In the News
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
March 26, 2019
Funding Awarded To Improve Health Of Mothers And Children | The Beckley Register-Herald
by Wendy Holdren
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded more than $1 million for the West Virginia University (WVU) Research Corporation through HRSA's Healthy Start Initiative. The funding aims to improve the health of mothers and children before, during, and after pregnancy through education, resources, and support, the release said. "Alarmingly, maternal mortality rates are on the rise in the United States, and statistics are … Continue Reading
March 26, 2019
FCC Claims On Broadband Access Under Scrutiny | The Hill
by Harper Neidig
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is being scrutinized over its claims that its deregulatory agenda has led to record gains in the private sector's efforts to expand access to high-speed internet in rural and underserved communities. Internet players, watchdogs and lawmakers are calling for changes to how the agency collects data on broadband access and makes policy. In February, Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai circulated a draft of the agency's annual progress report on broadband … Continue Reading
March 26, 2019
Justice Department Sides With Federal Judge On 'Obamacare' Ruling | WV MetroNews
by Alex Thomas
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The U.S. Department of Justice said Monday evening it supports a federal judge's ruling that the federal health care law is unconstitutional, another act by the Trump administration targeting the statute. The decision came after several states that day issued a challenge to the decision; Judge Reed O'Connor of the Northern District of Texas ruled in December "Obamacare" and its individual mandate are unconstitutional. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans is … Continue Reading
March 25, 2019
Manchin Talks Job Training For Teens | Elkins Inter-Mountain
by Steve Allen Adams
CHARLESTON - U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., had a word of advice for construction companies and design firms: start them young. Manchin was among the opening speakers Wednesday at the 40th annual West Virginia Construction and Design Expo at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. The event is billed as the largest trade show for the construction and design industries in the state. With so many construction contractors, architects, engineers and other trades represented at the expo, … Continue Reading
March 25, 2019
Manchin, Charleston Set To Host W.Va's Largest Job Fair | WV MetroNews
by Jake Flatley
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - One of the largest job fairs the state of West Virginia has ever seen is going to be held at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center on Friday. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., nearly 250 job vendors and over 1,000 open jobs will be available at the Kanawha Valley Job & Resource Fair hosted by U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and the City of Charleston. "We have thousands of jobs in West Virginia that we haven't filled yet," Manchin told MetroNews. "When people say 'I … Continue Reading
March 15, 2019
Toyota Commits $111 Million Investment In WV Plant | The Clarksburg Exponent Telegram
by Staff Writers
WASHINGTON - As part of a larger announcement showcasing new investments by Toyota across the U.S., the company on Thursday said it will make a new $111 million investment in the Mountain State. According to a release from Toyota, the funds will be used to expand operations at the company's plant in the town of Buffalo. The investment will add equipment and expand the building of the plant in order to double capacity of hybrid transaxles - from 120,000 units annually to 240,000. In an … Continue Reading
March 15, 2019
Manchin Pleased With Progress At Northrop Grumman | Mineral Daily News-Tribune
by Staff Writers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) spoke Wednesday with the Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer to discuss the new contract Northrop Grumman contract in West Virginia. "Today I met with Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer, and was so pleased to discuss the new contract that our West Virginia workers earned at the Northrop Grumman facility at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Mineral County," Manchin said. "The Navy recently awarded Northrop Grumman the contract for … Continue Reading
