Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has secured another powerful position on a crucial committee.

Capito announced Wednesday she is now the top Republican on the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.

That subcommittee oversees funding across a large range of programs within the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services (HHS), and other independent agencies.

Capito said she is “honored” to serve as Ranking Member, and it opens up opportunities to better address needs in the state.

“There is perhaps no other subcommittee that can have a more direct impact on West Virginia than this one,” she said. “It is my goal to ensure the funding we provide is used in the most efficient and effective manner, and that critical oversight is provided regarding the actions and activities of the Biden administration. I look forward to working with committee leadership and members in this new role, and I stand in support of Vice Chairman Collins’ (Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine) desire to advance legislation through the committee under regular order.”

Capito said her position allows her to focus on priorities in funding.

“Serving as the top Republican on this subcommittee enables me to continue my dedication on a range of priorities back in West Virginia, such as Alzheimer’s research, ending childhood cancer, fighting the addiction crisis, the wellbeing of our miners, or supporting the education and research missions of our schools and universities,” she said. “Regardless of the scope or challenges, I will approach this opportunity with the objective of ensuring the voices and priorities of West Virginia are heard and understood.”

In addition to her ranking member role, Capito will serve on the following Appropriations Subcommittees: Defense; Homeland Security; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. She will also continue to serve on four Senate committees, including Appropriations, Environment and Public Works, Commerce, Science and Transportation and Rules and Administration.

In December, Capito was elected by her Senate Republican colleagues to serve as the Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, the fifth most powerful leadership position in the Senate GOP.

“That is great news for the state…,” she said after being named to that position.

The Senate has five leadership positions, she said, with Sen. Mitch McConnell leading the minority party, along with a whip (Sen. John Thune of South Dakota), conference leader (Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming), policy leader (Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri) and conference vice chairman.

Capito had served on the broader Senate Republican leadership team for several years, but now has the responsibilities as Vice Chairman.

She said she asked her colleagues to give hear a chance “to communicate both on the national and state levels to present, I think, a bit of a different voice from rural America, a place I think is deeply Republican, but still has great roots in the Democratic Party…”

“For West Virginia, I think it gives us a nice feather in our cap to have that leadership voice at a very small table,” Capito said, adding that it has been “a very long time” since anyone from the state held such a leadership position.

The late Sen. Robert Bryd served as both minority and majority leader of Senate Democrats, with the last as majority leader from 1987 to 1989.

“I am very excited and humbled by the honor and I am ready to start in the new year,” Capito said.