Shelley Moore Capito

In an October 2023 Senate floor speech after Hamas's attack, Capito said she fully supported Israel, affirmed its right to defend itself, and said Congress should provide military and other support to Israel.

On April 23, 2024, Capito voted to concur in the House amendment to H.R. 815. The motion passed the Senate 79-18; the measure was signed the next day as Public Law 118-50, whose first division was the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024.

In May 2024, Capito criticized the Biden administration's decision to withhold certain security assistance from Israel, arguing that the United States should continue supporting Israel during its war with Hamas.

On April 15, 2026, Capito voted against motions to discharge S.J. Res. 32 and S.J. Res. 138, which would have advanced resolutions blocking proposed military sales to Israel. Both motions failed.

In September 2025, Capito joined 48 Republican senators in urging Britain, France, and Germany to maintain UN snapback sanctions on Iran until Iran permanently dismantled its nuclear program and restored verifiable compliance with IAEA obligations.

In March 2026, after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, Capito said Iran had rejected opportunities to negotiate and abandon its nuclear ambitions, and she supported military action intended to address Iran's nuclear and ballistic-missile threats. On March 4, she voted against the motion to discharge S.J. Res. 104, a procedural vote that prevented the Iran war-powers resolution from advancing; the motion failed 47-53.

In March 2022, Capito joined 48 Republican senators in opposing a revived nuclear agreement that they said would weaken sanctions and impose only short-term limits on Iran's nuclear program. They said terrorism-related sanctions should remain unless Iran ended its support for terrorism.

In November 2023, Capito joined legislation led by Senator Steve Daines to redesignate the Iran-backed Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. She also signed a letter urging the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to seek a Security Council resolution recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization and imposing sanctions on it.

In December 2023, Capito asked the Treasury Department for information on the use of cryptocurrency by designated foreign terrorist organizations and on steps the department could take to disrupt illicit financing after the October 7 attack.

On October 18, 2023, Capito condemned Hamas's attack, described Israel's response as an exercise of its right to self-defense, and called for action to secure the release of American hostages held in Gaza.

In December 2023, Capito joined a bipartisan Senate resolution condemning Hamas's use of sexual and gender-based violence during the October 7 attack. She called the acts unjustifiable and said she supported Israel's effort to dismantle Hamas.

On the second anniversary of the attack in October 2025, Capito again condemned Hamas, called for the remaining hostages to be released, and said Hamas should lay down its arms and accept the peace proposal then under consideration.

Capito cosponsored S. 4091, the bipartisan Countering Antisemitism Act of 2024. The bill proposed a national coordinator and interagency task force, implementation of the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, and an annual threat assessment of antisemitic violent extremism. It was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and did not become law in the 118th Congress.

In November 2023, Capito joined 31 Republican senators in urging the Department of Education to address antisemitism in K-12 schools and use its authorities, including Title VI enforcement, to protect Jewish students from discrimination and harassment.

In May 2024, Capito condemned rising antisemitic violence and intimidation in the United States while speaking on the Senate floor about Israel and the war in Gaza.

In April 2024, Capito joined 26 Republican senators in urging the Justice and Education departments to take immediate action to protect Jewish students from harassment and intimidation during campus protests.

In July 2024, Capito was an original cosponsor of S. 4760, the Restoring Civility on Campus Act, led by Senator Bill Cassidy. The bill would have required expedited responses to certain Title VI complaints involving shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics and regular updates to complainants; it was introduced and referred to committee but did not become law in the 118th Congress.

In June 2025, Capito questioned Education Secretary Linda McMahon about campus antisemitism and asked how the department would ensure that Jewish students could study free from intimidation.

In October 2023, Capito joined a bipartisan group of senators in requesting additional funding for FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program after the October 7 attack. The program supports physical-security improvements for nonprofits, including synagogues and other houses of worship at high risk of terrorist attack.

In August 2022, Capito and Senator Joe Manchin announced West Virginia preparedness grants that included Nonprofit Security Grant Program awards of $300,000 to Jewish Studies Enrichment, Inc. and $150,000 to Temple Shalom. Capito said she had worked to keep FEMA preparedness grant programs sufficiently funded.

In 2017, Capito cosponsored S. 107, the Safeguard Israel Act, which would have prohibited U.S. contributions to the United Nations until the president certified that UN Security Council Resolution 2334 had been repealed. The bill was introduced and referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee but did not become law.

In November 2024, Capito joined 33 Republican senators in introducing S. 5303, the Stand with Israel Act, which would cut U.S. funding to UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict Israel's participation. The bill was introduced and referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and did not become law in the 118th Congress.

In August 2017, Capito traveled to Israel with Rabbi Victor Urecki of Charleston's B'nai Jacob Synagogue. The delegation met Israeli political, military, and business leaders.

In her October 2025 statement marking the second anniversary of October 7, Capito said she had met with families of hostages and pledged to continue standing with the Jewish people and Israel.