WASHINGTON (WV News) — The U.S. House of Representatives finally has a new speaker, and the gears of the legislative branch will hopefully begin turning again soon.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., during her weekly briefing Thursday, said she’s looking forward to getting back to regular order so lawmakers can consider a number of important funding measures in the weeks ahead — including a significant appropriations package recently requested by President Joe Biden.

“Finally, the House of Representatives settled on a speaker yesterday. That’s welcome news from my perspective,” she said. “It’s time to get to work — well past time to get to work.”

House Republicans, including West Virginia Reps. Carol Miller and Alex Mooney, voted to elect Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana as speaker Wednesday after failing to coalesce behind numerous other candidates.

“I personally do not know Speaker Johnson,” Capito said. “But I will be getting to know him, I’m sure, in the future. Let’s get back to functioning, let’s get back to working, let’s get back to doing our jobs as we were elected to do.”

Last week, Capito said the lack of leadership in the House had left Congress “paralyzed” because the House was unable to consider legislation without a speaker in place.

Senate lawmakers are in the process of drafting a bill in response to Biden’s call for aid to Israel and Ukraine and funding to strengthen border security and enforcement, Capito said.

“The president sent down a supplemental [appropriations bill] for us to look at. We will be writing our own bill,” she said. “There are buckets in there [for] Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and border. There has to be something significant on the border.”

Capito, a staunch supporter of Israel and its war effort against Hamas, said the package must include consequential policy shifts on border enforcement.

“I will not vote for something that only at the border provides more processing agents so people can in quicker and get processed and come into the interior of the United States,” she said. “I will not vote for something that just throws money at a problem that needs to be deterred and curtailed.”

She wants the package to include “significant immigration reforms,” such as the resumption of the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy, faster processing of asylum claims and construction of additional physical barriers on the border, Capito said.

“Anything we can do at point of entry or even pre-point of entry that will stop the flow, that’s what I’m interested in,” she said.

According to a fact sheet released by the White House, funds requested in Biden’s proposal for border security would support:

An additional 1,300 border patrol agents to work alongside the 20,200 agents already funded in the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget.

Deployment of more than 100 cutting-edge inspection machines to help detect fentanyl at Southwest border ports of entry.

Additional 1,000 law enforcement personnel and investigative capabilities to prevent cartels from moving fentanyl into the country.

1,600 additional asylum officers to increase by 2.5 times the number of personnel who interview and adjudicate claims for asylum and facilitate timely decisions so those who are ineligible can be quickly removed and those with valid claims can have faster resolution.

375 new immigration judge teams, the largest incremental request ever, to adjudicate and process immigration cases more quickly and help reduce the caseload backlog.

Additional grants to local governments and nonprofits to support the provision of temporary food, shelter and other services for those recently released from Department of Homeland Security custody.

Critical border management activities, including additional temporary holding facilities and detention beds for fair and fast processing for recent arrivals.

Expansion of lawful pathways, including efforts to streamline the processing of eligible refugees and migrants through the Safe Mobility Offices Initiative.

Support for eligible arrivals, including services to successfully resettle in the United States and become self-sufficient.

Robust child labor investigations and enforcement, particularly to protect vulnerable migrant children entering the United States through the southern border.

Reimbursement to the Department of Defense for its support provided along the Southwest border in FY 2024.