Capito to Serve as Top Republican on Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today issued the below statement after her colleagues voted in favor of her to serve as the Senate Committee of Environment and Public Works (EPW) Ranking Member for the 117th Congress. Ranking Member Capito was also ratified by the Senate Republican Conference today.

“I am incredibly honored to have been elected by my colleagues on the EPW Committee to serve as the next Ranking Member. I look forward to continuing working together with Chairman Carper, as well as our other colleagues on the committee to develop commonsense solutions that positively impact the lives of Americans from all parts of the country.

“The EPW Committee also welcomes several new members this Congress, including, Senators Graham and Lummis on the Republican side and Senators Padilla, Stabenow, and Kelly on the Democrat side. I look forward to working together with all of the committee members to reach bipartisan agreement on the important issues that will come before us here on the committee.

“As the top Republican on the committee, I remain committed to working alongside Chairman Carper to pass a long-term highway bill, improve our water and wastewater infrastructure, continue efforts to address climate change, provide assistance to our rural communities across the country, provide regulatory certainty, and more. Importantly, my colleagues and I will provide oversight and demand accountability of the Biden administration. Together, I am confident that we can come to legislative solutions that promote our energy industry instead of compromising jobs. I look forward to getting to work.”

EPW committee members in the 117th Congress include Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), Senators John Boozman (R-Ark.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

BACKGROUND:

Ranking Member Capito has served on the EPW Committee since she became a U.S. Senator in 2015. On the committee, Ranking Member Capito has advocated for policies that protect vital West Virginia energy and manufacturing jobs and encourage investment in West Virginia’s infrastructure. The EPW Committee has primary jurisdiction over the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal Highway Administration (FWHA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Economic Development Administration (EDA), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and other related federal agencies important to our country’s environment, infrastructure and economic development. As a leader on the EPW Committee, Ranking Member Capito is committed to promoting a commonsense regulatory strategy and protecting affordable, reliable energy production; building our nation’s infrastructure, and encourage economic development. During the 115th Congress, she served as chair of the Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee. During the 116th Congress, she served as chair of the Transportation Infrastructure Subcommittee. Learn more here.

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