Appalachia’s Political Landscape
Who Represents us in the 113th Congress?
The 113th session of the U.S. Senate began on Jan. 3, with the Democratic party gaining two seats as a result of the November election — only slightly increasing its majority control to 53. We take a look at the 10 central and southern Appalachian senators: Who represents us? VIRGINIA Tim Kaine While serving as…
Read MoreA Return to the States
By Appalachian Voices staff State legislatures in Appalachia are using their authority on health care reform, taxes, education, and energy and environmental policy to accomplish their own agendas, and sometimes, to rebuke federal policies. Here is the latest from our region’s representation. Virginia As he prepares to leave office this fall, Gov. Bob McDonnell will…
Read MoreSequestration’s Side Effects
By Davis Wax As the indiscriminate budget cuts known as the sequester cause fissures throughout the federal government, programs that protect public health and the environment are feeling the crunch. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s budget is being cut from $8.4 billion to $7.7 billion with particularly harmful effects to its clean water program, which…
Read MoreVested Power: State-Level Legislative Agendas in 2013
By Brian Sewell, J.W. Randolph and Nathan Jenkins At the state level, the public often has greater access and input on decisions and the processes of their governments. But so do special interests — especially campaign funders and industries that play a significant role in state and large-scale economies. State governments in Appalachia create their…
Read MoreRegional Representation
Marking the beginning of the most diverse Congress in the nation’s history, the 113th meeting of the U.S. House of Representatives began on January 3. Nationwide, the Democratic party gained nine seats in the House as a result of the November election, but it remains narrowly under Republican control. We looked at 16 central…
Read MoreAppalachia’s Political Landscape
The Battle is Over — Has the “War” Just Begun? By Brian Sewell Less than a month after the Nov. 6 elections, Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia announced that in 2014 she would seek the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller. Although Rockefeller has not yet announced if…
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