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Floor Speech

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Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, I rise today to bring attention to the issues that Americans are facing at home--the problems that I see and hear from my constituents in West Virginia, and I am sure the Presiding Officer hears many of the same in your home State. I want to raise the question as to why the Senate is not bringing some of the solutions to the floor.

As you know, I am a lifelong West Virginian. I care deeply about and understand the concern of our residents and the difficulties that our families are facing. Our families, our veterans, our small business owners, our manufacturers, law enforcement, and communities--they are struggling--what they are struggling with.

I was initially inspired to get involved in public service when I saw these local issues arising, and many of those I have tried to help face in my own home community of Charleston, WV. Later on, as the passion in me sort of grew, I decided to seek a bigger platform in the House of Representatives and, now, here in this esteemed body, the U.S. Senate. As public servants, it is our responsibility to not only put forth but to take action on issues that Americans are facing. We can do that to improve the lives of those we serve.

But it seems to me and it pains me that so many of the legislative solutions that we have come to work to craft--some of which are bipartisan--collect dust on the majority leader's desk. In fact, that, to me, is very unacceptable.

Let's start with the issue that touches so many lives--the issue of addiction. Our country is in a deep and continued battle with an addiction crisis, something I raised multiple times on this Senate floor and something that I am committed to curbing and stopping. With the data available from the CDC--the latest report on drug overdose deaths--it is obvious that fentanyl, our clear and common enemy, is fueling the highest overdose rates we have seen for individuals between 25 and 44.

CDC provisional data released on May 17 also revealed that more than 100,000 Americans--100,000 Americans--died from drug overdoses in 2022, becoming the most deadly year on record. And some of those, I think-- some of us in the Chamber tonight might know one or two people or at least families who are affected.

My colleagues and I have introduced legislation that will further coordinate efforts to disrupt the distribution of fentanyl, to block efforts to ship illicit drugs into the United States, and to improve law enforcement training to crack down on drug trafficking tactics.

In a crisis this deadly and urgent, time is of the essence, and these bills deserve the time to be considered. Yet, despite these alarming statistics and the commonsense solutions that we have put forward, the majority leader has refused to take any of these bills up on the Senate floor.

Regarding law enforcement, over the weekend we had one of the saddest things happen in our State of West Virginia. A West Virginia State trooper was tragically killed in the line of duty.

Our hearts are broken with the loss of Sergeant Cory Maynard. He was only 37 years old. He had a wife and two children. It is a very tragic, tragic story.

Our brave law enforcement officers defend communities across our States from crime and work incredibly hard to help keep our cities and towns safe. They are the first to answer the call. They continuously-- continuously--show courage and heroism. There must be swift penalties in place for criminals who target our officers, and resources must be available to ensure their safety.

I joined several of my colleagues last month to introduce several pieces of legislation that support law enforcement officers and increase their safety. But I will say it again: The majority leader has yet to take up any of the legislation that we have offered.

Additionally, residents across my State and the entire country are still reeling with the elevated costs of all things--from housing, energy, food, and everyday essential items. And, as our economy continues to prove its weakness under President Biden, the hard-earned dollars of hard-working Americans do not stretch as far as they need to.

In May, the Institute for Supply Management's industrial PMI showed that our manufacturing sectors are shrinking. We hear all about that we have to make more here. Guess what. Our manufacturing sectors are shrinking. Extended pressure on manufacturing output and prices for goods has been caused by higher interest rates, increased cost of living, and complete economic uncertainty. And this further restricts our ability to make things in this country.

That is why I have introduced the American Investment in Manufacturing Act. It is a bill that would reinstate a much needed measure that allows industries affected by sustained high interest rates to grow, to increase jobs and wages, and to contribute to the U.S. economy. It is past time that this body stand with American manufacturing--our small business owners and the employers and employees that keep this great country running.

My colleagues and I continue to put forward solutions that invest in an ``all of the above'' energy plan: innovative ways to utilize everything from conventional, renewable, and nuclear energy sources to build back our energy independence; solutions that rein in government spending, that attack the true causes of fraud, waste, and abuse, that will saddle future generations with insurmountable debt; solutions that provide proper resources to our veterans, those who have served our country and put their life on the line for our freedom deserve our utmost respect and support.

What makes this all the more frustrating is that the Senate has proven our ability to legislate in a bipartisan way. We have done so on multiple fronts in recent memory on issues like infrastructure, American competitiveness, and just last week as we acted to raise the debt ceiling and avoid economic catastrophe.

There is no reason why this body should be hamstrung on addressing the biggest needs of our country and improving the lives of our residents in the areas where they need it the most.

I understand that floor time is a precious commodity, especially knowing that we have to take up action on several must-pass pieces of legislation. We have to pass 12 appropriations bills out of this body; we have to pass the farm bill; we have to pass FAA reauthorization; and perhaps, most significantly, a bill that under this Democratic leader has never gotten a fair amount of its time or consideration, the National Defense Authorization Act.

The American people want to see this place work for them. They want to see action on issues that impact them every single day. I encourage the majority leader to heed the concerns of our constituents and join in our efforts to provide the answers American families and communities are desperately looking for.

Until then, my Republican colleagues and I will continue to put forward the answers that the American people deserve.

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