In The News

Gov. Patrick Morrisey and other West Virginia leaders praised President Donald Trump Thursday for approximately $700 million in federal investment in coal-fired power generation, including in West Virginia. Trump held a ceremony at the White House Thursday afternoon, attended by Morrisey and 2nd District Congressman Riley Moore, to announce he was using the Defense Production Act to repurpose up to $700 million in environmental funds for investments in energy infrastructure, improvements to... Read More

There was a time when West Virginia was the beating heart of the United States. The power that lit up our nation’s cities, the engine that powered the industrial might of the Midwest and the building blocks of the world’s most powerful navy defending our shores all began in West Virginia’s coal mines. Our state didn’t just participate in America’s success. We powered it. Today, many of those jobs are gone. Communities that once thrived on steady work now face economic uncertainty. Families are... Read More

What happened: The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee used a June 3 hearing featuring Federal Highway Administrator Sean McMaster to weigh in on surface transportation priorities and the need for reauthorization of these programs. McMaster shared updates on outstanding grant awards, efforts to boost work zone safety, and project delivery improvements, like more states taking on responsibility for the environmental review process. Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) also offered... Read More

Governor Patrick Morrisey and Senators Jim Justice (R-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), as well as the West Virginia Coal Association, all released statements about President Trump’s announcement that involved energy security and the coal industry. According to a press release from Governor Morrisey’s Office, on Thursday, June 4, 2026, President Trump announced that almost $700 million would go towards “strategic coal projects” due to the Defense Production Act (DPA), a 1950 statute that... Read More

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito provided an update Thursday on a number of issues being addressed on Capitol Hill, including reforming college athletics and funding for immigration enforcement efforts. Capito, R-W.Va., spoke with West Virginia reporters Thursday morning during a conference call prior to heading back to the floor of the U.S. Senate for a vote-a-rama on amendments to a $72 billion budget reconciliation package that will fund Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs... Read More

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito provided an update Thursday on a number of issues being addressed on Capitol Hill, including reforming college athletics and funding for immigration enforcement efforts. Capito, R-W.Va., spoke with West Virginia reporters Thursday morning during a conference call prior to heading back to the floor of the U.S. Senate for a “vote-a-rama” on amendments to a $72 billion budget reconciliation package that will fund Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs... Read More

Construction of the Five Rivers Building, which will feature new apartments and a commercial space, is set to start after a groundbreaking ceremony this week. Woodlands Development & Lending officially marked the start of construction on the Five Rivers Building with a groundbreaking ceremony held Monday, June 1. Located “in the heart of Parsons” on Main Street by the traffic light, the new building will provide eight “high-quality, affordable” housing apartments and one large commercial... Read More

In the early-morning hours, U.S. senators passed $70 billion legislation to fund immigration enforcement through the remainder of the Trump administration. The bill still must pass the House of Representatives before going to the president. The bill passed 52-47 along party lines, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joining Democrats in opposing it. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado, did not vote. Both of West Virginia’s senators, Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice, voted in favor of the... Read More

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced about $700 million in federal funding aimed at bolstering the U.S. coal industry, including support for a new coal-fired power plant in West Virginia. Speaking at a White House energy event, Trump said the initiative is designed to strengthen coal mining, coal-fired electricity generation and export infrastructure. The administration is invoking the Defense Production Act, a 1950 law that gives presidents broad authority over industries deemed... Read More

A bipartisan effort in Washington is looking to bring more structure to college athletics. Lawmakers are considering the Protect College Sports Act. It’s a proposal that would set national standards for issues like compensation, transfers and recruiting. Senator Shelley Moore Capito says the bill is a step toward bringing stability to a rapidly changing landscape in college sports. “Congress needs to come in and just set some parameters here. The protect college sports act is something I... Read More

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, participated in a hearing with Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Markwayne Mullin, to consider President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget request, as well as many priorities of the agency. HIGHLIGHTS: ON THE ACTIONS OF PROTESTORS IN NEW JERSEY: Senator Capito: “I want to make a point. When I look at the videos of what’s going on in New Jersey, I wonder the calculated measures... Read More

College sports are a mess. The House v. NCAA settlement cleared the way for college athletes to be paid for their labor, name, image and likeness. That was long overdue. However, the unintended consequences created a landscape of unlimited transfers, pay-for-play, unenforceable rules and a toothless NCAA. We are rapidly headed toward the untenable paradigm of mega conferences, have-and-have-not colleges, professional college players who are unrecognizable as student athletes and, in some... Read More

President Donald Trump’s effort increase America’s energy production is about to pay off for the Mountain State. The Department of Energy plans invest up to $350 million to increase the country’s production of coal-fired power, Trump announced Thursday at the White House. “Today, we’re taking historic action to bring down the price of energy and the cost of living for all Americans with the power of clean, beautiful coal,” Trump said in a news release. “As a result of the $700M investment that... Read More

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has been inducted into the Voices for National Service Hall of Fame in recognition of her support for AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs. The Hall of Fame is the highest honor presented by Voices for National Service. Capito received the award during the organization's 23rd Annual Friends of National Service Awards ceremony in Washington. April Elkins-Badtke, executive director of Conservation Legacy's Individual Stewards Individual Placements... Read More

Multiple sources, including the West Virginia Coal Association, confirm plans by the White House to use the National Defense Act to invest $700 Million in restoring coal as a power source for the nation. The plans include $185 Million in grants to support new coal generation projects. The plans include the construction of two new coal fired power plants in the United States, one of which would be located in West Virginia. Another $425 Million will be directed towards upgrading 13 existing coal... Read More

Former West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee and former Alabama football coach Nick Saban were key voices in a U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on the Protect College Sports Act, which aims to reshape governance and financial rules in college athletics. Gee testified in support of the legislation, while Saban criticized what he described as a “pay to play” model in modern college sports, where schools are increasingly tied to athlete compensation and... Read More

High Rocks Educational Corporation today expressed its deep gratitude to Senators Jim Justice and Shelley Moore Capito for including High Rocks in their FY27 workforce development and funding priorities through the first round of congressional earmark funding requests. The proposed earmark investment would support the High Rocks Rural Workforce Initiative, a statewide effort to expand paid internships, earn-and-learn opportunities, and registered apprenticeships that connect West Virginians to... Read More

E-Verify, considered one of the most efficient and effective tools for verifying employment eligibility, would be permanently reauthorized under legislation introduced recently by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). The Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026, S. 4620, which Sen. Capito cosponsored on May 21 alongside nine of her Republican colleagues, also would require the use of the E-Verify program by all employers in the United States. “E-Verify is a proven tool that helps businesses comply with... Read More

Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) traveled to Bluefield, W.Va. where she delivered remarks celebrating the opening ceremony of the 42nd Cole Chevy Mountain Festival, as well as the arrival of the Freedom 250 Truck Exhibit. The festival is a key community event for the region and will include the interactive traveling museum this year in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. “I was thrilled to visit the Freedom 250 Truck and celebrate the 42nd grand opening of the Cole... Read More