Manchin, Capito Express Relief Over Deal To End Partial Government Shutdown | WCHS

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — West Virginia's two U.S. senators expressed relief Friday that a deal has been reached to end the partial government shutdown and fund government for the next three weeks.

“I’m glad the government is finally reopening,” Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said in a tweet. “This politically motivated and extremely hurtful shutdown has harmed millions of Americans and West Virginians. I look forward to working in a bipartisan way to fix our border security and immigration problems.”

The bill is a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded until Feb. 15. The bill would table the $5.7 billion for the construction of a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border for later discussion.

Speaking from the Senate floor after President Donald Trump’s announcement, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said she agreed with comments made by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska “describing the uselessness, the misery march of a government shutdown, particularly one that has lasted longer than any one that has occurred in the history of this country.”

Capito said she had many conversations with TSA agents, prison guards, Coast Guard members and others “who really had foisted on them, through no fault of their own, some difficult decisions and some sleepless nights I’m sure.”

“While you want to celebrate, it’s really little cause to celebrate, I really think it’s a breath of fresh air or a deep breath or sigh of relief or probably in the minds of the veterans that I was with at the Martinsburg Medical Center this morning, probably a deep breath and like, ‘Well, no kidding, let’s get back to the business of governing and making decisions and making good decisions for the country.”

Capito said she was pleased that leaders of the Senate have come together with a “common sense, breathable solution” to give members some space to work through the issues.

The Republican said she believes a comprehensive homeland security plan is vitally important, something which many Democrats also will support.

“While it sounds like a steep mountain, I embrace this. I embrace the ability to play a role, to find a reasonable solution that we’ve been granted to Feb. 15 to work this out.”

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