In The News

WASHINGTON - Four students from Putnam and Mason counties were nominated to attend United States service academies by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito. In total, Capito announced nominations for high school seniors from 20 counties in West Virginia. "One of my most important responsibilities is nominating young men and women for admission to our country's service academies," Capito said in a press release. "I am thrilled to support these outstanding students for admission to our nation's most... Read More

Following the U.S. House of Representatives’ overwhelming bipartisan vote in support, the Senate is expected to vote this week on 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, which includes many more national education changes, is a compromise bill forged from two different versions the House and Senate passed in July. In emailed responses last week, the West... Read More

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) recently announced academy nominations for outstanding high school seniors from 20 West Virginia counties. In addition to hosting several Academy Days throughout the state, Sen. Capito appointed a board to review each application, interview students and recommend the nominees. Two of those nominations went to Jefferson County students. Bronson V. Ballard was nominated to the United States Air Force Academy while Drew Michael Polczynski received a... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito voted Friday for the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act, a bill that repeals Obamacare, while Sen. Joe Manchin voted against the bill. “Americans deserve a health care system that works for them and Obamacare is not it. I have consistently voted to repeal and replace this disastrous health care law, and I am glad that a repeal bill will finally reach the president’s desk,’ Capito... Read More

The West Virginia Coal Association released a statement lauding the U.S. House of Representatives for its vote to approve two joint resolutions which both disapprove the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s rules for new and existing power plants. The resolutions, S.J. Res. 23 and S.J. Res. 24, disapprove the EPA’s rules for new and existing power plants and would force the EPA’s final rules to have no force or effect. The resolutions now head to President Barack Obama for... Read More

WASHINGTON D.C. – Republicans in Congress move to block President Obama's plan on Tuesday to force steep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants. The House passed two resolutions disapproving the President's power-plant rules in order to render them inoperative. A measure blocking an Environmental Protection Agency rule for existing power plants was approved 242-180, while a measure blocking a rule on future power plants was approved 235-188.The measures now go to the... Read More

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives, including West Virginia’s delegation, voted Tuesday to void Environmental Protection Agency regulations for new and existing power plants. The House voted 242-180 to repeal the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, which puts carbon emissions limits on existing plants, and 235-188 to block the federal agency’s rules governing emissions from new plants. Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-W.Va., took to the House floor Monday night -- ahead of... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — West Virginia would receive $2.5 billion in federal highway funding over five years if a new compromise transportation bill, one that does not include a gasoline tax increase, is approved by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama. House and Senate negotiators touted Tuesday’s agreement on the $300 billion plan, claiming it is paid for. Among the supporters is West Virginia 1st District Congressman David McKinley, who appeared Wednesday on... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two bipartisan resolutions aiming to to void the EPA’s Clean Power Plan regulations for new and existing power plants passed in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday. The two resolutions – sponsored by Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), and Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), will now head to President Obama’s desk. “The president is moving in a direction... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., recently announced academy nominations for outstanding high school seniors from 20 West Virginia counties. In addition to hosting several Academy Days throughout the state, Capito appointed a board to review each application, interview students and recommend the nominees. Local nominations include: Natelie Grayce Chappell, of Hancock County and Brette Elizabeth Geary, of Brooke County, both to the United States Naval Academy. "One... Read More

West Virginia's U.S. senators, Republican Shelley Moore Capito and Democrat Joe Manchin, are right to be focusing on what may be the single most effective way to turn back the rising tide of drug addiction in America. It is the many people who start down the path of addiction to illegal opioids by using legal painkillers to cope with injuries and/or illnesses. Manchin is concerned about federal action to allow the painkiller OxyContin to be prescribed for children as young as 11. More thought... Read More

Seven high school students from Berkeley and Jefferson counties have been nominated by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., to attend one of the four service academies, the senator announced Tuesday in a press release. In addition to hosting several Academy Days throughout the state, Capito appointed a board to review each application, interview students and recommend the nominees. "One of my most important responsibilities is nominating young men and women for admission to our country's... Read More

For many West Virginians, access to high-speed Internet is a pipe dream. Many areas of the state are without the high-speed Internet connection necessary to email, conduct business or access streaming services like Netflix. The Federal Communications Commission has defined high-speed Internet as 25 megabits per second, but the connection speeds in many West Virginia homes fall far below those standards.“According to that new definition, West Virginia ranks 47th in the nation for overall... Read More

Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate sent a strong message last week to President Barack Obama with two necessary measures aimed at rolling back the administration’s job-killing anti-coal agenda. Among those bills was a bipartisan measure introduced by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., that seeks to void the EPA’s anti-coal regulations for existing power plants. Capito also voted with a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate in passing a... Read More

West Virginia's U.S. senators, Republican Shelley Capito and Democrat Joe Manchin, are right to be focusing on what may be the single most effective way to turn back the rising tide of drug addiction in America. It is the many people who start down the path of addiction to illegal opioids by using legal painkillers to cope with injuries and/or illnesses. Manchin is concerned about federal action to allow the painkiller OxyContin to be prescribed for children as young as 11. More thought should... Read More

It may end up being a largely symbolic vote, but this week the U.S. Senate voiced the same concerns about new energy rules that industry leaders and officials in our region have been stressing for several years. The Clean Power Plan, as proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, will not work, and the cost of the idealistic regulations to residents in our region and across the country will be high. Tuesday the Senate passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by West Virginia's Shelley... Read More

BLUEFIELD — The rails of the mainline tracks through the heart of the Norfolk Southern’s Bluefield yard are still shiny, but 100-car-long unit trains filled with coal headed east are becoming more and more rare with each new day. “I would say export coal is off by 50 percent or more and it doesn’t show any signs of improving,” Rick Taylor said. Taylor is president of the Pocahontas Coal Association, an organization that is made up of primarily independent coal... Read More

West Virginia is at a crossroads: Our leaders must find a way to diversify the Mountain State’s economy from one primarily driven by manufacturing and extractive industries — coal mining in particular — to one based on technology and driven by broadband access. For over 100 years, coal has been king in West Virginia, accounting for the greatest share of the state’s gross domestic products and tax revenues. Sadly, because of the Obama administration’s EPA over-reach,... Read More

INSTITUTE, W.Va. — U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin announced funding Wednesday of nearly $1.8 million to support West Virginia State University. The funding, from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the USDA will support research, teaching and extension activities at WVSU. “West Virginia State University has made significant contributions in research, innovation and development for agriculture and extension programs,” said Capito.... Read More

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito and U.S. Cellular representatives gathered with Morgan County and Paw Paw officials and residents at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday to celebrate the site of a new Paw Paw U.S. Cellular tower. U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito makes the first official cell phone call to U.S. Cellular CEO Ken Meyers onsite at the new U.S. Cellular tower in Paw Paw. It brings the first cellular phone service and high-speed wireless broadband service to the... Read More