KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today made several stops in Kanawha County focused on homeland security, increasing access to educational opportunities, economic development, and enhancing broadband deployment in West Virginia.
First, Senator Capito visited the West Virginia Fusion Center where she toured the facility and met with staff to learn more about the operations. The West Virginia Fusion Center works in collaboration with federal, state, and local agencies to share intelligence in order to detect, prevent, investigate, and respond to criminal and terrorist activity. As the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Capito has helped secure federal resources the center relies on to maintain operations.
“The collaboration done between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies at the WV Fusion Center is vital to our homeland security and safety here in West Virginia,” Senator Capito said. “From preventing human trafficking, to helping stop the flow of illegal drugs into our state, the WV Fusion Center plays an important role in our communities, and it will continue to be a focus through my work on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.”
Senator Capito also visited BridgeValley Community and Technical College’s (BVCTT) South Charleston Campus where she met with President Casey Sacks and received a tour of the campus.
“BridgeValley Community and Technical College does a great job connecting our youth with workforce opportunities that are in-demand and important to our state’s economy. It was great to meet with President Sacks and hear directly from her about plans to expand opportunities for students, as well as how BVCTT will work with community partners to keep our best and brightest in West Virginia,” Senator Capito said.
In the afternoon, Senator Capito met with West Virginia Commerce Secretary Mitch Carmichael to received an update from the West Virginia Development Office and discuss her Capito Connect initiative. Following the meeting, Senator Capito hosted a roundtable discussion with internet providers from across the state. The discussion focused on opportunities and challenges that West Virginia’s internet providers are currently facing, the senator’s Capito Connect Share Your Stories initiative, and the impact of future resources through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Senator Capito helped negotiate and craft.
“If West Virginia is going to reach its full potential, we must better-connect schools, homes, businesses, and hospitals with reliable broadband. I valued the chance today to meet with our local providers to hear about issues they face, as well as how we can work together to bring the internet access our state desperately needs. While I was helping negotiate and craft the bipartisan infrastructure bill that is now law, I made certain that underserved and unserved areas would receive significant federal resources. I look forward to continuing our work together to ensure these resources are distributed to our state effectively and in a way that helps our communities that need them most,” Senator Capito said.
Photos from today’s visit included below:
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) meets with representatives from the West Virginia Fusion Center in Charleston, W.Va. on Wednesday, February 23, 2022.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) meets with BridgeValley Community and Technical College President Casey Sacks in South Charleston, W.Va. on Wednesday, February 23, 2022.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) meets with West Virginia Commerce Secretary Mitch Carmichael and members of the West Virginia Development Office in Charleston, W.Va. on Wednesday, February 23, 2022.
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