempt to relocate California-based Huy Fong Foods Inc. to Mineral County. CSX owns 300 acres on the West Virginia side of the Potomac River where the bridge would be built. An official from CSX is meeting with the Mineral County Development Authority on Tuesday, according to McKinley. CSX had expressed an interest in leasing or selling the land. Paul Mattox, secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation, is looking into the costs associated with the bridge.

“It’s a process, it’s a long overdue project,” said McKinley.

McKinley met with U.S. Rep John Delaney to discuss the bridge project because it will also affect Allegany County.

Despite the fact that Huy Fong Foods decided to remain in California, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture moved forward with three test plots for growing peppers and will do a high tunnel test as well, according to Delegate Gary Howell. The Department of Agriculture will keep Underwood Ranches, pepper supplier to Huy Fong Foods, informed of the progress of the tests.

Throughout West Virginia there has been more of a push toward agriculture, according to McKinley.

“The statistics that are coming out of Washington is that we consume about $8 billion worth of products a year but we only grow slightly less than $500 million. So the upside is tremendous,” said McKinley.

Glenville State College is putting in an agriculture program. McKinley recently toured Flying W Farms in Burlington, Eight is Enough in Lane Oil Fields and Cottage Hill, Petersburg.

McKinley has been speaking with the mayors of Carpendale, Ridgeley and Piedmont about the issues that they are facing. He stressed the importance of rural America being heard in Washington.

“We have to make sure rural America is being heard,” said McKinley. “What we are trying to do in Washington with the highway bill is we are trying to divide so rural America gets a better proportionate share because you and I are the ones that are generating the gasoline tax by virtue of our driving.”

Some of the bigger issues facing Washington are the Islamic State and immigration, which divert the attention away from other matters like economic growth, McKinley noted.

“There is a whole smorgasbord of issues. Protecting our coal, gas and timber, dealing with immigration, foreign policy and over regulation,” said McKinley.

Congress recently had two classified briefings on the Islamic State, and President Barack Obama is wanting to include a provision to train Syrian rebels, according to McKinley.

“By virtue of going over there that is going to cost about $500 million initially and we know it’s going to cost a billion before long,” said McKinley. “

Obama announced in his address to the nation Wednesday that he had authorized U.S. airstrikes inside Syria for the first time, along with expanded strikes in Iraq, as part of “a steady, relentless effort” to root out Islamic State extremists. He did not say how long he expected the fighting to last, according to the Associated Press.

Another one of the big issues facing Congress is the immigration of 80,000 children that will take place by the end of the year. McKinley questioned whether the people who live in this area and in rural America understand the impact of the immigration.

“It’s diverting resources to get those children to come across. They have come here to America and they are not going to get the citizenship that they thought they were going to get. We have got to do it in a very humanitarian way,” said McKinley.

The number of immigrants is the equivalent of 40 high schools filled with students, according to McKinley.

“They are putting them in military bases and are now going to send them around the country to Chicago, Boston and Denver,” said McKinley.

lmmigration and Customs Enforcement is proposing a residential center in the town of Dilley, about 70 miles southwest of San Antonio, according to the Associated Press.

McKinley, who is a seventh-generation resident of Wheeling, noted that Cumberland reminds him a lot of his hometown because both have a railroad and river access.

“It reminds me in many respects what my town looks like,” said McKinley.

Following the interview, McKinley met with firefighters at the Fort Ashby Volunteer Fire Department and Potomac State College President Leonard Colelli.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.