To watch Senator Capito’s questioning, click here or the image above.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, participated in a subcommittee hearing today on the FY2023 Funding Request for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

During the hearing, Senator Capito questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray about the role the agency is playing during the ongoing investigation following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Senator Capito also asked about the ongoing work being done to prevent domestic terrorism, and thanked FBI agents in West Virginia for their continued service to the state.

HIGHLIGHTS:

ON FBI’S ROLE IN INVESTIGATION OF TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING:

SENATOR CAPITO: “I'm curious to know, and I think the American public would like to know…I think I know the answer to this…the tragedy in Texas. What role does the FBI play in this? Or do you play a role in this?”

DIRECTOR WRAY: “So, we're in a support role. So Texas DPS, Texas State law enforcement agency, which is a terrific partner of ours and the Evalde Police Department – they have the lead. We're in a support role. Now our support takes all sorts of forms. So we have investigative resources, analytical resources, we have lab personnel doing evidence response. We have other kinds of forensic response. We have victims services professionals as I mentioned to the chair, who are helping the families of the victims. We have crisis management teams, behavioral analysis teams. So, we have a whole host of things down there but we while it's a formidable footprint and engine it is at the end of the day in support of our great state, local partners.”

SENATOR CAPITO: “Well thank you for that. And thank you for those agents that are working in that support. This is very difficult I'm sure for them as well.”

THANKING FBI AGENTS IN WEST VIRGINIA FOR ALL THEY DO: “I would just like to add…the local offices that I hear from, my Charleston, West Virginia, folks, I just want to thank them and you because they're very tied to us. I'm sure all of us have heard from our local offices in this time of sort of uneasiness. And I just really appreciate the efforts in which they go to include me and my family and others that might be in a precarious situation from time to time. So, please extend my great gratitude for that.”

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