Friends,

Before I get started with my weekly recap, I wanted to share with you a new approach for my Weekly Video Message. This week, I answered questions from a few constituents who have called my office, sent letters, and reached out on social media. Three questions, three answers, straight from me. Click here or the image below to watch, and let me know what you think by commenting on my social media accounts.

Keep scrolling for more updates from this week, and don’t forget to share this newsletter with your friends and family!

Combatting the Drug Crisis

Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of the SUPPORT Act becoming law. To this day, this legislation is the single largest legislative package addressing a single drug crisis in the country. I played an instrumental role in helping shape this legislation—especially when it came to making sure I was able to secure provisions in the legislation that would help address this issue specifically in West Virginia. During a roundtable discussion this week with First Lady Melania Trump, I highlighted some of the many solutions that are working in our communities such as Quick Response Teams, Lily’s Place in Huntington, and State Opioid Response Grants. Click here to learn more about the provisions I introduced or led as a co-sponsored in the SUPPORT Act.

Senator Capito participates in a roundtable discussion hosted by First Lady Melania Trump on efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. 

Improving Water Infrastructure

Everyone deserves access to clean drinking water. As chairman of the Environment and Public Works Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee, I teamed up with my colleague, Senator Cardin from Maryland to introduce two bills that would support efforts to improve water infrastructure in our states.

The first bill, which is called, the Clean Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act will help expand federal resources available to water systems across the country to increase their resiliency or adaptability to increasing natural hazards. West Virginians known all too well how flooding can affect infrastructure. This bill will help our communities better prepare for the costs associated with these natural disasters. By improving the resiliency of our water infrastructure, we’re working not only to mitigate costs, but also prevent infrastructure emergencies in the future. Learn more about the bill here.

The second bill, known as the Assuring Quality Water Infrastructure Act of 2019 aims to improve infrastructure asset management on the part of small public water systems. Recent estimates of potable water loss rates due to leakage range from 20 to 30 percent in some areas, to close to 75 percent in others. This also means that these small water systems are losing money with every ounce of water wasted. By helping these systems identify and prevent leaks resulting from infrastructure failures, we can enhance the sustainability and resilience of water and wastewater infrastructure for our communities. Learn more about this bill here and click the image below to watch what I had to say about this bill at a committee hearing this week.

Ensuring a Fair Process

Right now, House Democrats are holding an impeachment investigation when they haven’t even voted to start an impeachment inquiry. So far, Speaker Pelosi has only held a press conference. That’s not right or fair.

During the impeachment investigations of President Nixon and President Clinton, the House adopted rules of procedure to provide due process rights and ensure fairness, and the House voted to formally start the investigations. This is not the case with President Trump today. During this impeachment investigation, President Trump is not being afforded basic due process rights that were provided during other presidential impeachment investigations, such as the right to have counsel present during hearings and depositions and the right to examine witnesses.

This is why I joined with South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham earlier this week to call on House Democrats to vote on the floor to open a formal inquiry before proceeding any further with its impeachment investigation and to provide President Trump the same due process protections that are afforded to every American.

Impeachment is a serious process, and it deserves to be treated as such. Read the resolution I’m sponsoring by clicking here.

Other Updates

In case you missed it, check out additional legislation I introduced this week, as well as grants announced that will help our state:

• Announced grants to combat homelessness and provide family services.
• Introduced the Growing American Innovation Now Act.
• Urged Senate Leadership to extend funding for Community Health Centers.
• Introduced bill to help prevent mass shootings.
• Introduced bill to improve education for deaf and blind students.
• Announced grant for economic development in West Virginia.
• Announced funding to support maternal and child health services.
• Introduced bill to expand eating disorder treatment access.

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. 

Calling All Students!

My internship applications for spring 2020 are officially open! If you want a hands-on experience in public service, check it out! Applications are due December 6. More details on my website here: https://bit.ly/1Tpe563

Social Media Recap

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

Sincerely,

 

Shelley Moore Capito
United States Senator