Committed to Change: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito

By Jennifer Jett Prezkop

With her father’s Bible in hand and her husband, Charlie, at her side, Shelley Moore Capito took an oath on January 6 to represent West Virginia in the U.S. Senate. The moment was a culmination of a lifetime of service and a continuation of her parents’ legacy.

Capito is proud to be a Mountaineer. She chooses Charleston as her home over Washington, D.C., where other members of Congress reside, and every Friday, she returns home to her beloved mountains where she is surrounded by the very people for whom she has spent her political career fighting. West Virginia values run deep in her marrow; her concern for its people runs deeper.

Capito’s election to the U.S. Senate drew national attention to both her and the Mountain State. In that election, Capito not only became the first Republican senator to represent West Virginia on Capitol Hill in more than 50 years, but she also became the first woman to represent the Mountain State in the U.S. Senate. The importance of these historic elements was not lost on her; it didn’t slow her down, either. After all, her mission is the same today as it was when she entered politics in 1996: to be a voice for the people of West Virginia.

With the change of roles from U.S. representative to U.S. senator, Capito will go from representing West Virginia’s 2nd district to representing the entire state. She has always prided herself on being accessible to her constituents, and she intends to continue that tradition, because being among her fellow West Virginians where she can listen to their concerns will be the key to representing the Mountain State and its people in the most effective way. As a member of four Senate committees—the Appropriations Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Environmental and Public Works Committee and the Rules and Administration Committee—Capito will ensure that West Virginia and its people will be in the forefront of important conversations about funding, jobs and energy.

Though the 114th Congress is now in session, Capito took some time to discuss with us the recent election and the challenges and opportunities she sees ahead for both the U.S. and West Virginia. From energy and health care to bipartisan gridlock on Capitol Hill, Capito shares her insight and goals for the Mountain State.

WVE: Tell us about the journey that led you into politics and now into the role of U.S. senator.

SMC: Growing up watching my parents work as public servants, I knew what an important impact they had on West Virginia, and I, too, had a strong desire to make a difference. I spent many years volunteering in my children’s schools and realizing that West Virginia needs to do a better job to reach its potential. This inspired me to run for office. I first served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1996-2000 before running for Congress in 2000. After serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years, I knew I could have an even bigger impact in the U.S. Senate. Representing West Virginia in the Senate is a tremendous honor, and I look forward to bringing meaningful reform to our state.

WVE: Who have been your mentors along this journey, and how have they helped shape the way you serve West Virginia?

SMC: Both my father, who served in Congress and as governor of West Virginia, and my mother, who served as first lady, touched so many lives. From the infrastructure and education improvements championed by my father to the preservation of West Virginia’s heritage and dedication to educational initiatives by my mother, I grew up seeing what a difference public servants can make. I’ve also met many strong leaders who have influenced me throughout the course of my service.

WVE: In November, West Virginians named you their first female U.S. senator. What does this mean to you, and what kind of impact do you hope it will have on other women leaders?

SMC: It is a tremendous honor to be the first woman in our state’s history to serve in the U.S. Senate. Many states—24 to be exact—have still never elected a woman to the U.S. Senate. I am proud that West Virginia was one of the states to break through this barrier. I am hopeful this election will help pave the way for more women to run and my service will inspire the young women of our state to get involved in politics. We need more women to run for office at all levels, and I am optimistic about women breaking through even more barriers in the next election cycle.

WVE: As the war on coal continues, the Affordable Care Act challenges businesses and the Mountain State faces a drug crisis, what will be your top priorities as U.S. senator?

SMC: We need to stop the health care law from strangling small businesses and causing families to lose their doctors and care. We need to invest in West Virginia’s infrastructure to grow jobs and build a foundation for economic development. We need more work force training and an education system to prepare our students for the jobs of tomorrow. We must honor our veterans and ensure they receive the care and opportunities they have earned. And we must focus on strengthening families and combating West Virginia’s drug crisis. All of these issues and more are top priorities for the year ahead.

WVE: You have been a strong opponent of the EPA and an advocate for West Virginia’s coal industry. As a U.S. senator, how will you take this fight further?

SMC: Being selected to serve on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee puts me in a strong position to fight the EPA’s job-killing regulations and advocate for policies that protect West Virginia’s energy jobs. I will make sure the legislation we passed in the House to combat the assaults on our coal industry is passed in the Senate. One of the six points of my West Virginia Works Plan was powering a West Virginia that works by harnessing all of the abundant energy resources available to us, and I am dedicated to putting this plan into action.

WVE: As coal production continues to slow down, what does the state need to do to prepare for an economy that leans more toward natural gas and alternative fuels?

SMC: We should absolutely take advantage of our natural gas reserves, which also offer the promise of attracting new manufacturing to our state. We need to broaden the appeal of natural gas to include transportation, exportation and other ways West Virginia can capitalize on this resource. The way to do this is to stop the policies that pick winners and losers and incentivize the use of all our abundant energy resources to fuel an economic resurgence in our state and our country.

WVE: The ACA has had a direct impact on how some companies operate and has even caused some to lose their insurance coverage. What kind of feedback on the ACA did you receive from your constituents as a congresswoman, and how will that shape how you address the challenges posed by the ACA?

SMC: The Affordable Care Act is exceedingly unpopular with the people of West Virginia. It was the wrong approach to health care reform, and I heard many stories of the law negatively impacting people and small businesses around the state. Its job-killing employer mandate caused many businesses to cut worker hours and created a part-time economy that hurts working families. Many people were forced off their health insurance plan and lost access to the doctor of their choice. Medicare cuts of more than $700 billion will hurt our seniors. Seeing the law’s devastating impact has shaped my position that we need to start over on health care reform.

WVE: What do you see for the future of the ACA?

SMC: We should keep what works, like protection for those who have pre-existing medical conditions, and get rid of what doesn’t. We should enact meaningful liability reform, create association health plans and facilitate the purchase of health insurance plans across state lines to lower costs. We should also use targeted tax credits to broaden access to health coverage without mandates or tax increases.

WVE: West Virginia is facing a major drug crisis right now. What does the State of West Virginia need to do to address this crisis?

SMC: Combating West Virginia’s drug crisis is extremely important. Our elected officials, law enforcement and community groups must work together to enforce drug laws and help those in need of treatment. I am a strong advocate for local programs like Lily’s Place in Huntington, which helps care for newborn infants suffering from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, and I worked to help keep precursor drugs from reaching methamphetamine dealers. I also successfully fought a proposal to slash funding for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, which funds anti-drug law enforcement efforts in 17 West Virginia counties, as well as plans to scale back the Drug Free Communities program that funds prevention programs. I have also supported efforts to combat prescription drug abuse and strengthen protocols for dispensing hydrocodone. We have an obligation at both the state and federal levels to continue combating drug abuse in West Virginia.

WVE: Like other West Virginians, you no doubt get discouraged by some of the negative circumstances facing our state. What motivates you to keep fighting?

SMC: The people I meet around the state motivate me to keep fighting. On the campaign trail, I met a miner who told me his local church came together to make meals for several families who had lost their jobs. Without the church’s help, these families wouldn’t be able to get by. I also visited a multi-generational family business in Bridgeport struggling to keep its employees due to the health care law’s mandates. These are the stories I think of when I show up to work every day ready to fight for West Virginia.

WVE: If you had to choose, what would be the one thing you would want to be remembered for this term?

SMC: Ushering in a new era of cooperation and bipartisanship in both Washington, D.C. and West Virginia. For too long, Washington has been stuck in gridlock and bipartisan debate has been devalued. I plan to be someone who gets the job done and is willing to reach across the aisle to deliver real results for West Virginia, such as infrastructure improvements and increased access to broadband and highways.

WVE: As this new chapter of leadership begins, what hope do you have for our nation and specifically for West Virginia?

SMC: Voters sent a message loud and clear on Election Day that they were tired of politics as usual. West Virginians want an optimistic and confident future for themselves and their families. West Virginians want to get our country, and our state, back on the right track toward more jobs, a thriving economy and a brighter future. West Virginia is first on my mind every day, and I promise I will fight every day to make sure the voices of West Virginians are heard.