Dear West Virginian,

I was saddened to learn that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away this past week. As a strong and fearless female leader and dedicated public servant, Justice Ginsburg served our country with honor and distinction. Her towering legacy will be remembered for generations to come.

When it comes to filling the vacancy, the Constitution authorizes the president to name a nominee, and it gives the Senate the power to approve or disapprove of that nomination. West Virginians and the American people expect us to exercise that responsibility.

I support the choice to move forward with the confirmation process and look forward to seeing who President Trump nominates. I will judge this nominee based on her merits—as West Virginians expect me to do.

Working from Home

Two weeks ago, I was informed I had been exposed to an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. Immediately upon learning this information, I went the Capitol Attending Physician who tested me for coronavirus.

While awaiting my results, I drove back home to West Virginia. Regardless of the result, the doctor recommended I quarantine for 14 days. I’m relieved to say that my coronavirus test was negative.

Thank you so much for all your calls, texts, and comments on social media while I was waiting for my test results. I was certainly lucky.

Questioning CDC and HHS Officials

A day after I began my quarantine, I virtually joined an Appropriations Subcommittee hearing where we were able to question Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officials about the administration’s COVID-19 response.

My questions focused on:

How universities affect the spread of coronavirus and suggested testing strategies for college campuses.
The affect quarantining has had on the virus and if/when those who have tested negative for COVID-19 before should get tested again.
Keeping our eye on the opioid battle. Sadly, overdose rates across the country are up during the pandemic.

Watch my full questioning by clicking here or on the image below:

Protecting Our Law Enforcement Officers

Right now, our country is having a necessary debate about the transparency and accountability of law enforcement. Sadly, that debate is being stifled by agitators who have been willing to use violence to make a political point, including through looting and rioting.

Just last week, two officers in California were shot in an unprovoked ambush-style shooting. To make matters worse, anti-police protesters were trying to block the entrance of the hospital emergency room yelling, “We hope they die.”

In Louisville, Kentucky, two police officers were shot following the news of the Breonna Taylor grand jury verdict.

Rhetoric about defunding the police has turned into targeted violence. During 2020 there have been 37 law enforcement officers killed in the U.S. This is an increase of over 20 percent during the same time last year.

That why I joined with my colleague Senator Thom Tillis to introduce the Protect and Serve Act, legislation that would create federal penalties for individuals who deliberately target local, state, or federal law enforcement officers with violence. The men and women who put their lives on the line every day in our communities need to know we have their backs.

Learn more about this bill: https://bit.ly/2FuYmW8

Academy Days

This week, I wrapped up a series of virtual Academy Day events that I hosted along with our three House Representatives. These events are an opportunity for high school students and their parents to learn more about the U.S. Service Academies and the rigorous application process.

Representatives and current students from the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy were all available to answer any questions student may have about the schools and day-to-day life.

Students who would like to learn more about the Academy process can visit my Academy Nominations webpage on my website here.

Be Vigilant for Scammers!

Unfortunately, there are bad actors that are using this health crisis to take advantage of unsuspecting residents, especially our senior citizens. Please note the IRS WILL NOT call you and ask for your bank account information to deposit your individual relief check.

Check out my coronavirus webpage for more information about scams and what I’m doing to try and mitigate them.

Additional COVID-19 Resources

I created a page on my website with information and resources to keep you up-to-date on the coronavirus situation as it continues to evolve. Check out that page here, and please share with friends so they can keep up with the latest.

In addition to my webpage, I also want to make sure you know where to get the latest updates from the medical experts at CDC.gov and West Virginia DHHR.

I will continue doing my best to keep you up to speed on what we are doing here at the federal level to help and other resources that can be useful back at home. I will be posting regular updates on my Facebook and Twitter accounts, so be sure to follow me there.

Important Information If You’re Visiting DC

Because of coronavirus concerns, all Capitol and White House tours have been suspended indefinitely. Please contact our Washington office to reschedule. Additionally, requests for flags flown over the Capitol may be delayed, and access to the Capitol and House and Senate office buildings is being restricted. Feel free to contact our office at (202) 224-6472 with any questions. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Counting on West Virginia

Have you taken your 2020 census yet? PLEASE DO!

Taking the census takes 10 minutes and could mean thousands of more federal dollars for West Virginia!

Do you part and take it here: https://my2020census.gov/

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been discussing the importance of taking the census, and I encourage you to do the same so you can spread the word to fellow West Virginians. Click here to read a column I wrote about this.

How Can We Help?

Whether you need help with a casework issue or have a question about scheduling a meeting at one of my offices, my staff and I are ready to assist you. Learn more about the services we offer at www.capito.senate.gov.

You can also submit your feedback and share your stories with me by visiting my “Share Your Stories” webpage here: www.capito.senate.gov/ShareYourStories.

Social Media Recap

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for regular updates and photos.

Sincerely,

Shelley Moore Capito

United States Senator