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WHEELING -- U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito pledged her support for those affected by extreme flooding this week in West Virginia and said she would provide any needed help in obtaining federal assistance once damage is assessed.
Capito, R-West Virginia, spoke with state reporters via teleconference Thursday and reported it was a beautiful day in Washington, D.C.
"But it was certainly not a beautiful day in Buckhannon, Weston, and Lewis and Upshur counties on Tuesday with a devastating flood (happening there)," Capito said. "It flooded some areas where I don't remember ever seeing a flood there."
She took time to thank the first responders on the scene.
Capito reported there had been more than 83 water rescues during the emergency and that 300 members of the West Virginia National Guard were on the ground. Local law enforcement and emergency squads also were present, as well as drone operators and construction workers, she added.
"It's all hands on deck, and the response has been just phenomenal," she continued. "We're still waiting for the final decision as to whether we lost some people. This is very difficult for everybody.
"The water is going down, and I hope to get my eyes on it quite shortly."
Capito indicated she will continue monitoring the situation.
"Where I can be most helpful -- besides being supportive -- is when all the damage is assessed," she said. "I would encourage people to take pictures when they assess the damages. That's where -- with the emergency declaration -- where I may be of assistance with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and obtaining dollars in federal assistance if that is what is warranted.
"I look forward to helping individuals and cities and counties to be able to recoup (dollars spent on) the damage."
Prior to her remarks to state reporters Thursday, Capito joined Senate Republicans in successfully rejecting a motion to stop all military action in Iran. The vote failed 47-49, largely along political party lines.
A similar measure passed the House earlier Thursday with a vote of 214-208.
Capito was asked if it were time for Congress to declare war on Iran.
"I voted 'no.' The reason I voted 'no' is that the president, I believe, has the right and the authority to proceed as he has," she explained.
Since February, there have been cease-fires and lulls in the action "with no commitment to truth," she continued.
"I don't think we're there yet to tell the president that is how he should proceed," Capito said. "He has to come before Congress.... We need transparency. We need to be able to ask what the strategy is."
There is frustration in Congress about the issue, she admitted.
"It has morphed into a different type of conflict than what the president originally embarked on to eliminate the possibility of nuclear weapons," Capito explained. "But we have decimated the country in terms of its Navy and other things.
"We will continue to have votes, and they may change. But as of today, they have not."
Capito reported that Tuesday she spoke with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Cain and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins about a supplemental Pentagon budget bill to provide additional money for military operations.
"This is absolutely critical to me," she said. "It's over $80 billion, I believe, and $67 billion or so is for the military.
"I think it is incredibly important that we protect our military.... We want to make sure we are protecting our troops, that they are ready, trained and that they have the equipment and munitions they need to be successful. A strong national security, I've always believed, is critical to a strong country."
Congress is also looking to pass a supplemental appropriations bill to provide funding for federal agencies through December, according to Capito.
The federal government's fiscal year ends Sept. 30.
"We cannot, should not, and will not, if I have anything to say about it, have another government shutdown," Capito said. "Chuck Schumer and the Democrats shut the government down (last) October, and really devastated our economy at the same time.
"We are trying to avoid that scenario. We are trying to pass a continuing resolution that will fund us until December while we do negotiations. We're doing a lot here in Washington, and a lot of it impacts West Virginians every single day," she added.