Charleston Leader

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) recently participated in a groundbreaking ceremony at Marshall University's Institute for Cyber Security and the Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network’s (JFHQ-DODIN) National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure (NCOE). The NCOE will be located within the institute.

Capito was accompanied by leaders from Marshall University, JFHQ-DODIN, West Virginia University (WVU), as well as state and local officials and industry representatives. During the ceremony, she spoke about her efforts to bring this project to fruition.

"When I first came to the U.S. Senate, I met with leaders at Marshall University to discuss areas that their institution could focus on, and cyber security was an area of great interest," said Senator Capito. "For years, I have worked as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee to direct resources towards Marshall to help this emphasis grow, and that has led to the dedication we celebrated today."

She further noted that the Institute for Cyber Security and National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure would strengthen the nation's cyber security workforce and position West Virginia as a hub for protecting critical national assets.

The establishment of Marshall’s Institute for Cyber Security is a testament to Senator Capito’s advocacy. She has consistently pushed for both the institute and JFHQ-DODIN’s NCOE while working with university leadership and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

In October 2021, Senator Capito visited Marshall University for the launch of its new Institute for Cyber Security. By May 2023, she applauded the establishment of a National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure in West Virginia.

As a leader on the Appropriations Committee—including serving as former Chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee and now a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee—Senator Capito has championed funding for these projects.

In March 2022, she secured $1.5 million for technology and equipment for Marshall’s Institute for Cyber Security. By June 2023, she had secured an additional $1 million to support research and education in cyber security at Marshall University. For the JFHQ-DODIN’s NCOE specifically, Senator Capito secured $5 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, and $14 million in FY24 through appropriations legislation.