In The News

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Mountain State’s GOP leaders had heavy criticism in response to President Obama’s final State of the Union address Tuesday night. Obama outlined four main questions that he believed had to be answered as the United States moves forward in his speech, addressing a variety of issues from climate change to national security to the economy. “I think it was very general. I was looking for more specifics, particularly in areas on national... Read More

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Huntington city officials continue the grueling fight against drugs. Friday, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito took a seat at the round table discussion. Community leaders from all recovery organizations shared their concerns and ideas with Capito. They said the numbers are alarming. "The heroin and drugs we are experiencing are getting stronger," Cabell County prosecutor Corky Hammers said. "The drugs we see today are affecting all aspects of the community. It can happen with... Read More

HUNTINGTON — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said Friday she believes Huntington should serve as a model for other cities in America fighting the drug epidemic. "We are going to lose an entire generation here if we don't model this across the country," Capito said. The freshman senator met with 11 Huntington leaders in the fight against the drug epidemic at Huntington City Hall for a roundtable discussion about the innovative ideas the city has implemented in order to curb the... Read More

WASHINGTON — In the omnibus spending bill passed just before Christmas, Congress lifted the ban on federal funding for needle exchange programs like the one at the Cabell-Huntington Health Department. The lift keeps the federal funding ban on syringes themselves, but ends the ban on all other aspects of the programs such as staff, vans and rent. Activists have hailed the lift as an effective end to the ban, as syringes themselves are cheap to purchase.The decision was spearheaded by... Read More

CLARKSBURG — President Obama’s decision to tighten gun-control laws through executive order is another example of government overreach that won’t prevent gun tragedies, according to West Virginia’s congressional delegation. Obama’s move to require more gun dealers to be licensed and more buyers to undergo background checks will only impact law-abiding citizens, the lawmakers said. “Like most Americans, I want to prevent future incidents of violence and keep... Read More

Federal funding soon will assist several West Virginia counties in improving roads damaged by severe weather last spring. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced in December that West Virginia will receive almost $7.4 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration to help finance federal road and bridge repairs in 19 counties to repair flood damage and other weather issues from spring and summer 2015. More than $6.5 million is... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito released the following statement Friday in advance of the 10 year anniversary Saturday of the Sago Mine Disaster which killed 12 miners: “Ten years ago, we tragically lost 12 miners following an explosion at the Sago Mine in Upshur County. As I think back to that devastating day, my heart still breaks for the families, loved ones of those lost and all those who were impacted.” “This disaster highlighted the... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito had an optimistic look back on 2015 Thursday, and gave a look ahead to what she’d like to see accomplished in Washington in the coming year. “I think 2015 has been a good year for the Senate,” Capito said in an interview with WMOV Radio of Ravenswood. “Prior to 2015, there was a lot of obstruction and there was no debate on the Senate floor.” Capito was optimistic that the federal highway bill passed would... Read More

Many people seem fond of complaining about gridlock in Washington, without thinking much about the substantive policy differences sometimes responsible. But it certainly is true that at times, it seems getting anything done between Capitol Hill and the White House is a chore the mythical character Sisyphus, who was condemned to spend eternity rolling a boulder up a hill only to see it tumble down again, would understand. On a notable number of occasions during the past year, lawmakers managed to... Read More

A multi-year highway funding bill. Education reform. A budget bill approved by both houses of Congress. Those are just a few of the measures that passed the Republican-led U.S. Senate this year and were signed into law by President Obama. The Senate also passed legislation helping the victims of human trafficking, reauthorizing Medicare and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and preventing veteran suicides. Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito is involved in several initiatives... Read More

Many people seem fond of complaining about gridlock in Washington, without thinking much about the substantive policy differences sometimes responsible. But it certainly is true that at times, it seems getting anything done between Capitol Hill and the White House is a chore the mythical character Sisyphus, who was condemned to spend eternity rolling a boulder up a hill only to see it tumble down again, would understand. On a notable number of occasions during the past year, lawmakers managed to... Read More

No question, when it comes to having good-quality high-speed broadband Internet service, much of Preston County continues to be on the short end of the stick. Many say our Internet connectivity woes have to do with the county’s relatively small population and mountainous terrain. Hope for change has come in the form of mostly bold ideas that have yet to mature into a viable project. There have been a few success stories, however. Back in August, the Preston County News & Journal was... Read More

GREENBRIER COUNTY, W.Va. — A site in Ronceverte has been chosen as the future permanent location for the Greenbrier County VA Clinic. Those with with the Beckley Department of Veterans Affairs announced the site selected for the Greenbrier Community Based Outpatient Clinic on Friday. A temporary VA clinic to serve veterans in Greenbrier County and surrounding areas is scheduled to open in Lewisburg in the New Year and remain open until renovation work is completed at the Ronceverte... Read More

When President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act into law in 2002, he heralded a “new era” in American public education. The new law had lofty goals: to increase student and teacher accountability and success; to funnel billions of dollars into low-income and low-achieving school districts; and to require classrooms to be led by highly qualified teachers. While the law — passed by an overwhelming majority of Congress — pushed schools to do... Read More

FAIRMONT — A local organization has received federal funding to assist low-income families in meeting their goals. U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore?Capito, R-W.Va., announced more than $350,000 in funding would be distributed to agencies in West Virginia. The Fairmont-Morgantown Housing Authority received $30,186. According to a press release, the funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Family... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) is calling passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act “an early present to West Virginia families.” President Barack Obama signed the rewrite of the often criticized No Child Left Behind Act, which was first implemented under President George W. Bush, into law Thursday. In general, the legislation transfers many educational decision-making powers from the federal government back to state and local governments... Read More

An overhaul of federal education standards gets final approval. The bi-partisan measure was approved today by the U.S. Senate, after the House gave its OK last week. President Obama has pledged to sign it.But one of its supporters says education reform isn't the only change provided by the "Every Student Succeeds Act"."There's one aspect of this I was able to get into the bill, and that is to look at rural broadband accessibility," says West Virginia Republican U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito.... Read More

The U.S. Senate voted 85-12 Wednesday to pass a bill that would eliminate federal mandates regarding teacher evaluations and increase flexibility in how states hold their schools accountable. The Every Student Succeeds Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives 359-64 last week, and President Barack Obama plans to sign it Thursday morning. Lawmakers from both parties, teachers unions and other groups have endorsed the bill, which would replace the much-criticized No Child Left Behind law... Read More

Legislation that will fast track federal funding for critical highway infrastructure projects in West Virginia and Virginia, including the King Coal Highway and the Coalfields Expressway, has been signed into law by President Barack Obama. The U.S. House of Representatives approved The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act last week by a vote of 350 to 65. The U.S. Senate then voted 83 to 16 to approve the FAST Act. The measure was signed into law by Obama late Friday evening. The... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C.  — Senator Shelley Moore Capito and Senator Tom Udall introduced a Senate Resolution on Thursday in support of MADD’s first-ever National Day of Remembrance for victims and survivors of drunk and drugged driving and underage drinking. “Senator Capito continues to be a leader in the fight against drunk driving,” said MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church. “As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Capito sponsored... Read More