The United States Senate has a long tradition of granting special attention to each new Senator for his or her first major speech on the floor. Yesterday, in her maiden speech, Senator Shelley Moore Capito advanced a worthy agenda for this state and the nation.

“I have heard a clear and consistent message from West Virginians,” Capito said. The message: “Improve the economic opportunities for our state, stop the bickering and fight for our jobs.”

Citing Route 35, the Coalfields Expressway, and King Coal Highway, Capito called for a six-year plan to focus on the nation’s infrastructure and transportation systems — a move that would have the added benefit of providing much-needed jobs in struggling areas.

The senator also emphasized the need for better broadband access in West Virginia and other rural states, saying better connectivity is essential to helping remote communities keep up in the global economy.

And in doing so, she took a swipe at the Obama administration’s recent regulatory push for net neutrality. “Too much government control will be counterproductive, choking off private sector expansion projects and hindering new technologies,” she said.

Health care access, including better care for veterans and children, was another area highlighted by Capito. Her emphasis on access is an important one. Expanding private options and making sure people have health care providers close to home is as important as providing insurance.

Not surprisingly, energy rounded out the list of the new senator’s top priorities. Capito denounced what she called “misguided federal policies” on coal and vowed to push back against regulations that she says “have been devastating to my state.”

And on a positive note, she hailed the Marcellus shale development in the northern part of the state, calling it “proof positive that an energy economy is a jobs economy.”

Capito ended with a message for her fellow senators: “Our plate is full and expectations are high – as they should be. We need to roll up our sleeves and deliver.”

Woven throughout Capito’s speech was her deep love for West Virginia and its citizens. “I am proud of our state’s rich history, culture and natural beauty,” she said. “But it is our people that I hold dearest to my heart.”

Capito’s maiden speech was a credit to this state and to the Senate. Her tenure there is off to a solid start.