Capito Speaks With WVWC Students
By GARY MALLONEE, Staff WriterArticle Photos
U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd District, spoke with West Virginia Wesleyan College students Thursday on various topics including the economy and how the financial crunch will affect those who are applying for student loans. And while she voted against a $700 billion bailout package to combat the credit crisis, she hopes the plan works.
Capito spent the afternoon in Upshur County talking with students, visiting the West Virginia Farm Bureau headquarters and presenting a check to the city of Buckhannon for a sewer project.
Capito spoke to students about college affordability and stressed the need to increase access to scholarships and grants for those who want to continue their education beyond high school.
"You need a person with integrity, one who is accessible and willing to listen, and is open-minded," Capito said. "It is an honor to serve in Congress, and I encourage each of you to vote."
Capito told the group West Virginia could be a potential power source for energy.
"We have plenty of coal in the state," the Congresswoman said. "We, as a country, need to become more independent."
When asked by The Inter-Mountain why she voted against the $700 billion bailout plan - approved and signed into law last week - Capito said, "I just didn't feel it was the right plan at the time." "The plan passed, and I truly hope it works. The plan could have a cascading and long-range effect."
When asked how the bailout plan would affect West Virginians in obtaining loans, the Congresswoman said, "I think the hope is, by freeing up credit markets, the flow of business can continue. If the markets are not up, then that means businesses can't buy new equipment. If they can't buy equipment or manufacture or whatever they do, then people start getting laid off. I believe the bailout or the rescue was intended to stabilize the economy, so jobs could grow and credit could be available, and the people of West Virginia could get credit on their own, and the housing market could settle."
Also Thursday, Capito presented a $100,000 check to the city of Buckhannon for an upgrade on the sanitary sewer along Jaw Bone Run. According to City Engineer Sam Ludlow, the current system was installed in 1961 and is in need of repair.
"This will help greatly in doing the work that is required," Ludlow said.
"The city of Buckhannon seems to be growing larger every time I come here," Capito said. "The stores along Main Street and the infrastructure along the four-lane have really developed."
