Charleston Leader

EASTERN PANHANDLE, W.Va. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) made stops across West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle to meet with local officials and receive updates on economic development efforts.

“From hearing directly from mayors in Harpers Ferry and Charles Town to viewing projects I’ve helped support through the Appropriations process, it is clear that there is so much to be excited about in the Eastern Panhandle. While I have been proud to play a role in helping support the growth happening here, I know we have more work to do. I look forward to taking the feedback I received and new information I learned back to Washington and continuing to deliver real solutions that help West Virginians,” Senator Capito said.

First, Senator Capito toured Summit Point Training Facility in Summit Point, W.Va. This facility provides training and collaborates with more than a dozen federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the West Virginia National Guard. The facility also employs nearly 200 West Virginians and is the fourth largest government contractor in West Virginia. Senator Capito has long been a supporter of Summit Point, having visited several times and advocated with various federal agency heads to use the facility for their training purposes. Her visit yesterday was to see the progress they have made in those efforts.

Second, Senator Capito traveled to Charles Town, W.Va., to meet with Mayor Bob Trainor and receive an update on economic development efforts and visit ongoing projects in the area that she helped secure funding for through the Appropriations process.

“The City of Charles Town extends its sincere appreciation for Senator Shelley Moore Capito’s dedication to the improvement of our community. Over her years as a champion for Charles Town, she has helped secure over $5 million in federal funding for projects including some she visited this week, including the Augustine Trail, the Liberty Street storm water flooding mitigation project, the Revive Commercial Grant program for downtown revitalization, and the restoration of Happy Retreat. We also want to thank her for her efforts to secure funding to memorialize three African-American cemeteries,” Bob Trainor, Charles Town Mayor, said.

Third, Senator Capito made a stop in Ranson, W.Va., to visit the Jefferson County Emergency Services Agency Headquarters. Senator Capito, as Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), secured a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) award for the facility in the committee-approved Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations bill that awaits a full vote on the Senate floor.

Fourth, Senator Capito traveled to Harper’s Ferry, W.Va., to meet with Mayor Gregory Vaughn and receive an update on economic development and infrastructure projects, including the town’s water distribution project. Senator Capito secured a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) award to rehabilitate the town’s water system in the committee-approved FY25 Senate Appropriations bill.

“We are grateful for the Senator taking time from her busy schedule to include Harpers Ferry as part of her itinerary. She reconfirmed her commitment, interest, and support for Harpers Ferry. Our discussions focused on our compromised water distribution system, our degraded infrastructure, and rail safety through our Town. The Senator expressed an acute awareness of the impact that tourism has on our small Town but stressed the critical importance of Harpers Ferry’s historic messaging for West Virginia tourism. A center point of our discussions also included some possible avenues for funding relief. We certainly look forward to further discussion with the Senator and her pro-active staff,” Gregory Vaughn, Harpers Ferry Mayor said.

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