WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member
of the Senate Appropriations Committee and chairman of the Homeland Security
Appropriations Subcommittee, today spoke on the Senate floor about the coronavirus
relief package deal, as well as the omnibus year-end legislative appropriations
package. Earlier today, a comprehensive appropriations package was filed in the
U.S. House of Representatives to complete the Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations
process. Additionally, the legislation includes targeted relief measures for
those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
HIGHLIGHTS:
MONTHS OF DELAY: “While I am glad to hear
that an agreement was reached – we certainly should have done this earlier and
we certainly could have done this earlier. We have been working since July to
deliver additional relief to follow previous efforts like the CARES Act. And, it’s been voted down
twice: once in September and once in October. To date, Republicans have offered
targeted relief legislation, voted in favor of enhanced unemployment benefits, more
money for our schools, which would have been great in early September and
should have been available in early September. We voted in favor of standalone
emergency funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, which we know is
exceedingly important. More dollars for vaccines and testing so that we can get
the great news of the vaccine that see coming forward to everybody. We’ve
offered all kinds of ideas to the other side. But, they blocked it. All of
this. I’m glad that after all of this, we have finally joined together
realizing that yes, a deal is better than no deal.”
CONGRESS MUST DO BETTER: “We have got to do better by
the people we represent. It’s disappointing that politics have gotten in the
way. It’s disappointing—and quite frankly—insulting in my view when I see the
Speaker of the House admitting to holding out on this relief because she
thought it would be beneficial politically
in the end. We can do much better than this.”
WEST VIRGINIA WINS DELAYED: “I am also a proud member of
the Appropriations Committee, and we have worked to get these funds and
resources where they are most needed, especially in a year like this one. But –
due to delays – critically needed resources to combat the opioid epidemic had
to wait, investments to improve broadband have had to wait, research dollars
into Alzheimer’s disease had to wait, and this list goes on. This is
frustrating to me as it should be for all Americans. I know they’re frustrated
because they tell us they are. But – here now – we are able to include funds
that are important to me and my state of West Virginia – things such as fossil
energy research, our universities, and many federal facilities that call West
Virginia home.”
PROTECTING OUR HOMELAND: “We maintain our commitment
to border security through a border wall system to include physical barriers
and enhanced technology. We avoided a drastic cut to our cybersecurity
capabilities that we see we need now more than ever after all the reports and
vicious cyberattacks we uncovered… And we continue our commitment to use every
resource at our disposal in the effort to prevent those opioids that are
killing our people…we try to get the resources to our Homeland Security folks
to prevent those drugs from even entering our country at all. The men and women
of the Department of Homeland Security work constantly against threats—both old
and new—traditional and emerging—and deserve the support this legislation gives
them.”
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