CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia bought more than 1,000 expensive Internet routers with federal stimulus funds as part of an ambitious plan to create a long-lasting, high-capacity broadband network throughout the state, the official overseeing that spending has told a congressional inquiry.

Jimmy Gianato responded to questions about the spending from two U.S. House Energy and Commerce subcommittee chairmen, John Shimkus of Illinois and Greg Walden of Oregon. The Republicans posed eight questions to state officials regarding the pursuit of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program grant. Most focus on the decision to buy 1,064 high-capacity Cisco routers for locations including small schools and libraries, following articles in The Charleston Gazette regarding those purchases.