Summary
If, as expected, GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capito wins a second term in 2020, she’ll be the first Republican to be reelected to the Senate from West Virginia in the direct-election era.
We rate the race for U.S. Senate in West Virginia as Solid Republican.
Politico 4/19/20
OnAir Post: West Virginia – US Senate 2020 Election
News
Shelley Moore Capito
Current Position: US Senator since 2015
Affiliation: Republican
Candidate: 2020 US Senator
Shelley believes that today’s challenges demand bipartisan solutions and cooperation across the aisle to advance legislation that benefits West Virginia and the country as a whole.
Shelley serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee; the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee; and the Rules and Administration Committee. This committee portfolio puts her in a strong position to create new opportunities in the Mountain State and fight for West Virginia coal, jobs, and families.
For more information, see this Shelley Moore Capito post.
Paula Jean Swearengin
Current Position: Activist
Affiliation: Democrat
Candidate: 2020 US Senator
A coal miner’s daughter and granddaughter, Paula Jean Swearengin has been fighting for a better West Virginia and our West Virginia values for decades. In 2018, she took on an entrenched incumbent U.S. Senator in a Democratic Primary and received the highest number of primary votes against an incumbent U.S. Senator in West Virginia in 75 years.
Now that Paula Jean has won the primary to become the Democratic nominee, she will be taking on Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito to restore economic opportunity for our entire Appalachian community, make Medicare for All a reality and bring our progressive values to the U.S. Senate.
For more information, see this Paula Jean Swearengin post.
Issues
Governance
Shelley Moore Capito
N/A
Paula Jean Swearengin
We unite behind workers. No matter what we unite behind the principles that will strengthen our democracy, and protect the vulnerable.
Labor Rights are Human Rights
“UNITE OUR FIGHT” HAS BECOME A RALLYING CRY FOR THE PAULA JEAN SWEARENGIN CAMPAIGN, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
IT MEANS THAT NO MATTER WHAT, WE UNITE BEHIND WORKERS. NO MATTER WHAT, WE UNITE BEHIND FAMILIES. NO MATTER WHAT WE UNITE BEHIND THE PRINCIPLES THAT WILL STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY, AND PROTECT THE VULNERABLE.
SUPPORTING INDUSTRY MEANS SUPPORTING WORKERS. THAT’S WHY WE SUPPORT FEDERAL PROTECTIONS FOR UNIONS AND DEMAND A LIVING WAGE FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS WORKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE ALL DESERVE GOOD-PAYING JOBS, THAT’S WHY OUR CAMPAIGN SUPPORTS A FEDERAL JOBS GUARANTEE, WORKER RIGHTS EXPANSION AND ENDING STIFLING RIGHT TO WORK LEGISLATION.
- Ending Right to Work
- Expanding Worker’s Rights
- Strengthening Unions
- Federal Jobs Guarantee
Economy
Shelley Moore Capito
Economic Development
Supporting West Virginia’s Small Businesses
In West Virginia, 95 percent of our businesses are small businesses. These companies are truly the backbone of the state’s local economy, and they employ half of our private-sector workforce.
Senator Capito has championed small businesses as the creators of American jobs. She understands American-made goods and services stimulate our economy and encourage further job growth throughout West Virginia. That’s why Senator Capito has always advocated for a low-tax, pro-growth economic policy to encourage small business employment and expansion. She will continue to support policies that will spur entrepreneurship, growth and American innovation.
Since Senator Capito has been in the Senate, West Virginia has experienced significant economic growth. The state is attracting new businesses, creating an environment for existing ones to expand, and West Virginia’s unemployment rates have decreased overall.
Improvement in the state can be attributed to many things, such as, the reforming of our outdated tax code and rolling back burdensome regulations, as well as other pro-growth measures. All of these—and others—have proven to be a winning combination for workers, small businesses, and economic growth, and they have encouraged an environment that’s putting West Virginia on a path to a brighter future.
Tax Reform and Opportunity Zones
Senator Capito co-sponsored the tax reform bill, which President Trump signed into law in 2017. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act includes many provisions that are good for West Virginia businesses, communities, and families. One of these measures known as, Opportunity Zones, will help spur growth in economically distressed areas. Senator Capito was an early supporter of this measure and believes it can be a game change in communities throughout the state.
Under the provision, investors can defer capital gains taxes by investing in “Opportunity Funds.” These funds in turn must invest in distressed census tracts that are designated by governors in each state as “Opportunity Zones.” These investments will provide capital to help grow new businesses and create jobs in the parts of our country that need them the most. Twenty-nine West Virginia counties have one or more Opportunity Zones. These communities are primed for investment from local, regional, and national investors seeking to invest in economic revitalization projects. Opportunity Zones are also prioritized for over one hundred federal grant and loan programs ranging from funding for small businesses and entrepreneurs to community development to the continued recovery from the opioid epidemic.
Driving Funding to West Virginia to Support Economic Growth
As West Virginia looks to grow economically, Senator Capito believes a key partner will continue to be the Economic Development Administration (EDA). This federal agency makes targeted investments in local communities and partners with leaders on the ground. Before Senator Capito was elected to the United States Senate, the EDA did not play an active role in West Virginia. Before Senator Capito came to the Senate, in 2013 and 2014, the state received a total of $200,000 from EDA outside of normal planning grants. This funding was also only used for technical assistance.
After only two months into the job as U.S. Senator, Senator Capito called a meeting with the then-head of EDA to discuss investments in West Virginia, and encourage them to take a hard look at increasing its presence in the state.
See post for more info.
Paula Jean Swearengin
West Virginia can no longer sustain a monolithic economy built on one industry. We must expand opportunities for growth and development. Our workers and their families should never have to move out of the state to find good-paying and stable employment.
New Infrastructure for New Industry
IT’S TIME TO INVEST IN OURSELVES AND WE CAN DO THIS BY UPGRADING AND MODERNIZING OUR CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE. WE MUST MAKE OUR STATE MORE APPEALING TO INDUSTRY NATIONWIDE WHILE ALSO INVESTING IN HOME-GROWN INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS.
TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING MODERN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EVERY DAY. TO SEED INDUSTRY WE MUST MAKE FEDERAL AND STATEWIDE INVESTMENTS IN BROADBAND, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INTERNET TO HELP BRING ACCESS TO EVERY CORNER OF OUR STATE.
- Broadband Access for Every Resident
- Competitive Telecom Industry
- Safe Roads & Bridges
Ensure Just Transition
THE VERY SERIOUS QUESTION THAT FACES WEST VIRGINIA TODAY IS: WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WHEN THE COAL IS GONE? NO POLITICIAN, AND NO INDUSTRY LEADER HAS BEEN ABLE TO GIVE US A CLEAR ANSWER. RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO PLAN B. PAULA JEAN UNDERSTANDS THAT WE MUST TRANSITION FROM COAL. PAULA JEAN WILL FIGHT TO BRING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THESE AGE-OLD PROBLEMS.
WE CAN LEARN FROM SUCCESSES WE SEE IN OTHER STATES. IN OHIO, THEY’VE GROWN A CLEAN ENERGY MARKET THAT’S HELPED CREATE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS. KENTUCKY HAS FOSTERED A BURGEONING HEMP AND MARIJUANA INDUSTRY, BOTH OF WHICH WILL RESULT IN MASSIVE REVENUE FOR THE STATE AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS CITIZENS.
- Just Transition
- Invite a Clean Energy Market
- Prioritize Agriculture Innovation
Support Workers
SUPPORTING INDUSTRY ALSO MEANS SUPPORTING WORKERS. THAT’S WHY WE SUPPORT FEDERAL PROTECTIONS FOR UNIONS AND DEMAND A LIVING WAGE FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS WORKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE ALL DESERVE GOOD-PAYING JOBS, THAT’S WHY OUR CAMPAIGN SUPPORTS A FEDERAL JOBS GUARANTEE, WORKER RIGHTS EXPANSION AND ENDING STIFLING RIGHT TO WORK LEGISLATION.
- Federal Jobs Guarantee
- End Right to Work
- Expand Worker’s Rights
Legalizing Cannabis
HEMP AND CANNABIS CAN ONCE AGAIN BE A CASH CROP FOR WEST VIRGINIA BUT IN ORDER TO SEE REAL SUCCESS WE MUST BOTH LEGALIZE CANNABIS ON A FEDERAL LEVEL AND LEGALIZE PRODUCTION WITHIN OUR STATE.
WEST VIRGINIA COULD SEE SIGNIFICANT REVENUE FROM THIS INDUSTRY – AND QUICKLY. WE NEED TO INVEST IN THIS INDUSTRY NOW, SO OUR STATE WILL BE ABLE TO LEAD THE CHARGE IN PRODUCTION – NOT GET LEFT BEHIND AGAIN.
- Prioritize Family Farms
- Expunge Cannabis Convictions
- Enact a Comprehensive Medical Program
Education
Shelley Moore Capito
Education
Senator Capito is committed to making sure that West Virginians have the opportunity to receive high-quality education from pre-school through college. She understands that education is a key to success and a vital part of maintaining strong communities and attracting employers to West Virginia.
As West Virginia’s first female United States Senator, she started the West Virginia Girls Rise Up! program. The purpose of the initiative is to empower young women through education, physical fitness, and self-confidence. Over the past several years, Senator Capito has met with students across the state and has also involved other female including Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson, FOX News Anchor Shannon Bream, and Huntington Fire Chief Jan Rader.
Senator Capito has fought to secure federal funding through Child Care and Development Block Grants that benefit organizations that are important to rural communities—like Head Start—and has co-sponsored and voted for legislation to continue the Secure Rural Schools program that provides critical resources for public education in counties with large amounts of federally owned land. Senator Capito introduced the Building Blocks of STEM Act, which increases funding for early childhood education and seeks to enhance the learning and teaching of STEM by addressing the immediate challenges that are facing PreK-12 STEM education. The bill was signed into law by President Trump in 2019.
Senator Capito is also a staunch advocate for the TRIO programs which are designed to ensure underserved students have equal access to a college education and the support they need to prepare for, succeed in, and graduate. Additionally, she helped pass the FUTURE Act that increases funding for historically black colleges and universities in West Virginia.
Senator Capito also understands the importance of trade schools and non-traditional educational paths. As an original co-sponsor of the Creating Quality Technical Educators Act, Senator Capito remains dedicated to fostering a proactive approach to recruit and train top notch technical educators – better preparing students with the skills they need to enter the work force after school.
To help graduates pay for their higher education, Senator Capito introduced the Employer Participation in Repayment Act This legislation would lay the groundwork for employers to assist their employees’ in repaying their student loan debt. Senator Capito is always looking for innovative ways to help companies retain talented workers, while giving recent graduates needed relief and stability when entering the work force.
Paula Jean Swearengin
Education and economic development go hand in hand. Our communities need great and well-paid teachers, doctors, scientists and entrepreneurs.
Stand With Teachers
IN 2018, PAULA JEAN STOOD ALONGSIDE TEACHERS ACROSS THE STATE WHO WERE DEMANDING BETTER PAY AND BENEFITS. SHE STANDS STRONG ON THE FACT THAT INVESTMENTS IN OUR TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURES
- Better Pay for Teachers
- Better Pay for School Personnel
- Invest In Our Children’s Futures
Tuition-free State College, Community College, & Trade Schools
TO CREATE THE EXPERTISE AND AVAILABILITY OF RELIABLE, WELL-PAYING JOBS MEANS TRAINING THE WORKFORCE OF WEST VIRGINIA. THAT’S WHY OUR CAMPAIGN SUPPORTS TUITION FREE STATE COLLEGES, COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND TRADE SCHOOLS. WEST VIRGINIANS BEGINNING THEIR CAREERS SHOULDN’T HAVE TO START WITH THE BURDEN OF MASSIVE DEBT.
AS THE WORLD EVOLVES TO BECOME MORE TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED, PAULA JEAN BELIEVES THAT WEST VIRGINIA CAN DO MORE THAN JUST KEEP PACE, WE CAN LEAD THE CHARGE.
Support Workers
AS A MOTHER OF FOUR, PAULA JEAN UNDERSTANDS THE BURDEN OF THE COST OF CHILDCARE. SHE SUPPORTS FEDERAL SUBSIDIES IN CHILDCARE, SO PARENTS NO LONGER HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE COST OF KEEPING A JOB AND PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE. SHE ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT WE MUST IMPROVE PRE-K AS WELL AS K-12 EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF OUR YOUTH AND HELP OUR CHILDREN GAIN AN EDUCATION THAT WILL HELP PREPARE THEM FOR A 21ST CENTURY WORKFORCE.
- Affordable Childcare
- More Pre-K & K-12 Opportunities
- Expand Education in Emerging Technologies
Environment
Shelley Moore Capito
Energy & the Environment
As a member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, Senator Capito is working every day at the intersection of energy, environment, and the economy. By effectively making use of our natural resources in West Virginia and across our nation, we can create and secure jobs, enhance our national security, and make America less reliant on foreign energy sources. Senator Capito believes in an all-of-the-above energy policy focused on reliably meeting consumer demand, creating quality jobs, and being responsible stewards of the environment through responsible regulation.
After working with President Trump to roll back several of the untenable regulations put forth during the Obama administration’s War on Coal, Senator Capito continues to support the West Virginia coal industry, particularly supporting investments in new markets for coal, including carbon manufacturing and extracting rare earth elements essential to our high tech and defense sectors.
West Virginia is also blessed with vast reserves of natural gas, being situated atop the Marcellus and Utica shales. Senator Capito is committed to seeing the buildout of the complete value chain for natural gas and petrochemical manufacturing in the state, particularly in the Northern Panhandle. Former Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry visited West Virginia at the senator’s request in 2017 to see firsthand the state’s viability as home to an Appalachian Storage Hub for natural gas liquids. Private sector and government studies predict the development of a regional market for natural gas liquids in Appalachia would generate billions of dollars in capital investment, create tens of thousands of jobs, and revitalize the region’s manufacturing and chemicals industries, with enough scale to meet growing domestic and international demand for these products.
Senator Capito is a leader in Congress on carbon capture technology development, working in a bipartisan fashion to enact the FUTURE Act — which expanded and improved the 45Q carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) tax credit — and crafting the USE IT Act to reduce regulatory barriers to deployment of CCUS technology, which is essential to meeting environmental goals while also preserving and creating jobs.
Once it was recognized that “forever chemicals” known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminated communities in West Virginia, Senator Capito aggressively pushed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate PFAS contaminant levels in drinking water and prevent future emissions of the chemicals, including introducing several pieces of bipartisan legislation. The EPA announced their plan to implement via regulation Senator Capito’s PFAS drinking water standard legislation in February 2020.
Senator Capito wants West Virginia to remain “wild and wonderful.” As a lover of the outdoors and an appropriator, Senator Capito has continually funded the Land and Wildlife Conservation Fund (LWCF). Additionally, she has advocated for permanent authorization of LWCF with a dedicated funding stream. Senator Capito also supports the Restore Our Parks Act, legislation that would address the National Park Service’s $12 billion maintenance backlog. Improving the quality of experiences on public lands while meeting conservation goals are key to growing West Virginia’s outdoor recreation and tourism economy, while preserving our natural beauty and sportsmen’s heritage for future generations.
Paula Jean Swearengin
N/A
Health Care
Shelley Moore Capito
Health Care
Located in the heart of Appalachia, West Virginia is a transportation hub of the Mid-Atlantic. West Virginians rely heavily on roads, bridges, and highways to fuel our economy, access hard to reach areas in our state, get to and from work and school, and transport necessary goods and services.
As a leader on the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, Senator Capito has worked extensively to better America’s federal roadways. Her roles on both the EPW and Appropriations Committees have allowed Senator Capito to look out for West Virginia roads, particularly Route 2 and Corridor H.
As chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee within EPW, Senator Capito served as one of the four chief negotiators of America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act, bipartisan legislation to rebuild and support America’s surface transportation system. She included provisions dedicating funding for bridges, which are often neglected in favor of large highways. Senator Capito also sponsored the Advancing Infrastructure Development (AID) in Appalachia Act, which would accelerate completion of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), which was first authorized more than 50 years ago to better integrate Appalachia with neighboring regions and support economic development.
Water and wastewater infrastructure is also critically important to West Virginia, particularly in the southern part of the state. Senator Capito has worked across the aisle to write legislation that helps address wastewater challenges faced by rural communities, such as the Decentralized Wastewater Grant Act. Senator Capito also sponsored the Innovative Water Workforce Development Act, which established a competitive grant program to help develop the next generation of water utility workers. As a leader on the EPW and Appropriations Committees, she will continue to advance proposals that provide West Virginians with safe, dependable water and wastewater services.
Paula Jean Swearengin
Healthcare is a human right, plain and simple.
Why Medicare for All?
PEOPLE SHOULDN’T HAVE TO RELY ON EMERGENCY ROOMS AS THEIR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS. NO FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN THEIR MORTGAGE OR HOUSING TO PAY FOR THEIR MONTHLY INSURANCE BILLS. AND, NO ONE SHOULD PUT OFF THEIR OWN CARE TO AVOID OUTRAGEOUS DEDUCTIBLES.
THIS IS WHY PAULA JEAN FULLY SUPPORTS MEDICARE FOR ALL. THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY IS ONE THAT CURRENTLY PROFITS OFF SUFFERING AND DESPERATION. IN THE LONG RUN MEDICARE FOR ALL COULD SAVE THE COUNTRY BILLIONS BY CUTTING OUT THE MIDDLE-MAN AND INVESTING IN TRUE PREVENTATIVE CARE.
PAULA JEAN SUPPORTS INVESTMENTS IN MORE LOCAL DOCTOR’S OFFICES AND HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT THE STATE SO INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF CARE WON’T HAVE TO CROSS FIVE COUNTIES TO REACH A HOSPITAL OR DOCTOR AND SHE SUPPORTS EXPANDING EDUCATION SO THAT MORE WEST VIRGINIANS WILL STAY IN THE STATE TO WORK AS NURSES, DOCTORS AND CARE PROVIDERS.
SHE ALSO SUPPORTS DECOUPLING HEALTH CARE WITH JOBS SO THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL CAN DECIDE THEIR OWN FUTURE WITHOUT BEING BURDENED WITH THE WEIGHT OF LOSING THEIR HEALTH CARE PLAN.
MEDICARE FOR ALL NOT ONLY MAKES MORAL SENSE, BUT ECONOMIC SENSE. HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER PEOPLE ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE. WEST VIRGINIANS DESERVE TO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW AND HAVE THE DIGNITY OF GREAT HEALTHCARE TO SUPPORT THEM.
- No Premiums, No Co-pays, No Deductibles
- No More Exploitation from the Insurance Industry
- Support Local Doctor’s Offices
- Decouple Healthcare from Jobs
- Prioritize Preventative Care
Infrastructure
Shelley Moore Capito
Transportation & Infrastructure
Located in the heart of Appalachia, West Virginia is a transportation hub of the Mid-Atlantic. West Virginians rely heavily on roads, bridges, and highways to fuel our economy, access hard to reach areas in our state, get to and from work and school, and transport necessary goods and services.
As a leader on the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, Senator Capito has worked extensively to better America’s federal roadways. Her roles on both the EPW and Appropriations Committees have allowed Senator Capito to look out for West Virginia roads, particularly Route 2 and Corridor H.
As chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee within EPW, Senator Capito served as one of the four chief negotiators of America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act, bipartisan legislation to rebuild and support America’s surface transportation system. She included provisions dedicating funding for bridges, which are often neglected in favor of large highways. Senator Capito also sponsored the Advancing Infrastructure Development (AID) in Appalachia Act, which would accelerate completion of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), which was first authorized more than 50 years ago to better integrate Appalachia with neighboring regions and support economic development.
Water and wastewater infrastructure is also critically important to West Virginia, particularly in the southern part of the state. Senator Capito has worked across the aisle to write legislation that helps address wastewater challenges faced by rural communities, such as the Decentralized Wastewater Grant Act. Senator Capito also sponsored the Innovative Water Workforce Development Act, which established a competitive grant program to help develop the next generation of water utility workers. As a leader on the EPW and Appropriations Committees, she will continue to advance proposals that provide West Virginians with safe, dependable water and wastewater services.
See post for more info.
Paula Jean Swearengin
West Virginia’s infrastructure has been overlooked for far too long. Paula Jean has said, “no one should have to beg for something as basic as a clean glass of water.”
Clean Water for Everyone
TOO MANY WEST VIRGINIANS FEAR THE WATER THEY ARE DRINKING OUT OF THE TAP. JUST THIS YEAR WE HAVE SEEN CRISIS AFTER CRISIS ACROSS THE STATE, FROM PADEN CITY TO FAYETTE COUNTY.
LIKE MANY OF YOU, PAULA JEAN GREW UP WITH ACID MINE DRAINAGE COMING OUT OF THE TAP. WE MUST PRIORITIZE CLEANING UP OUR WATER SYSTEMS SO NO MORE CHILDREN HAVE TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS.
- Modernize Sewage Systems Statewide
- Clean Contaminated Water Sources
Statewide Broadband
INDUSTRY IS RAPIDLY CHANGING. WEST VIRGINIA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH IS STIFLED BY A LACK OF ACCESS TO MODERN TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES. AND NOW, IN THE TIME OF COVID, OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURES ARE AT RISK BECAUSE OF LACK OF ACCESS. IF WE WANT TO GROW OUR ECONOMY AND ENSURE OUR CHILDREN HAVE THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE, WE MUST CALL FOR FEDERAL AND STATEWIDE INVESTMENTS IN BROADBAND AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS. NOW.
Safe Roads & Bridges
WE MUST TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO INVEST IN UPDATING AND MODERNIZING OUR ROADWAYS, BRIDGES AND WATER SYSTEMS. WITH LEGISLATION LIKE THE RECLAIM ACT, WE CAN INVEST FEDERAL DOLLARS TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITIES BACK, AND MAKE THEM THRIVE MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. OUR ROADWAYS ARE OUR LIFELINE TO HOSPITALS, FOOD SOURCING – EVEN JOBS FOR THOSE IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP THAT ACCESS BECAUSE OF UN-REPAIRED ROADS.
- RECLAIM Act
- Support the Transportation Industry
- Ensure Access to Basic Necessities
Maintained Waterways & Parks
WEST VIRGINIA IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN THE WORLD – SO BEAUTIFUL THAT TOURISM HAS BECOME A HUGE SOURCE OF REVENUE. WE MUST INVEST IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND GROW OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY BY KEEPING OUR WATERWAYS CLEAN AND MAINTAINING OUR BEAUTIFUL STATE AND NATIONAL PARKS, LIKE HARPER’S FERRY AND THE NEW RIVER GORGE.
Safety
Shelley Moore Capito
Fighting Drug Epidemic
For the past several years, West Virginia has had the highest number of opioid-related overdose deaths in the nation. This crisis has ravaged the state, destroying thousands of families.
Soon after joining the Senate, Senator Capito convened a successful drug prevention summit in Martinsburg, West Virginia to bring more national attention to this very serious problem. The takeaway was clear: there is a desperate need for substance abuse treatment facilities in the state. The lack of treatment options is not only a problem for those suffering from addiction. It impacts businesses seeking to hire new workers and help employees in need of treatment, and it hurts homeowners concerned with declining neighborhoods and home values
In addition to improving drug addiction treatment, Senator Capito understands the need to take steps aimed at cutting off the drug supply chain. She joined her colleagues in introducing the STOP Act to prevent the shipment of synthetic opioids – like fentanyl – into the United States through the international mail system and was proud to see it signed into law by President Trump in 2018.
Senator Capito’s chairmanship of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee also allows her to fund advanced technology at ports of entry that look for deadly drugs.
Senator Capito has also been an advocate for some of the youngest victims of the opioid epidemic. She introduced the CRIB Act to ensure care for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome in residential pediatric recovery centers – like Lily’s Place in Huntington, West Virginia – and the RISE from Trauma Act to increase resources for communities to support children who have experienced trauma.
Senator Capito played an influential role in crafting the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, the largest comprehensive addiction response legislation ever. West Virginia has served as ground zero for opioid recovery efforts. Programs and techniques—such as Quick Response Teams (QRTs), developed and proven to work in West Virginia—were used as a model for other parts of the country. President Trump signed the SUPPORT Act into law in 2019.
Paula Jean Swearengin
One of the most tragic developments in West Virginia has been the devastating effects of opioid addiction. For Paula Jean who has had friends and family caught in the cycle of addiction, she knows just how painful this disease is for everyone affected.
Long-term Recovery Solutions
IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT COMMUNITY-BASED, LONG-TERM RECOVERY SOLUTIONS ARE EFFECTIVE IN TREATING ADDICTION. THESE PROGRAMS WORK TO CREATE INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLANS AND NETWORKS OF SUPPORT SYSTEMS – A KEY FACTOR IN SUCCESS. WE NEED TO STOP TREATING PEOPLE WITH ADDICTION LIKE CRIMINALS AND START TREATING THIS ILLNESS.
- Community-based treatment
- Build Effective Support Systems
- Treat Addiction as a Disease, Not a Crime
Address Contributing Factors
ADDICTION IS A DISEASE OF DESPAIR. MANY FOLKS WHO STRUGGLE WITH ADDICTION ARE DEALING WITH OTHER ISSUES: POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS, PHYSICAL OR MENTAL ILLNESS, AND MORE. IN ORDER TO COMBAT THIS DISEASE, WE MUST ALSO WORK TO PREVENT IT. THAT MEANS INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW JOBS, ENSURING EVERYONE HAS HEALTHCARE, AND SUPPORTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
- Address Diseases of Despair
- Increase Economic Opportunity
- Enact Medicare for All
Hold Big Pharma Accountable
WE FIRMLY BELIEVES THAT WE MUST HOLD PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ROLE IN CREATING THIS NATIONAL CRISIS. THAT INCLUDES FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT PUSHES PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES TO FRONT A CHUNK OF THE BILL IN HELPING INDIVIDUALS ACQUIRE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY.
WHEN IT COMES TO COMBATTING THE ADDICTION CRISIS, ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS IN THE WAY IS SPECIAL INTERESTS. WE DESERVE POLITICIANS THAT DON’T OPEN THEIR POCKETS AND POCKETBOOKS TO ACCEPT CORPORATE CASH FROM INDUSTRIES THAT EXPLOIT OUR PEOPLE.
- Make Big Pharma Pay
- No More Bought Politicians
Veterans
Shelley Moore Capito
Veterans
As the daughter of a decorated World War II veteran, Senator Capito values the sacrifices made by those who honorably serve our nation. She is dedicated to ensuring that our servicemen and women, veterans, and their families are provided with the support and benefits they deserve. Throughout her time in Congress, Senator Capito has advocated for the reforms necessary to improve access and quality of care for veterans.
As the injuries from war change and a new generation of veterans re-enter civilian life, it is crucial that Congress work with the VA to provide all the resources necessary to ensure a smooth transition for our veterans. This includes continually modernizing efforts in job training and opportunities, mental health services, housing assistance and educational benefits.
Senator Capito has grave concerns about the lack of mental health services within the VA. While our veterans are provided with better technology and protection in the face of war, the traumatic effects can be detrimental for returning veterans and their families. Senator Capito was a proud cosponsor of The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, which established a pilot-program to recruit more mental health professionals to the VA, created a website with better access to resources and materials for assistance, and required a third party evaluation of the effectiveness of suicide prevention programs within the VA. Senator Capito believes that there is still more to be done to prevent veteran suicides and has consistently supported legislation to build upon Clay Hunt and ensure that veterans receive the proper support that they need.
Senator Capito successfully worked to include her legislation, the Andrew White Veterans Community Care Opioid Safety Act in to the VA MISSION Act, legislation that made some of the largest reforms to the VA health care system in history. This measure, which was named after West Virginian Andrew White, a Marine who was overprescribed a strong antipsychotic drug after returning home from Iraq and died tragically in his sleep at the age of 23, strengthens opioid therapy safety and pain care through VA community care programs. This legislation expands upon the Jason Simcakoski Memorial and Promise Act, which Senators Capito cosponsored, that strengthened the VA’s opioid prescribing guidelines, put in place stronger oversight and accountability, and provided safer and more effective pain management services for our nation’s veterans.
See post for more info.
Paula Jean Swearengin
N/A
