West Virginia is known on the national stage for the affable relationship and bipartisan teamwork of its U.S. senators. For years, Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin have been working together to help West Virginia overcome economic and social challenges by supporting strategic federal legislation.
Commonsense, bipartisan solutions to the problems facing our nation. It sounds simple.
However, if you turn on the television, open a social media app on your smartphone or pick up a newspaper, oftentimes what you will see from our nation’s leaders instead is argumentative, hateful rhetoric; name calling; and an adamant refusal to compromise.
In a political world rife with discord, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin stand out for their ability to reach across the aisle and work together to promote, support and defend legislation that benefits their home state of West Virginia. Both have dedicated much of their lives to public service and have a meaningful track record of fighting for the rights and needs of their fellow Mountaineers.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito
Capito was motivated to run for office from a young age as she watched her father, Arch Moore Jr., serve as a state legislator and governor of West Virginia.
“I saw firsthand what a difference just one person can make,” she recalls. “From infrastructure to education improvements championed by my father, to the educational and heritage preservation initiatives led by my mother, I grew up seeing the many lives they were able to positively influence. I wanted to do the same for my fellow West Virginians.”
Capito served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1997-2001 before running for Congress. In 2001, she became the first Republican woman elected to Congress from the state of West Virginia. She served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years before becoming West Virginia’s first female senator in 2014. After years of service, Capito continues to find joy in bringing real change to the lives of West Virginians and seeing the tangible impact of her work.
“Whether it is grant dollars for rural hospitals, increased broadband connectivity, lower taxes or new roads and bridges being built, it is rewarding to know the work being done here can, and often does, positively affect the people of my home state,” she says. “I am passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of West Virginians and lucky enough to be in a position to do that every day.”
Over the course of her career, Capito has traveled the state listening to West Virginians discuss what they need most and has taken those concerns to Washington.
“It is the honor of my life to represent the people of West Virginia in Congress,” she says. “Over the last 20 years, I have been able to increase funding for transportation projects, double West Virginians’ share of federal funding to combat opioid addiction and secure critical resources to help us deal with the health and economic challenges of COVID-19. I believe my voice is a powerful one to help the people of West Virginia, and I am grateful to represent them.”
“I believe my voice is a powerful one to help the people of West Virginia, and I am grateful to represent them.”
Senator Joe Manchin
Manchin was born and raised in the small coal mining town of Farmington, WV, where he learned the values that all West Virginians share—family, common sense, fairness and hard work. Manchin carried these values with him into each of his leadership roles, including his service in the West Virginia Legislature from 1982-1996, as West Virginia Secretary of State from 2001-2005, as governor of West Virginia from 2005-2010; and now in the U.S. Senate, a position he has held since 2010.
His reputation for working with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle has earned him praise and a reputation as a centrist, moderate, conservative Democrat.
“In the Senate, I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find commonsense, bipartisan solutions to the problems our nation faces. That is simultaneously my favorite thing and the most challenging thing about my role as West Virginia’s senior senator,” he says.
In his years of public service, Manchin is most proud of his work protecting health and pension benefits for West Virginia miners, the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), helping the New River Gorge receive its national park designation and the passage of Jessica’s Law, which helps ensure medical professionals understand a patient’s previous opioid use and consider that while determining appropriate care.
“Our positions on these important committees benefit West Virginia, and I’m proud to serve alongside Shelley as we work to improve the Mountain State.”
Joining Forces
According to Capito, the Senate’s recent gridlock—with both sides oftentimes unable to see past their political differences to address key issues—makes her job challenging.
“Working together with members from both sides and finding common ground and compromise when we can is what we can and should be doing to deliver results for the American people,” she says.
This is where Capito and Manchin shine a positive light on West Virginia. While the state has its fair share of issues, its people are known for banding together to get things done and taking care of each other in times of need, and its senators are living out those characteristics on the national stage.
“West Virginians expect us to work together and keep their best interests top of mind in the Senate,” says Capito. “I’m here to get things done and ensure working families in our great state are represented well. In order to do that, I often need to work with members from both parties, including Senator Manchin. I’ve known Joe Manchin for many years, and I think West Virginia
is lucky to have problems and issues attacked from both parties.”
One way they show their state allegiance is through their committee assignments. Capito is the ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Manchin is the chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and together they serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
“Working alongside my dear friend and colleague Senator Shelley Moore Capito to pass crucial bipartisan legislation that positively impacts each and every West Virginian is one of the highlights of this job,” Manchin says. “Our positions on these important committees benefit West Virginia, and I’m proud to serve alongside Shelley as we work to improve the Mountain State.”
This commitment, although certainly not new, has come to the forefront in recent years as the senators work together to support federal legislation and funding that will help West Virginia get back on its feet after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the state continues to face economic challenges, worker shortages and infrastructure needs, this cooperation is more important than ever.
Localizing Legislation
In March, Congress passed the $1.5 trillion Fiscal Year 2022 omnibus appropriations package, which set appropriations levels and allocations for the remainder of the year.
“The omnibus appropriations bill was a critical piece of legislation that funded vital government operations,” Capito says. “The agencies it funded and the work they do can foster economic growth in West Virginia through job training programs or investing in research and development at our universities or businesses. Among the congressionally directed spending items I requested are several economic development projects that I worked directly with localities on, and I am anxious to see them develop and grow. The omnibus bill helped with funds for these kinds of investments.”
In addition to standard funding, the bill included $15 billion in emergency COVID-19 resources and $486 million for the Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program. These supplemental funds are part of the reason both West Virginia senators voted in favor of the legislation.
Broadband deployment and increasing access to affordable, high-speed internet are among Capito’s top priorities, which also underscores her work on the IIJA, which was signed into law in November of 2021. Capito led the initial negotiations on the bill, which ultimately contributed to the final product.
“Broadband deployment was a key part of our bipartisan infrastructure law, and I fought to ensure West Virginia would receive a significant amount of funding, given the issues our communities and residents have with internet connection,” she says. “Once accurate maps are finalized, we will continue working with the West Virginia Department of Commerce, as well as our state leaders, to implement the proper safeguards that ensure the $100 million coming to West Virginia is well spent. It’s also important to note there will be additional formula-based funding disbursed, and the law specifies that unserved and underserved areas must be prioritized. That bodes well for rural states like West Virginia and will bring us closer to our goal of closing the digital divide.”
According to Capito, the IIJA made historic, needed investments in America’s core infrastructure and reflects Congress’ commitment to keeping Americans safe, improving global competitiveness and growing the economy. It also includes significant wins that will benefit the Mountain State.
“The impact of this legislation will be felt in West Virginia’s economy for decades to come,” she says.
Work on the infrastructure bill was a labor of love by both Capito and Manchin in an effort to address West Virginia’s desperate need for infrastructure investments. The Mountain State is set to receive nearly $6 billion to repair roads and bridges, shore up the electrical grid, build out broadband, increase access to public transportation, reclaim abandoned mine land, invest in energy-
related technologies and create long-term, good-paying jobs.
Coupled with additional funds the bill makes available through competitive federal grant programs and the support it grants the Appalachian Regional Commission, West Virginia is set to benefit greatly.
“Every single West Virginian will benefit from this bipartisan bill,” Manchin says.
The IIJA also includes historic funding levels for fixing thousands of bridges across the country under the Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection and Construction Program and the Bridge Investment Act. Under the Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection and Construction Program, West Virginia will receive $506 million over a five-year period.
The Bridge Investment Act is a $12.5 billion competitive grant program for bridge projects on the National Bridge Inventory. State and local governments can apply for this funding directly through the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is unique in that it allows for multiyear grant agreements; offers help with planning, feasibility analysis and revenue forecasting; and includes two types of construction grants for large projects over $100 million and bridge projects up to $100 million.
While the IIJA is a reflection of Capito and Manchin working together to pass legislation, at times, the senators’ teamwork is about jointly opposing legislation rather than championing it. Most recently, this has included the senators’ lack of support for President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act. Manchin has spoken openly with the public and with President Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, citing his concerns about pandemic surges, inflation, geopolitical uncertainty and the country’s ability to effectively respond to these crises while drastically raising the national debt and increasing its reliance on foreign supply chains.
“The record inflation West Virginians are experiencing right now under President Biden is the exact reason I did not support Build Back Better,” Capito says. “The trillions of dollars already pumped into the economy over the past year and a half contributed to the skyrocketing prices on everyday goods and services, and another $3 trillion would have both further burdened our children and grandchildren with mountains of debt and fuel inflation and also harmed hardworking families and small business owners here in West Virginia.”
In addition to helping secure funding, Capito and Manchin also work with state and local community leaders to ensure these federal funds are used correctly to support the growth and rebuilding of Mountain State communities. While legislation like the omnibus appropriations package and the IIJA have broad implications, grants and funding opportunities will be directed toward individual states and municipalities, which is what will ultimately help bring money to West Virginia for development.
This legislation doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the projects Capito and Manchin are spearheading and consulting on. From veterans affairs, substance use and transportation to drinking and wastewater safety, energy independence and election reform, West Virginia’s senators continue to fight for the businesses, organizations and people in the place they call home.
