West Virginia Press Association
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On Oct. 22, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), traveled to Kanawha and Clay counties where she participated in two events focused on broadband, military readiness, and economic development.
First, Senator Capito delivered remarks at the 2024 West Virginia Broadband Summit in Charleston, W.Va. Senator Capito has long been a leader in expanding West Virginia broadband access through her Capito Connect plan.
“Broadband is key to a modern economy. It impacts students and schools, patients and hospitals, employers and businesses looking to expand, and many more,” Senator Capito said. “I’ve always said that connecting our state will require an all-hands-on-deck approach, with collaboration from the federal, state, and local levels, and that’s what we are accomplishing together at this summit.”
Later, Senator Capito, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense (SAC-D), traveled to Lizemores, W.Va. to tour the Civil-Military Innovation Institute’s (CMI2) Adaptive Experimentation Facility (AEF). The AEF in Clay County offers a challenging and combat-realistic facility for military units seeking a multi-domain environment for research and development of innovative military technology.
“It was great to meet with leaders at CMI2 and tour the progress they have made at their Adaptive Experimentation Facility, which has the potential to support innovation and readiness for our military. This facility will make our state a key destination for military experimentation and development, and I look forward to continue supporting them in their mission through my leadership on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense,” Senator Capito said.
“Senator Capito has had a significant role in making this one-of-a-kind technology experimentation facility in West Virginia become a reality,” said Dr. Zenovy Wowczuk, founder of CMI2. “Ultimately, this facility will benefit Soldiers, small businesses, and individuals developing national security and commercial technologies that will have a direct impact on our military readiness and protecting our domestic borders. The AEF will also be a major economic engine for Clay/Nicholas Counties and the entire State of West Virginia.”
Feature image: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) pictured with Mitch Carmichael, former West Virginia Secretary of Economic Development (center), and Kelly Workman, Director of the West Virginia Office of Broadband (right), at the 2024 West Virginia Broadband Summit in Charleston, W.Va. on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.