Justice For Victims Of Trafficking Act Of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I rise today to deliver my maiden speech as a Senator from West Virginia. I am deeply humbled by the confidence placed in me by fellow West Virginians. To serve as West Virginia's first female Senator is a true honor and one that comes with great responsibility. I hope to serve as an example for that next generation of West Virginians, including my own grandchildren Celia and Charlie, and hopefully for many others. I find myself in a unique place in history, and I am grateful to and inspired by my own loving family, my husband Charlie and our three children, Charles, Moore, and Shelley, and their spouses.

For 14 years I have proudly served the people of West Virginia's Second Congressional District in the House of Representatives. I bring that experience to the Senate combined with a strong desire to make Washington work for West Virginia.

West Virginia has a time-honored history of exceptional Senators, including my predecessors, Senators Jay Rockefeller and Robert C. Byrd. I am appreciative of their efforts to better West Virginia during their more than 80 years of combined public service in this great body.

I am proud of our State's rich history, culture, and natural beauty. But it is our people that I hold dearest in my heart. West Virginians are strong and resilient. We are the embodiment of our State's history. Born of the Civil War, West Virginians fought for freedom in the face of great turmoil. As a result, President Abraham Lincoln signed the proclamation making West Virginia the 35th State admitted to the Union.

Today, our State's forceful motto, ``Mountaineers are always free,'' remains emblazoned in Latin on our State flag. We will never forget the principles on which our great State was founded. The Mountain State is home to unmatched scenery and natural resources that can power our Nation's economy. A State filled with small towns, Main Streets and tight knit communities, West Virginians come together to solve problems and help neighbors in need. I have often said that West Virginia is one big small town.

West Virginians expect the Senate to find pragmatic solutions to the momentous problems confronting our country. That is particularly true now during this period of divided government. There are clear differences among the American people, and these differences are certainly reflected in the Senate.

West Virginia is represented by both parties in the Senate, and I look forward to continuing to work with my friend Senator Joe Manchin in the months ahead, and I thank him for being here with me as a source of support today. Together, I hope we can reinstate respect for the institution, a place where deliberation and debate are valued and all voices are heard. We owe it to the American people to do better.

Throughout my time in Congress I have heard a clear and consistent message from West Virginians: Improve the economic opportunities for our State, stop the bickering, and fight for our jobs. As Leader McConnell has stated, to do this the Senate must work more, have an open amendment process--which we are going to be having here in the next several days--and take the tough votes. After all, that is why we are here.

Today I will outline how I plan to produce bipartisan, commonsense solutions in the Senate to make West Virginia communities stronger. This plan will create economic opportunities by bridging the gap and tackling America's infrastructure crisis, better connecting West Virginia and rural communities through increased broadband access, caring for our Nation's veterans, and ensuring a bright future for young West Virginians, and implementing a commonsense energy policy that utilizes our vast natural resources to provide affordable and reliable energy.

First, addressing our country's crumbling infrastructure is an area that can bridge the partisan divide and further economic growth. American communities need a strong Federal highway program and a full 6-year bill to meet the needs of our growing population, to ensure safety for travelers, and to offer opportunity for growth in areas that struggle economically.

West Virginians, like many across the Nation, rely heavily on roads, bridges, and highway transit to fuel our economy, to access hard to reach areas in our State, to get to and from work, and to transport necessary goods and services.

U.S. Route 35 will drastically improve safety for residents in Putnam and Mason Counties. Corridor H will unleash the economic potential of our State's eastern highlands. U.S. Route 340 will help address congestion in our eastern panhandle, and the Coalfields Expressway and the King Coal Highway can help isolated communities attract businesses and provide jobs. Point Pleasant's Charles Lanham, a well-respected gentleman, had a vision. With his friend Jack Fruth, they began a crusade for their community.

For many years Charles has worked to build the case for a 4-lane U.S. Route 35, a project that will provide a secure route to school for our children and serve as a regional transportation artery between Interstate 64 and the Great Lakes region. Charles understands the economic and safety benefits the road provides and has fought for them.

Working with Charles we have made significant progress on Route 35, but all of our States need certainty to invest in our transportation infrastructure. That certainty comes with a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill, which brings these projects to reality across the country. Working together we can and we must achieve this goal. Now is the time to move our transportation system forward.

Second, I am committed to expanding access to broadband in communities across West Virginia, and I will be a champion for connecting our State. High-speed Internet access is a pillar of our 21st century infrastructure and a gateway to growth in rural America. High-tech businesses can power our small communities. The world literally can be at your desktop. Unfortunately, for all the potential opportunities that broadband can offer to rural America, not having this important service can place an almost insurmountable barrier to economic development, and there are many areas in my State and the leader's State that still do not have adequate access. These areas are at risk of being left behind. In Capon Bridge, WV, a lack of broadband access is an obstacle to attracting jobs and economic development. Sadly, Capon Bridge is not unique in this regard.

Small communities across West Virginia and elsewhere in rural America lack fundamental infrastructure and lack access to vital opportunities as a result.

The answer for Capon Bridge is not a regulated Internet. Too much government control would be counterproductive, choking off private sector expansion projects and hindering new technologies. But we have to recognize that there is a role for government in helping broadband reach those hard-to-serve communities. We should leverage resources at all levels of government and encourage public-private partnerships to expand access to rural Americans. This is a necessary and achievable goal. It may sound like a small desire, but connectivity is essential to compete and thrive.

Health care access is critically important to West Virginians. We must continue to provide access to our veterans and to our children. West Virginians have a strong history of service to our Nation. These brave men and women have put themselves in harm's way to defend our freedoms. It is our solemn responsibility to care for them when they return home.

These American heroes deserve the best possible treatment and top-notch mental health services.

Access to care can be especially challenging for our veterans who live in rural communities. Many West Virginia veterans must travel significant distances to get to a VA hospital. In many cases, allowing veterans to receive treatment closer to home is more convenient for the patient and more efficient for the VA. While we have made strides to improve access for our veterans, the current program is not working as well as it should. More must be done.

Expanded access to private medical providers will help improve the quality of care we offer to our veterans. Our children in the Mountain State also deserve quality health care. If our children, the next generation of leaders, are going to realize their potential, they must have a healthy foundation. A solid education and good health are pillars for success of future generations. As a parent and grandparent, this is personal. We must work together to continue funding the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

I started my legislative career in the West Virginia House of Delegates where I served on the committee that first implemented the SCHIP program in our State. Today this program provides access to health care for tens of thousands of West Virginia's children. Maintaining this program is a priority I share with my predecessor, Senator Rockefeller, who was a tireless advocate for children's health insurance during his three decades of service in this body.

I am encouraged that Senators in both parties have recognized the importance of providing continued funding for the bipartisan SCHIP program.

Finally, and of critical importance to the State of West Virginia and the country, we need to work together to implement a commonsense energy policy. We need an affordable and reliable energy policy that utilizes our State's vast natural resources. We need a policy that grows the economy and creates new job opportunities. We need a policy that supports a strong middle class. We need a policy that ensures we continue to improve safety and our environment even as we expand energy production.

The administration's overreach has contributed to thousands of coal miners losing their jobs in West Virginia and our neighboring States, devastating--I can't overstate this enough--local communities and families.

Last year I met a recently laid off coal miner from Raleigh County. After losing his job, his church came together to prepare meals for other coal miners and their families while they searched for work. Neighbors helping neighbors--the West Virginia way. This is a stark reminder of the impact misguided Federal policies can have on the lives of real people.

Anti-coal policies impact more than miners and their families. In West Virginia the attack on coal mines reduces revenues for education programs, roads, and other public services. Higher utility prices caused by overregulation means fewer jobs in energy-intensive manufacturing. And sadly, lower income families and senior citizens who live on fixed incomes are disproportionately impacted by higher energy costs. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, I will lead the fight against excessive government regulation that has been devastating my State.

There are many areas of energy policy where we can find common ground. While the EPA's proposed greenhouse gas standards are misguided, we should continue to make the use of fossil fuel cleaner and more efficient. We must continue to support important research at Morgantown's National Energy Technology Lab and other labs that allows us to make environmental progress even as we continue to use our natural resources.

Natural gas is a large and growing part of West Virginia's economy. As a child of Marshall County, which is the heart of the Marcellus Shale development in West Virginia, I am delighted to see these communities come alive with opportunity. It is proof positive that an energy economy is a jobs economy. We need improved infrastructure in order to make full use of these gas reserves. We need new natural gas and oil pipelines that safely connect producing regions with manufacturers. We need new markets that can make use of these vital resources. We need a pro-exports policy that will benefit our country in multiple ways. The Nation will see more jobs and investment, more security, and a more independent future, and at the same time we can strengthen our relationships with important allies overseas by providing them with the energy they need.

These are just a few of the ideas I hope to refine and accomplish during my first term in the Senate. Notably, there are many other very important issues--such as national security, fiscal responsibility, a balanced budget, and replacement of the Affordable Care Act--on which I will be focusing. Our plate is full, and expectations are high, as they should be. We need to roll up our sleeves and deliver. I am optimistic that we can find solutions that move our country forward. There will be differences of opinion and philosophy along the way, but Americans expect us to bridge those gaps.

Senator Byrd, the longest serving Senator, said it best:

I love this Senate. I love it dearly. I love the Senate for its rules. I love the Senate for its precedence. I love the Senate for the difference that it can make in people's lives.

Fighting for West Virginians always has been and always will be my top priority. I am honored--I can't overstate that--to represent the great people of the Mountain State as we strive to create a strong and prosperous future. Now is the time for Washington to work for West Virginia, and I stand ready to do my part.

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