Dear West Virginian,

On Wednesday, Senate Republicans once again attempted to deliver targeted coronavirus relief to the American people. Unfortunately, Democrats once again blocked this effort. Had Wednesday’s motion passed, the Senate would have been able to move forward to consider legislation that would provide:

More enhanced unemployment benefits.

Over $100 billion to help schools open and operate safely.

Paycheck Protection Program funding to save workers’ jobs & America’s main street small businesses.

More testing.

More tracing.

More funding for a vaccine for the virus.
More funding to ensure everyone can get the vaccine.

What do Democrats oppose in this bill? Nothing. But they blocked it anyway so Speaker Pelosi can continue pretending to negotiate from her trillion-dollar wish list.

I’ve heard from West Virginians from all corners of our state, and it is clear to me that there is still a great need to provide relief. That’s why we’ve been working for months to provide relief for priorities like testing, health care, schools, unemployment benefits, and economic support. Republicans have offered legislation, we’ve tried to negotiate, we’ve tried to narrow discussions to some of the most urgent and bipartisan issues, and we’ve tried yet again to vote on targeted legislation.

Unfortunately, Democrats feel that providing no relief is better than some. I disagree. We need to come together to deliver this critical relief that so many West Virginians and Americans are relying on during this difficult time.

Senate Judiciary Committee Unanimously Approves Judge Barrett

On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved Judge Amy Coney Barrett out of committee. That means she’ll have a full vote on the Senate floor soon.

I consider three main questions when examining Supreme Court nominees.

First – is the nominee qualified?

Second – does the nominee have a track record of independence and fairness that befits a judge who will apply our Constitution and laws as written rather than make policy from the bench?
Third – do West Virginians I represent believe the nominee is well suited to decide cases that impact their fundamental rights?

I spoke more about this and why I’ll be voting to confirm Judge Barrett on the Senate floor. Click here or the image below to watch:

Democrats’ Court Packing Plan

Democrats began seriously discussing expanding the number of Supreme Court justices during the Democrats presidential primary campaign where a number of candidates said they were open to this idea.

This is a really dangerous and bad idea for several reasons. Expanding the number of justices on the Supreme Court would dramatically undercut the independence of the judiciary. Once this door is opened, respect for the Supreme Court as an independent arbiter of cases and controversies would fall away as it became another partisan branch of government.

This is why in March of 2019, I joined Marco Rubio and my Republican colleagues to push back on these efforts by introducing a constitutional amendment that would limit the Supreme Court to no more than nine Justices.

Since 1869, there have been nine Justices on the Supreme Court. Ratification of our amendment would stop the Democrats current desire to pack the court. It would also remove the temptation for either party to attempt to restructure the court in a partisan way in the future.

I spoke more about this during a press conference this week:

Another Capito Connect Success

Great news! The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded West Virginia another ReConnect grant to help provide gigabit level service over a 205-mile fiber network to residents in Barbour, Doddridge, and Randolph counties. As a result, the project will benefit approximately 6,054 people, 58 farms, 41 businesses, three fire stations, two schools, and two post offices.

I’ve continued to support ReConnect enthusiastically because USDA uniquely understands the difficulties associated with implementing broadband in rural areas and is better equipped to tackle those issues head-on. This is a major step forward in our efforts to better-connect West Virginia thanks in part to my Capito Connect Plan. It also demonstrates how the collaboration of local, state, and federal partners can lead to results that help West Virginia homes and businesses in need. Access and affordability of rural broadband has always been a priority of mine, and I’m grateful to see Secretary Perdue and the Trump administration prioritize this issue.

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.

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