In The News

WASHINGTON - Help for West Virginia's more than 300,000 adult caregivers could be on the horizon thanks to a new piece of legislation making its way to President Donald Trump's desk.The Recognize, Assist, Include, Support and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act was passed by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, confirming the House of Representatives' version of the bill that passed in December.The RAISE Act mandates the secretary of health and human services, working with federal agencies and a Family... Read More

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A U.S. Department of Agriculture body released Monday a list of recommendations focused on ways to boost rural communities and expand these regions’ businesses. The recommendations included steps to increase access to capital, grow agricultural production and further develop the country’s infrastructure and internet access.The report was released the same day as President Donald Trump’s appearance before attendees of the American Farm Bureau Annual... Read More

PRICHARD – U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., toured the expanded Allevard Sogefi USA Inc. facility Friday and spoke with employees about tax reform and the positive effects it could have on business growth and expansion.The plant, located in Prichard, employs 350 workers who manufacture car parts for some of the biggest names in the automobile industry. The items manufactured include everything from engines to fuel pumps and filters, and the plant is helping to produce parts that... Read More

CHARLESTON — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., told a group of newspaper reporters, lawmakers and lobbyists on Friday that she believes the federal tax reform bill passed by Congress on Dec. 20 will help the vast majority of West Virginians."While it's not perfect, I think it's very, very good for West Virginians, and it's good for the nation," Capito said at a conference sponsored by the West Virginia Press Association to highlight issues likely to arise during the upcoming session... Read More

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Supporters of a regional storage hub for natural gas are excited the proposed project has cleared a significant hurdle for a possible $1.9 billion federal loan guarantee.The federal Department of Energy invited Appalachia Development Group to submit a second phase application for the loan guarantee.Appalachia Development Group said it recognizes that this is the first of several steps to secure a conditional commitment and final loan agreement.  The group... Read More

Whether I’m at a roundtable discussion or the grocery store, so many West Virginians have shared with me what tax reform would mean for them and their families.After more than three decades of dealing with an outdated and complicated tax code, Congress finally delivered this long overdue reform that will modernize our tax code and make West Virginia – and America – more competitive.Tax reform is a win for all West Virginians. It will power economic growth and create opportunity... Read More

A bipartisan group of senators, including U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., called on Senate leadership Friday to provide states with the resources needed to tackle the opioid epidemic. In their letter, the group urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to include additional funding dedicated to addressing the crisis in the upcoming supplemental and omnibus appropriations... Read More

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — People who have completed addiction recovery programs will be able to get a jump start on their college education or career training thanks to a new scholarship program in West Virginia.Fruth Pharmacy announced Friday $100,000 will go to the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation to help start the “Bridge of Hope Fund.”Fruth will contribute $20,000 to the program. In response to that, Walgreens, Cardinal Health and Cabell Huntington Hospital each matched... Read More

About 100 women in our area may get new leases on life as a result of an announcement last week. It was that Living Free Ohio Valley plans to use a $3 million state grant to open a long-term care facility for women suffering from drug addiction.As LFOV President Sharon Travis noted, “long-term care is what is missing” from many programs to help substance abusers. “You need long-term oversight to be healed.”But, demonstrated by the very fact that money for the long-term... Read More

As a small, rural state, West Virginia faces challenges to economic growth and stability, but probably none more daunting that the lack of broadband internet service.The issues, long talked about and partially addressed, linger on seven years after the federal government allocated $126.3 million in stimulus money to improve the state’s broadband network.What happened from there has been controversial, with various people and companies sparring over whether the funding was used properly.... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Capitol Hill, one local West Virginia senator is working to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program -- otherwise known as CHIP.CHIP provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid.Senator Shelley Moore Capito says she helped implement the program when she was in West Virginia's State Legislature and continues to be an avid supporter of the program.She says a healthier child makes for a healthy... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WSAZ) – U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) is urging lawmakers to act swiftly to extend funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by the end of the year.In a letter to the Senate Finance Committee Chairman, Capito, a West Virginia Republican, outlines her support for the program and how she helped implement the program in West Virginia when she was a state legislator.CHIP benefits 9 million children throughout the country each year.That number... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has announced U.S. Service Academy nominations for 31 qualified high school seniors from 18 counties in West Virginia.Nominees were selected by a board chosen by Capito that reviewed each application, interviewed candidates and made recommendations.“Nominating young men and women to our nation’s prestigious service academies is one of the most important responsibilities I have as a United States Senator,” Capito... Read More

Would you consider yourself better off if, at the stroke of a pen, someone increased your take-home pay by nearly $2,000 a year? Of course you would.Most Americans would be very grateful if the federal government stopped digging so deeply into our pockets. On average, Uncle Sam takes about $5,680 a year from every man, woman and child in the country annually through income taxes.Members of the U.S. House of Representatives approved a tax reform bill last week. Now, the ball is in the... Read More

The memorandum of understanding signed last week between the Mountain State and China Energy is being called the biggest single investment in the history of West Virginia. One thing is certain. The economic impact from the proposed $83.7 billion investment will be far-reaching and positive for the entire state.The agreement calls for shale gas development and chemical manufacturing projects in the Mountain State. The memorandum of understanding was signed by West Virginia State Commerce... Read More

With tax reform in the news and Thursday’s release of the Senate version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Americans are trying to understand how changes to the tax code will affect their families. The Senate’s plan would grow the economy while simplifying the tax code and reducing marginal rates.Using the Tax Foundation’s Taxes and Growth (TAG) macroeconomic model, our analysis found that “the plan would significantly lower marginal tax rates and the cost of capital,... Read More

CHARLESTON - West Virginia lawmakers and officials agreed Thursday that an agreement with China Energy Investment Corp. Ltd. for the company to invest $83.7 billion in shale gas development and chemical manufacturing in West Virginia will be an economic boon the likes of which the state has never before seen."This is a great day for the state of West Virginia," said West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice in a news release. "I've been saying for the last couple months that the tides are turning in West... Read More

WHEELING — The $83.7 billion a Chinese firm plans to spend developing West Virginia’s shale natural gas resources exceeds the total value of all goods and services produced in the state each year.That investment also would be more than double the approximately $35 billion total that West Virginia University Energy Institute Director Brian Anderson estimates drillers, frackers, processors and pipeliners have spent in the Mountain State since the Marcellus and Utica shale boom began... Read More

GREEN BANK, W.Va. – The National Science Foundation is evaluating options for West Virginia's Green Bank Observatory, ranging from collaboration with outside partners to continue its science and education mission to demolishing it.Options include collaborations to operate it as a technology and education park, mothballing the facilities and continuing support.The observatory, located by the Monongahela National Forest, includes a 100-meter-diameter single-dish radio telescope,... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WDTV) – Senator Shelley Moore Capito is urging folks all across the state to take the West Virginia Speed Test.The test, which is hosted by the Broadband Enhancement Council, will help find out which internet connections are up to speed. On Monday, 5 News covered Senator Capito's announcement in Buckhannon of a grant that will bring high speed connectivity to parts of Barbour, Randolph, and Upshur counties.Senator Capito says if we can bring better internet service... Read More