Capito is the junior senator from West Virginia as a Republican. She has served since Jan 6, 2015. Capito is next up for reelection in 2020.
She was previously the representative for West Virginia’s 2nd congressional district as a Republican from 2001 to 2014.
![Photo of Sen. Shelley Capito [R-WV]](/static/legislator-photos/400061-200px.jpeg)
Analysis
Legislative Metrics
Read our 2018 Report Card for Capito.
Ideology–Leadership Chart
Capito is shown as a purple triangle ▲ in our ideology-leadership chart below. Each dot is a member of the Senate positioned according to our liberal–conservative ideology score (left to right) and our leadership score (leaders are toward the top).
The chart is based on the bills Capito has sponsored and cosponsored from Jan 6, 2015 to Feb 14, 2019. See full analysis methodology.
Ratings from Advocacy Organizations
Committee Membership
Shelley Capito sits on the following committees:
-
Senate Committee on Appropriations
- Chair, Subcommittee on Department of Homeland Security
- Member, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Member, Subcommittee on Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Member, Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
- Member, Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
- Member, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
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Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
- Chair, Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
-
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Member, Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
- Member, Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet
- Member, Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection
- Member, Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety
- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
Enacted Legislation
Capito was the primary sponsor of 4 bills that were enacted:
- S. 3389 (115th): A bill to redesignate a facility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
- S. 2872 (114th): NAS Healthy Babies Act
- H.R. 534 (112th): To designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 217 West King Street, Martinsburg, West Virginia, as the “W. Craig Broadwater Federal Building and United ...
- H.R. 3305 (108th): Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act of 2003
We consider a bill enacted if one of the following is true: a) it is enacted itself, b) it has a companion bill in the other chamber (as identified by Congress) which was enacted, or c) if at least about half of its provisions were incorporated into bills that were enacted (as determined by an automated text analysis, applicable beginning with bills in the 110th Congress).
Bills Sponsored
Issue Areas
Capito sponsors bills primarily in these issue areas:
Health (33%) Environmental Protection (20%) Taxation (15%) Public Lands and Natural Resources (9%) Sports and Recreation (7%) Finance and Financial Sector (7%) Energy (7%) Emergency Management (4%)
Recent Bills
Some of Capito’s most recently sponsored bills include...
- S. 384: A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of ...
- S. 94: Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act
- S. 3765: A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of ...
- S. 3534: New River Gorge National Park Designation Act
- S. 3389 (115th): A bill to redesignate a facility of the National Aeronautics and Space ...
- S. 3109: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2019
- S. 3009: Regulatory Certainty Act of 2018
Voting Record
Key Votes
| Capito’s Vote | Vote Description |
|---|---|
| Yea |
H.J.Res. 31: Making further continuing appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2019, and for other purposes.
Feb 14, 2019. Conference Report Agreed to 83/16.
This bill, in its final form, funded the parts of the federal government whose funding was to lapse on February 15, 2019. On December 22, 2018 the 115th Congress was unable to reach a deal to fund some federal agencies through fiscal year 2019 after ... |
| Yea |
H.R. 1892: Further Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018; Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018, the SUSTAIN Care Act of 2018; Family First Prevention Services Act.; Honoring Hometown ...
Feb 9, 2018. Motion Agreed to 71/28.
This bill became the vehicle for passage of funding for the federal government through March 23, 2018, to avert a government shutdown that would have occurred on February 9, 2018 had this bill not been enacted. The bill was introduced as the Honoring Hometown Heroes ... |
| Yea |
H.J.Res. 43: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the final rule submitted by Secretary of Health and Human Services relating ...
Mar 30, 2017. Joint Resolution Passed 51/50.
Joe Biden never got the opportunity to break a single 50-50 Senate tie in eight years as vice president. Mike Pence has already broken two. One from last month has since become law: a measure allowing states to withhold federal Planned Parenthood funding. (The other ... |
| Aye |
H.J.Res. 124 (113th): Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015
Sep 17, 2014. Passed 319/108.
|
| Nay |
H.R. 6190 (112th): Asthma Inhalers Relief Act of 2012
Dec 12, 2012. Failed 229/182.
|
| Aye |
H.R. 1249 (112th): Leahy-Smith America Invents Act
Jun 23, 2011. Passed 304/117.
The Leahy–Smith America Invents Act (AIA) is a United States federal statute that was passed by Congress and was signed into law by President Barack Obama on September 16, 2011. The law represents the most significant legislative change to the U.S. patent system since the ... |
| Yea |
H.R. 31 (111th): Lumbee Recognition Act
Jun 3, 2009. Passed 240/179.
|
| Yea |
H.R. 6707 (110th): Taking Responsible Action for Community Safety Act
Sep 27, 2008. Failed 243/175.
|
Missed Votes
From Jan 2015 to Feb 2019, Capito missed 10 of 1,127 roll call votes, which is 0.9%. This is better than the median of 1.3% among the lifetime records of senators currently serving. The chart below reports missed votes over time.
Primary Sources
The information on this page is originally sourced from a variety of materials, including:
- @unitedstates/congress-legislators, a community project gathering congressional information
- The House and Senate websites, for committee membership and voting records
- GPO Member Guide for the photo
- GovInfo.gov, for sponsored bills
