Sally Roberts, left, and Britta Aguirra carry a cardboard coffin to the office of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. on Monday, July 14, 2025. The West Virginia Poor PeopleÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Campaign hosted the protest against the congressional budget bill.
The West Virginia Poor PeopleÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Campaign hosts a protest against the congressional budget bill in front the United Building on Virginia Street East, in downtown Charleston, on Monday, July 14, 2025. U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.
Britta Aguirra, left, and Sally Roberts walk a cardboard casket to the office of U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., on Monday, July 14, 2025. The West Virginia Poor PeopleÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Campaign hosted the protest against the Congressional Budget Bill.
Sally Roberts, left, and Britta Aguirra carry a cardboard coffin to the office of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. on Monday, July 14, 2025. The West Virginia Poor PeopleÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Campaign hosted the protest against the congressional budget bill.
The West Virginia Poor PeopleÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Campaign hosts a protest against the congressional budget bill in front the United Building on Virginia Street East, in downtown Charleston, on Monday, July 14, 2025. U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.
Britta Aguirra, left, and Sally Roberts walk a cardboard casket to the office of U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., on Monday, July 14, 2025. The West Virginia Poor PeopleÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Campaign hosted the protest against the Congressional Budget Bill.
On Monday afternoon, protesters delivered a cardboard casket to the office of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., inside the United Bank building on Virginia Street East in downtown Charleston. The protesters first gathered outside of CapitoÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s office to denounce the recently passed which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4.
Protestors claim cuts in the budget bill to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could impact West Virginians.
As reported in May by the , a nonpartisan health policy research group, approximately are enrolled in West Virginia Medicaid. In 2023, more than participated in SNAP, placing West Virginia third-highest in the nation for residents using emergency food assistance.
The protest was a collaborative effort between the and ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” a regional movement of a coalition of clergy, moral leaders and advocates.
The Moral Monday movement currently includes 11 states across the country:
Alabama
Florida
Georgia
Louisiana
Mississippi
North Carolina
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia
All the states participated in state-level protests. Many resulted in arrests, including the arrest of movement leader Bishop William J. Barber, who has been arrested on several occasions.
When asked by HD ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ for a statement on MondayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s protest, Capito on the passage of the bill.
In the statement, Capito said, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œthe legislation puts Medicaid back on a more fiscally stable trajectory for those who need it.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
On Monday, Capito also sent a statement similar to a statement release following a June 25 protest against the budget bill, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œEveryone should have the right to make their voices heard in a respectful and peaceful way,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ she said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe Big Beautiful bill, which is now law, focuses on the safety, security, and prosperity that the American people want and need. This comprehensive package reflects the priorities shared with President Trump ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” who West Virginians overwhelmingly supported in the recent election.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜People are going to dieÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™
About a half-dozen protesters delivered the casket to CapitoÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s office to symbolize the people they say might die because of the passage of the bill.
Capito was in Washington D.C. on Monday. After a request for a meeting at her office was denied, the protesters left about 10 minutes later without incident.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œMy heart is broken,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ said Art Lane, founding member of United West Virginia. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œPeople are going to die. People are going to go hungry. People are going to lose their health care. We should be bringing people up in America ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” especially here in West Virginia. You know, we have a low population, and they say 51,000 people are going to die each year because of this bill. Think about that. How many of them are going to be West Virginians?ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
During the June 25 protest, six people ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” including two members of the Charleston City Council ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” were arrested shortly after beginning a sit-in protest outside CapitoÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s office. Arrests included 89-year-old Rev. Jim Lewis who has been arrested at sit-ins ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œabout eight or nine times.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Archana Narasimhan, an activist at the June protest who left the building before the officers began the arrests, was also in attendance Monday.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWhatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s sad is that we have to say ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜thousandsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ in order to get somebodyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s attention,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Narasimhan said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYou should be concerned that even five people will die because of a policy that doesnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t need to happen. This is a great visual to explain what can happen.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
The West Virginia Poor People Campaign and United West Virginia plan to continue with the Moral Monday movement with protests in the coming weeks.
Faithlyn Graham is a news reporter. She can be reached at .
