FROSTBURG — Gov. Wes Moore was the keynote speaker Monday at the Appalachian Regional Commission’s annual conference, hosted by Frostburg State University.
“The ingredient to our success: we show up, we invest, we build bridges across party lines,” Moore said. “Over the next few days, I know we’re all having conversations about what we’re going to do to make sure we’re strengthening the economies in Appalachia.”
The commission consists of 423 counties across 13 states and works to invest in those regions, according to the ARC website. Many of the major investments through the ARC are in broadband, infrastructure and the workforce.
“The Appalachian region came about because of John F. Kennedy,” ARC co-chair Gayle Manchin said. “So he really is the one that when he was campaigning for president, came to West Virginia so many times and he saw there was no highway system and then he saw the poverty and isolation and he said, ‘How could a state ever grow or prosper if it has no roads?’ When he went back, he started creating this Appalachian region.”
Speakers covered a range of topics, but the government shutdown and budget loomed over many speeches.
“From a federal perspective, there is a $200 million investment that is made on a federal basis into the ARC, and there has been significant cuts back,” U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney said.
A Democrat, the 6th district she represents includes Allegany and Garrett counties.
“So I am pushing for the full federal funding, the additional $14 million, because that really is about people and lives and also how you invest in the individual communities,” she said.
In July, President Donald Trump proposed a 93% cut to the ARC, effectively cutting its funding from $200 million to $14 million in fiscal year 2026. Later in July, the House Appropriations Committee agreed to a $163 million budget. The final budget has not been officially approved.
McClain Delaney directly addressed the shutdown.
“The shutdown is nothing any of us ever wanted, and I represent 35,000 government workers across the 6th district …” she said. “And so the truth is simple, you really have to think about a lot of the health and safety, well-being of our assistance and to lift up above partisanship to come together, as I know our communities deserve better.”
Moore, who serves with Manchin as ARC co-chair, said the conference marked his 19th trip to Western Maryland since taking office, and that he’s “fallen in love” with the area.
”We’re really proud of Western Maryland,” he said.
“We’re proud of our people, we’re proud of the genius that lives here, we’re proud of the inventions and businesses that exist here. We’re proud of the culture that exists here.”
Moore spoke about how in his early days in office, he realized how little attention and funding Western Maryland had received in the past.
He pointed out that the three Appalachian counties — Allegany, Garrett and Washington — were stalling financially, adding that Maryland has not previously invested in them or taken the time to show up.
“We are going to invest in Appalachia, it’s why we have fully restored the funding for local roadway infrastructure to ensure the people can get from where they live to where they work,” Moore said.
“Projects that we’re taking have been on the blocks and on the roads now for over a decade. We’ve come on board and said the days of stalling are over.We are going to get it done, and that’s exactly what we have done with this administration.”
Moore also shared a story about how early into his term, he met Lonaconing Mayor Jack Coburn.
Moore said Coburn asked him to turn around 360 degrees and said, “The only guarantee I can give you is you haven’t seen a Democrat within 5 miles of anywhere you just looked, but I tell you what, you’re the first governor that’s been here since 1996.”