In The News
Bipartisan conservation legislation passes
The Senate approved a broad wildlife conservation package by unanimous consent yesterday before leaving for the weekend. S. 3051, "America's Conservation Enhancement Act," would reauthorize the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Chesapeake Bay Program until 2025. It includes provisions to manage chronic wasting disease and human-predator conflicts, and would compensate livestock producers for losses from federally protected species (Greenwire, Dec. 17, 2019). The legislation cobbles t… Continue Reading
12.31.19
President Trump signs bill to cut down on robocalls
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVNS) - President Donald Trump signed a bill to cut down on robocalls across the country. It is called the "Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act," or "TRACED Act." It authorized the Federal Communications Commission to issue additional civil penalties on people who intentionally violate restrictions on the use of automated telephone equipment, such as illegal robocalls and spoofing. It also directs the FCC to require voice service provi… Continue Reading
12.31.19
Capito’s bipartisan bill targets pill mills that flood communities with opioids
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on Dec. 17 introduced a bipartisan bill to combat illegal pill mills around the United States. "Our recent history in West Virginia, where millions of prescription opioids flowed freely into small communities throughout the state, demonstrates all too clearly why continued action is needed to ensure suspicious orders of controlled substances are detected, stopped, and those responsible held accountable," Sen. Capito said. The senator is an original cosponsor… Continue Reading
12.30.19
Capito Op-Ed: A Year of Economic Growth
2019 marked a year of significant economic growth for West Virginia and we have the numbers to show for this improvement. We are attracting new businesses, creating an environment for existing ones to expand, and, as a result, West Virginia's unemployment rate is decreasing overall.But, the good news doesn't end here.Proctor & Gamble's facility in Tabler Station is now up to 1,100 employees, including two co-located suppliers.Toyota announced earlier this year that it would begin manufacturi… Continue Reading
12.24.19
Major Broadband Expansion Coming to Wetzel and Tyler Counties
Wednesday, December 18, was a huge day for Wetzel and Tyler Counties with the announcement by Chad Rupe, USDA Rural Utilities Administrator for the USDA of Grant and Loan funding for expanding broadband service within the two areas. The Broadband Reconnect program offers unique federal financing and funding options in the form of loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in areas of rural America that don't currently have sufficient access to broadband, de… Continue Reading
12.19.19
WV's Capito cosponsors legislation to help DEA fight 'pill mills'
WASHINGTON - Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., cosponsored bipartisan legislation introduced into the Senate Tuesday designed to allow the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to more effectively combat "pill mills" - operations moving high volumes of prescription drugs into relatively small communities. The Preventing Pill Mills Through Data Sharing Act would give the agency additional tools to hold drug distributors, manufacturers and pharmacies accountable for identifying, reporting and s… Continue Reading
12.19.19
Tyler, Wetzel counties receive $5.6M for broadband
READER - Millions of dollars in federal grants and loans will support the development of high-speed broadband infrastructure in Tyler and Wetzel counties. Tyler County will receive $3.516 million, split between grant and loan funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's ReConnect Program, to install 74 miles of new broadband fiberoptic cable, covering a service area of 26.13 square miles, according to releases from the USDA and the Tyler County Development Authority. It is expected to make … Continue Reading
12.19.19
Editorial: A 'unique' approach solves miners pension problems
As Christmas nears, there is reason for good cheer - especially for more than 100,000 miners whose pensions were in jeopardy of ending either this year or next. Thanks to the hard work of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in Washington have stood up and done the right thing: Written funding into a must-pass-or-close-the-government spending bill that will now guarantee those pensions remain. The bil… Continue Reading
12.16.19
Miners pension funding will get a vote this week in Congress as part of government funding package
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A long fight which has kept retired coal miners in West Virginia and across the United States with near constant uncertainty may be nearing an end. U.S. Senator Joe Manchin on Monday announced the bipartisan American Miners Act will be included in the funding package to keep the federal government operating beyond Dec. 20. A vote on the funding package is expected by Friday. "Today we came to an agreement that will finally secure pensions and healthcare for our coal miners and… Continue Reading
12.16.19
Capito, Manchin announce FEMA funding for Marshall County
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $1,473,380.63 to the city of McMechen's Waste Water Sewer Treatment Plant in Marshall County for repairs. Funding is provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "Flooding and other natural disasters often damage water systems and lead to long term infrastructure is… Continue Reading
12.16.19
Capito Op-Ed: Rural broadband in West Virginia: Building on successes of 2019
One of my first efforts as a U.S. senator was launching my Capito Connect initiative - a roadmap for bringing affordable, reliable, high-speed internet access to homes, businesses, and classrooms in West Virginia.Each year, we're making significant strides, and this past year, we've made even more progress.After asking Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing for his commitment to partner with West Virginia on rural fiber deployment, Facebook announced … Continue Reading
12.13.19
WV's Capito attends Working Families Summit, emphasizes importance of legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., on Thursday joined other officials at a Working Families Summit, where she discussed legislation designed to help such families. Capito joined a small group of federal officials, including fellow Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah; Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith, director of the Women's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor; and Ivanka Trump, advisor to President Donald Trump. The summit was held at the White House Thursday morning. "Today's summit was about b… Continue Reading
12.10.19
Manchin, Capito Introduce Bill Calling For Transparency in Veterans Healthcare
West Virginia's two U.S. Senators have introduced a bill Tuesday calling for more transparency in regard to patient safety and quality of care for veterans. The proposal comes as federal officials investigate suspicious deaths at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Clarksburg. Democrat Joe Manchin and Republican Shelley Moore Capito announced they have introduced The Improving Safety and Security for Veterans Act of 2019. In a news release, Manchin and Capito say the measure seeks to ensure th… Continue Reading
12.10.19
Following veterans’ unexplained deaths, Manchin and Capito introduce bill aimed at VA hospital transparency
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The U.S. senators representing West Virginia have introduced a bill meant to provide greater transparency for patient safety at VA hospitals. The bill, introduced by Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, was prompted by about 10 suspicious deaths at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg. "Victims' families have waited long enough and deserve answers. I can't imagine having a loved one murdered at a VA Medical Center and after a year and a half, still… Continue Reading
12.05.19
Capito bill would extend tax credit to families for child’s first year
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WDVM) - Parents may take advantage of a child care tax credit under legislation sponsored by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) if the bill becomes law. If enacted, families may qualify for the lesser of a $5,000 or 25 percent of household income for the child's first year. "This will help families have time for child care and bonding to build solid foundations in the household for strong family relationships," said Capito on the measure, which has bipartisan co-sponso… Continue Reading
12.05.19
WV's Capito, Manchin cosponsor bill to allow advancing child tax credit
WASHINGTON - Both of West Virginia's U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., on Wednesday helped introduce legislation aimed at helping parents of new children. The Advancing Support for Working Families Act would allow families the option to advance up to $5,000 of their child tax credit in the first year of a child's life or the first year a family adopts a child, according to a release from Capito's office. Families can also choose to advance their child credit … Continue Reading
12.05.19
With Congressional spending bill deadline looming, Manchin and Capito push for miner’s pension action
MORGANTOWN - Congress has until Dec. 20 to either pass a package of 12 spending bills to keep government working, or pass another temporary continuing resolution, to replace the one that expires that day, and kick the can past the holiday break. The whole package totals $1.37 trillion, but West Virginia Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, who both serve on the Appropriations Committee, particularly have their eyes on including the Bipartisan American Miners Act in whatever passes, to pre… Continue Reading
12.03.19
Editorial: Capito Correct On Afghanistan
Many years of public service have convinced U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito that the most effective education on world trouble spots requires going there. So, just before Thanksgiving, she and a small group of lawmakers did just that. They traveled to Afghanistan. There, Capito, R-W.Va., and the others talked with both U.S. forces and officials and Afghans, including that nation's president, Ashraf Ghani. Many Americans seem eager for President Donald Trump to simply pull U.S. forces out of Afgha… Continue Reading
11.29.19
U.S. Senator Capito visits with W.Va. Troops
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WSAZ) -- U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito came back from a congressional delegation trip to Afghanistan and Kuwait earlier this week. During her trip, Senator Capito met with West Virginians with the 863rd Military Police Unit from the West Virginia Army National Guard, based out of Glen Jean, West Virginia. "After having the opportunity to once again visit this region of the world, I have a stronger understanding of the progress we've made when it comes to counter-terrorism e… Continue Reading
11.28.19
Capito visits troops overseas, discusses Afghanistan operations
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Before Thanksgiving, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., traveled to the Middle East to receive an update about combat efforts in the region. Capito, along with Iowa Republican Joni Ernst and New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, stopped in Kuwait and Afghanistan, speaking to deployed service members as well as officials regarding challenges. "The security situation there is still not good," she said recently on MetroNews "Talkline." "The Taliban and ISIS are very acti… Continue Reading
