In the News
Elkins AmeriCorps Program To Receive Over $750,000 In Funding | WDTV
by Staff Writers
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WDTV) -- U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito announced Monday that $4.2 million will be going to four AmeriCorps programs in the state, including one in Elkins. According to a joint press release, $1,116,925 will go to United Way of Central West Virginia in Charleston, $769,745 will go to High Rocks Education Corporation in Hillsboro, $755,800 will go to the Appalachian Forest Heritage Area in Elkins, and $274,864 will go to the Grow Ohio Valley in … Continue Reading
April 09, 2019
Bipartisan Bill Calls For Mandatory LWCF Funding | E&E News
by Kellie Lunney
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) will introduce today bipartisan legislation to provide permanent, full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, his office confirmed last night. The "Land and Water Conservation Fund Permanent Funding Act" would make funding for the LWCF mandatory at its current authorized annual level of $900 million, according to a bill summary from Manchin's office. "This was the original intent when the LWCF was established and credited with revenues from offshore oil … Continue Reading
April 08, 2019
Manchin, Bates Reflect On Legacy of Upper Big Branch Mine Explosion | WV MetroNews
by Pete Davis
BECKLEY, W.Va. - U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and West Virginia House of Delegates member Mick Bates, D-Raleigh, were among those in attendance at a ceremony Friday honoring the victims of the Upper Big Branch Mine explosion in Raleigh County nine years ago. Manchin, who was governor of West Virginia when the disaster occurred, said the memory of the miners who perished on April 5, 2010 has had a profound impact on his approach to government service. "I see some of the family members are … Continue Reading
April 08, 2019
Manchin, Capito Discuss Health Care Options After Possible Legislation Pushed Until After Election | WV MetroNews
by Alex Thomas
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - While President Donald Trump has kicked the debate on health care legislation until after the 2020 election cycle, the issue of health care is not going away anytime soon. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is reviewing a December ruling regarding the federal health care law's constitutionality; a judge ruled in favor of a coalition of states - in which one member is West Virginia - decided "Obamacare" is unconstitutional because of the repeal of the statute's individual … Continue Reading
April 05, 2019
Constellium, Blue Origin Reach Multi-Year Contract | WV MetroNews
by Staff Writers
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Constellium announced Thursday a multi-year contract with Blue Origin to support their launch vehicle programs. According to Constellium, the agreement is a new milestone regarding the supply of Airware aluminum plates and sheets for Blue Origin's New Glenn orbital rocket. The plates will come from plants in Ravenswood and Issoire, France. Blue Origin is a privately-funded aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos founded the company … Continue Reading
April 04, 2019
State Awaits Flood Dollars | Elkins Inter-Mountain
by Steve Allen Adams
CHARLESTON - West Virginia is awaiting more than $106 million to help limit the damage from the next big flood, but the state is having issues spending the federal funding it has now. In a statement released Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., expressed frustration over delays in releasing $106,494,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant program for disaster recovery. Manchin said the holdup is with the Office of Management and … Continue Reading
April 03, 2019
Rainelle Medical Center To Receive More Than $2 Million In Funding | The Beckley Register-Herald
by Wendy Holdren
Rainelle Medical Center will receive more than $2 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The center provides primary care services, preventative health care, including mammograms for uninsured women, as well as black lung treatment. "I am thrilled Rainelle Medical Center will receive this funding so that they can better serve their community, through providing essential medical services to West Virginians and give rural West Virginians access to health care," … Continue Reading
April 03, 2019
US House Voting On 'Obamacare' Resolution; Senate Introduces Own Measure | WV MetroNews
by Alex Thomas
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote Wednesday on a resolution denouncing President Donald Trump's administration and the Justice Department for not defending the federal health care law in a lawsuit brought forward by a coalition of states, in which West Virginia is among the plaintiffs. The vote will come after Senate Democrats on Tuesday introduced a similar resolution, and both follow President Donald Trump's decision to delay a vote on health care … Continue Reading
April 02, 2019
WV Congressional Delegation Wants Mueller Report Released | The Charleston Gazette
by Jake Zuckerman
When it comes to special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, West Virginia's entire congressional delegates has said, or voted, that the report should be made available for the public to read. U.S. Attorney General William Barr's four-page summary of the report states the Trump campaign did not conspire or coordinate with Russia regarding the latter's interference into the 2016 presidential election. The summary states the report does not take a … Continue Reading
April 02, 2019
Manchin Again Urges EPA To Give Minden Superfund Access | WV MetroNews
by Pete Davis
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency Monday, reiterating his support for the proposed addition of the town of Minden in Fayette County to the agency's National Priorities List. In the letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Manchin highlighted a resolution recently passed by the West Virginia State Legislature, which Manchin said demonstrated broad bipartisan support for the designation. The addition of Minden to the … Continue Reading
April 01, 2019
Sen. Manchin Urges EPA To Add Minden To National Priorities List | WVNS
by Douglas Fritz
MINDEN, WV (WVNS) - Concerns over the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Minden have reached the national level. On April 1, 2019, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Administrator regarding the subject. Sen. Manchin highlighted a resolution from the West Virginia State Legislature that shows bipartisan support for helping the residents of Minden. He is encouraging the EPA Administrator, Andrew Wheeler, to add the community to the … Continue Reading
April 01, 2019
Facing Driver Shortage; Manchin Among Bipartisan Group Supporting Changes To Trucking Regulations | WV MetroNews
by Alex Wiederspiel
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - 69 trade organizations, including the International Food Service Distributors Association (IFDA), agree that America needs more truck drivers. Mark Allen, the President and CEO of IFDA, said those same trade organizations are joining the call along with a significant bipartisan coalition in Congress to find a piece of legislation to attach the DRIVE-Safe Act (S. 569, H.R. 1374) - repealing a near-century old regulation that limits truck drivers under the age of 21 from … Continue Reading
April 01, 2019
Intuit To Open 'Prosperity Hub' In Bluefield; Up To 500 New Jobs Possible | WV MetroNews
by Jeff Jenkins
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. - State native Intuit Executive Board Chairman Brad Smith announced Friday the company will open a "prosperity hub" in downtown Bluefield with plans to create between 200 and 500 jobs. According to Smith, the prosperity hub will include a customer success center for the Intuit product QuickBooks and an innovation lab to help small businesses. The hub will be located on Federal Street in Bluefield, the former First National Bank building. Intuit officials made the … Continue Reading
March 29, 2019
West Virginia, Ohio Senators Push Nuclear Energy Bill | The Parkersburg News And Sentinel
by Staff Writers
WASHINGTON - A bill to encourage innovation in nuclear energy and ensure advanced reactors can provide clean, safe, affordable and reliable power has been reintroduced by the U.S. senators from Ohio and West Virginia. The Nuclear Energy Leadership Act would re-establish U.S. leadership in nuclear energy and join innovators from the private and public sectors to develop the next-generation of advanced reactor concepts. The bill was originally introduced in September near the end of the session … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
FAA Faces Questions About Boeing At Two Hearings | The Hill
by Michael Burke & Brett Samuels
Transportation officials on Wednesday pledged to make changes to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight process as the department grapples with the fallout of two crashes in recent months involving Boeing 737 Max 8 planes. Two Senate subcommittees during public hearings raised concerns about the safety certification process and the decision-making that surrounded the aircraft, which was involved in Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes that killed a total of 346 people. It … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Fish And Wildlife Service Releases Report That Will Allow Rebuilding Of WV Schools | The Clarksburg Exponent Telegram
by Staff Writers
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released environmental review reports, which are necessary to begin the process of constructing replacement schools in Southern West Virginia. According to a release from the office of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., the release of the reports is part of the environmental review process which needs to be completed before the construction can begin on the new structures. The new buildings will be replacements for schools that needed to be … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Bill Introduced To Provide Law Enforcement With Drug Detection Devices | Beckley Register-Herald
by Wendy Holdren
Bipartisan legislation was introduced Wednesday to provide state and local law enforcement with high-tech devices to detect and identify dangerous drugs like fentanyl. The Providing Officers with Electronic Resources (POWER) Act would establish a new grant program through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to help state and local law enforcement organizations secure these high-tech, portable screening devices, the release said. Without these devices, suspected drugs have to be sent … Continue Reading
March 27, 2019
Manchin Criticizes Justice Department For 'Obamacare' Stance | WV MetroNews
by Alex Thomas
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., condemned the Department of Justice on Tuesday for its support of a judicial ruling that the federal health care law and its individual mandate are unconstitutional. Manchin said the department is wrong in wanting the decision made in December to be affirmed, noting millions of Americans could lose health insurance if "Obamacare" is struck down. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is considering the ruling made by Judge Reed O'Connor, a George … Continue Reading
March 27, 2019
Fighting Addiction | The Bluefield Daily Telegraph
by Staff Writers
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed last week that West Virginia will receive $14.6 million in federal funding to help fight the deadly opioid crisis. Given the rampant abuse of prescription narcotics in the deep south counties, every dollar that is received to combat this horrific scourge is welcomed and must be maximized to its fullest. According to the region's congressional delegation in Washington, the grant funding will be used to supplement the first-year funding … Continue Reading
March 27, 2019
US Senate Dismisses Green New Deal | WV MetroNews
by Staff Writers
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The U.S. Senate on Tuesday rejected a procedural motion on the Green New Deal, an effort to reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions and address the nation's top environmental concerns including climate change. Republicans forced the vote, in which all 53 Republicans voted against the motion. Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Doug Jones of Alabama and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona opposed the measure, as did independent Angus King of Maine. Forty-three senators, … Continue Reading
