The past year-and-a-half was a time of important accomplishments that will help improve the lives of West Virginians.

When Congress passed tax reform legislation at the end of last year, we promised it would help workers and families keep more of their hard-earned money.

We promised it would help our businesses compete, reinvest in our economy, and pass benefits down to their employees.

We promised it would create new opportunities for growth in our communities.

Now, those promises are being fulfilled.

As I have traveled across the state in recent months, I've seen small businesses able to expand and hire more employees. I've heard stories about families who are better able to invest in their children's education. I've even seen how extra money in their paychecks have helped some individuals donate more to local charities and community priorities.

But it's important that we continue working together to find new solutions that will help move our state forward. That's why I recently launched a new initiative called "Share Your Stories."

I created this initiative because you know better than anyone else how what we are doing in Washington is benefiting you and your neighbors. I want to hear what's working and what's not. I want to hear about the positive changes you are seeing in your communities, as well as the changes you still want to see.

Since launching "Share Your Stories," I've already heard from quite a few West Virginians - and many from the Cabell County area. Take Kelsey for an example.

Kelsey wrote to me a couple of weeks ago about the incredible growth she has seen throughout the Huntington area over the years. She acknowledged that while the community continues to grapple with the opioid epidemic, the city is doing some pretty amazing things to grow and change for the better - like opening new businesses or coming together to revitalize the town.

I've always said that Huntington should serve as a model for other cities in America fighting the opioid epidemic - and that's exactly what they're doing: serving as a model of how we can turn things around.

It's stories like Kelsey's that make me proud to be a West Virginian. No matter what challenges we face, we deal with them head-on and maintain our strong and positive West Virginia spirit along the way.

I look forward to hearing more of these stories. And more importantly, I look forward to taking your stories and your experiences back to Washington and delivering even more reforms that will positively impacts your lives.

Share your stories with me by visiting my "Share Your Stories" webpage: www.capito.senate.gov/ShareYourStories, or connect with me on social media by following me on Twitter (@SenCapito), Facebook (@SenShelley), or Instagram (@SenCapito).

And if you have limited internet access, contact one of my offices by mail or phone:

Washington, DC
172 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-6472

Shelley Moore Capito is a Republican U.S. senator representing West Virginia.