CHARLESTON – U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito’s (R-W.Va.) staff will hold mobile office hours at various locations in West Virginia throughout September and October in an effort to meet in person with the senator’s constituents.
“Mobile offices are an opportunity for constituents to meet one-on-one with a member of my staff, ask questions and voice concerns,” Capito told The West Virginia Record.
In addition to meeting with constituents, Capito said the mobile offices will give West Virginians an opportunity to receive assistance with casework and other issues they may be experiencing with federal agencies.
According to Capito’s website, her office may be able to help West Virginia constituents in communicating with federal agencies, requesting information or a status report on a case, requesting that an agency consider or reconsider a case, submitting an inquiry with a federal agency on the constituent’s behalf, applying for benefits, such as Social Security or Medicare, and obtaining basic information from a federal agency.
Capito’s office said it cannot force a federal agency to act in someone’s favor or expedite a case, provide legal advice or recommend an attorney, overturn or influence matters involving private businesses, intervene with state issues or intervene with judicial issues. The senator’s office cannot overturn or in any way influence a court’s decision.
The senator said the mobile offices are designed to give her staff an opportunity to do all that they can do for constituents.
“My top priority is serving the people of West Virginia to the best of my abilities,” Capito said.
The fall mobile office hours began on Sept. 6 in Wharton, and will wrap up in Winchester on Oct. 6, with mobile office hours scheduled in dozens of locations during that time period.
For the remainder of the fall schedule, Capito’s staff will hold mobile office hours in McDowell, Calhoun, Berkeley, Ritchie, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Preston, Hancock, Lincoln, Gilmer, Wayne, Barbour, Logan, Brooke, Jefferson, Mingo, Grant, Morgan, Harrison, Mason, Fayette, Hardy, Wirt, Wood, Putnam, Mineral, Tyler, Roane, Wyoming, Pendleton, Marion, Marshall and Hampshire counties, with two or more sessions scheduled in some of those counties.
The mobile office hours are held in venues such as senior centers, visitors’ bureaus, public libraries, city halls, county development authorities, courthouses, city buildings, health departments, economic development authorities, Salem International University, the Aurora Project and the Marlowe Ruritan Club.
“I encourage all West Virginians to find a nearby mobile office by visiting https://www.capito.senate.gov/mobile,” Capito said.
Although an appointment is not required to meet with a member of the senator’s staff during the mobile office hours sessions, it is recommended. All discussions between the staff and constituents at the office hours will be kept confidential, according to information on Capito’s website.
In addition to the mobile office hours, Capito has permanent office locations in Charleston, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Beckley and Washington, D.C. The senator is also available to meet with constituents in Washington, D.C., on any Wednesday when the Senate is in session, through a program called West Virginia Wednesdays.
Capito’s staff also held mobile office hours in the spring, as well as in past years.