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Capito: ‘I’m A Little Pessimistic’ Government Shutdown Can Be Avoided

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, dressed in a gray blazer, speaks to a group of women in the West Virginia Legislature.Will Price/West Virginia Legislative Photography
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West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito is usually an optimist.

But when it comes to the possibility of a government shutdown after Sept. 30, she’s not expecting a sudden turnaround.

“Maybe a rabbit will be pulled out of a hat next week, at the end of next week when this expires, but right now I’m a little pessimistic.” Capito said.

Republicans in the House of Representatives, where Capito once served, have failed to come to an agreement on how to fund the government.

Capito called a government shutdown destructive to the economy and a road to nowhere.

She noted that the Senate has passed the necessary spending bills in a bipartisan fashion.