In The News

EXCLUSIVE — President Joe Biden‘s move to crown veteran Democratic strategist John Podesta as his lead climate diplomat has prompted an investigation by top Republicans in Congress, who are accusing the White House of sidestepping their authority. Podesta, a White House adviser on green energy overseeing the implementation of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, a massive climate spending law, is set to succeed John Kerry as special climate envoy. But the appointment “appears to be a blatant attempt... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVDN) – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), joined a group of 16 of her Republican colleagues to send a letter raising serious concerns to National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Monica Bertagnolli, M.D. following President Biden’s proposal that attempts to allow agencies to seize drug patents under the Bayh-Dole Act if the... Read More

Top Republican leaders in Congress this week launched an investigation into President Joe Biden’s appointment of Democratic strategist John Podesta as his lead climate diplomat, accusing Biden of disregarding the Constitution and federal law.  The president’s appointment "appears to be a blatant attempt to sidestep congressional oversight and install Mr. Podesta in a position that under federal law requires the advice and consent of the United States Senate," House Energy and Commerce Committee... Read More

Washington DC – Today, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-Va.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Va., Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee) Iowa) is calling. The Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will revisit proposed regulations on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new and existing power plants and advocate for small businesses on how the regulations will harm them. Regarding addressing issues... Read More

The top Republicans on the House and Senate environmental committees on Wednesday alleged the White House flouted congressional oversight by giving senior adviser John Podesta new responsibilities over international climate action. The Republican lawmakers said the administration is circumventing a law that requires Senate confirmation of special envoys by installing Podesta as an international climate adviser when Special Climate Envoy John Kerry departs the administration on Wednesday. Podesta... Read More

Senator Shelley Moore Capito, the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, expressed her concerns about recycling and waste management policies during a recent hearing. Capito emphasized the need to find realistic solutions to the waste problem faced both in the United States and globally. During her opening statement, Capito acknowledged the complexity of the issue, stating, "Like any complex issue, it’s kind of easy to sit here and list out all the problems, but... Read More

A pair of congressional Republicans have accused the White House of attempting to circumvent federal law requiring a Senate confirmation vote for certain special envoys by relocating the office of a key climate post. The White House confirmed in late January that Podesta would succeed John Kerry, who is leaving to join the Biden campaign. Kerry assumed the position in 2021 and was the inaugural officeholder. Notably, Kerry's office was part of the State Department, while Podesta's is a White... Read More

Top Republicans on the House Energy and Senate Environment committees suggested in a letter to the White House on Wednesday that President Biden’s replacement of special climate envoy John Kerry with John Podesta is unlawful without Senate confirmation under a 2021 law. In the letter, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ranking member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said Biden replacing Kerry without... Read More

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) commended the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for directing its staff to publish a proposed rule and draft guidance that will create Part 53, a much-anticipated risk-informed and technology-inclusive licensing framework geared toward advanced technologies. “I applaud the NRC commissioners for addressing major shortcomings in the draft proposed rule,” said Sen. Capito, ranking member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Establishing... Read More

Top Republicans accused President Joe Biden of ignoring the authority of Congress by appointing John Podesta as special climate envoy to replace John Kerry but pretending that it is a new position, the Washington Examiner reported Wednesday. Podesta is a veteran Democratic strategist and White House adviser on green energy overseeing the implementation of Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, a massive climate spending law. The appointment "appears to be a blatant attempt to sidestep congressional... Read More

Fewer college students may be eligible for federal financial aid this year than initially anticipated, following a miscalculation from education officials. Three years ago, the U.S. Department of Education began to overhaul its Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA determines how much federal and state aid college students are eligible for based on factors like household income and assets, but has long been criticized as overly complicated. The overhaul slashed the number... Read More

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito commended the NRC Commissioners for their efforts in enhancing the advanced nuclear reactor licensing rulemaking. In a statement, Senator Capito expressed her appreciation, stating, "I applaud the NRC Commissioners for addressing major shortcomings in the draft proposed rule." She emphasized the importance of establishing a regulatory framework to facilitate the licensing and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors, referring to the Commission's direction to... Read More

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, announced resources from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va. The funding will reimburse emergency costs accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic. “When COVID hit in 2020, our frontline healthcare workers in West Virginia stepped into harm’s way to help treat... Read More

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), released a statement on the Senate’s passage of a formula fix to the FAFSA Simplification Act, legislation that intends to make financial aid more accessible for students by streamlining the process. The technical correction, which was related to aid calculations, was included in the... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation authored by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to designate the Clarksburg Federal Courthouse as the “Irene M. Keeley United States Courthouse.” The legislation will now proceed to consideration in the House of Representatives. Judge Keeley was the first woman appointed as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, a position in which she served for 30... Read More

Washington D.C. (WTRF) – This past Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that he will be stepping down from his leadership position this November. McConnell is the longest-serving leader in the history of the United States Senate. We spoke to West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito about the decision, who says she has great respect for McConnell. The two have worked closely for years since Kentucky borders the Mountain State. “I am deeply grateful for his service as the... Read More

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and U.S. Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and John Joyce (R-PA) advised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject California’s waiver proposal from the Clean Air Act. The Republican lawmakers, joined by U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), called the state’s request for a waiver of preemption under Section 209(b) of the Clean Air Act for its Advanced Clean Cars II regulations an attempt to mandate an all-electric vehicle (EV) economy that would... Read More

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, announced resources from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va. The funding will reimburse emergency costs accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic. “When COVID hit in 2020, our frontline healthcare workers in West Virginia stepped into harm’s way to help... Read More

WHEELING — Ironworkers Local 549 of Wheeling has received a $500,000 federal grant to expand its welding apprenticeship program. The funding was secured through a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) request. Both U.S. senators from West Virginia — Republican Shelley Moore Capito and Democrat Joe Manchin — are members of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Local 549 has 350 working members and brings in about 30 new apprentice welders each year, according to Stephen Sipos, apprenticeship... Read More

Washington D.C. (WTRF) – Illegal immigration and the U.S. southern border remains a top issue on the mind of voters as election season draws closer. Last month, the House of Representatives narrowly voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for allegedly “willfully and systematically” failing to enforce immigration law. Democrats contend that Republican issues with Mayorkas are “policy differences” as opposed to “high crimes and misdemeanors,” which is the standard for... Read More