Op-Eds
Investing in our outdoor treasures | The Martinsburg Journal
by Senator Joe Manchin
West Virginia boasts world-class rivers, seemingly never-ending forests, and a rich history that ties the outdoors to the core of our state’s identity. Ask most West Virginians and they’ll tell you how they grew up hunting, hiking, fishing, and exploring our wild and wonderful backyard. It’s who we are and what we love to do. That’s why I’m proud to lead the Great American Outdoors Act which reinvests in our outdoor treasures.But our recreation areas are not just beautiful, they also support … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
How to create good new jobs in America's wonderlands | CNN
by Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Cory Gardner
Setting aside our natural treasures to be owned and enjoyed by the public at large was one of the most forward thinking ideas in our country's history. Growing up in Colorado and West Virginia, our childhoods were marked with field trips and adventures in our country's majestic public lands. Whether it was hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park or the woods of North Central West Virginia, we learned to appreciate the great American outdoors.Now, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to … Continue Reading
May 28, 2020
Put This Bipartisan Legislation to Bolster our Food Supply Chain in Any Additional COVID-19 Relief Package | Agripulse
by Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Kevin Cramer, Sen. Agnus King, Sen. Mike Rounds, Sen. Steve Daines, Sen. Tina Smith, Sen. John Barrasso, Sen. Jon Tester, and Sen. Michael Enzi
Agriculture is the economic engine for many communities in the Midwest, North East, and across the Upper Great Plains. Our agricultural producers play a critical role in feeding and fueling our nation, and also in our national security strategy. When we can produce affordable, nutritious food here at home, we don’t have to rely on other countries to obtain it. Unfortunately, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is exposing several vulnerabilities to our nation’s food supply chain.Today, around … Continue Reading
May 27, 2020
Senator Manchin and FCC Commissioner Rosenworcel urge Lewis County to speed test | The Weston Democrat
by Senator Joe Manchin and FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel
Last fall, we went back to school. We visited Lewis County High School in Weston to gather in the auditorium and speak at an assembly about broadband access in the community. Our message to the students was simple: If you can’t connect, you can’t compete.Today, having broadband is essential for everyone. It’s how students do their homework. It’s how businesses communicate with customers. It’s how health care gets to patients - especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when telehealth is more … Continue Reading
April 19, 2020
WV healthcare providers need more support | The Herald-Dispatch
by Senator Joe Manchin
It’s no secret West Virginia is one of the most naturally beautiful rural states in the nation. Our majestic mountains, rolling hills, valleys and rivers make for the perfect escape. However, it’s not without its challenges. The wild and wonderful features of our state can make travel and infrastructure a challenge, especially for those who live in our most remote locations. In turn, our rural communities can sometimes be the most challenging to serve.We see this as we fight to get reliable … Continue Reading
April 12, 2020
We Must Support Rural Healthcare | AARP West Virginia Update
by Senator Joe Manchin
Rural hospitals and healthcare providers throughout West Virginia are the first line of defense in the communities they serve. Already, our rural healthcare providers often operate on shoestring budgets to provide the best possible care to the populations they serve. As we fight the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot allow these rural hospitals and providers to close. That's why I've been advocating for dedicated funding for our rural healthcare providers and increased telehealth options to fill … Continue Reading
March 14, 2020
Preserve and protect cherished spaces through permanent funding | The Register-Herald
by Senator Joe Manchin
West Virginians have always had a profound appreciation for our public lands and outdoor playgrounds. As a child I grew up hunting, fishing and exploring outside like many of my fellow West Virginians. When I became a father and then a grandfather, instilling a love and appreciation for our wild and wonderful West Virginia in my children and grandchildren was important to me. But we cannot take our backyard playgrounds for granted - we must continue to preserve and protect these cherished … Continue Reading
February 14, 2020
Manchin: The President Is Not A King | CNN
by Senator Joe Manchin
Perhaps the most dangerous claim made during the Senate impeachment trial was the false assertion that the President can do no wrong, that he is above the law, and if it is good for his reelection, then it is good for the country. Make no mistake, no president is a king. That is not who we are as Americans. Where I was raised in the small coal-mining town of Farmington, West Virginia, people did not believe they were better than someone else and could act with total disregard for the … Continue Reading
February 12, 2020
We Must Keep Making The Case | Hampshire Review
by Senator Joe Manchin
Now more than ever before, we have the world at our fingertips. But for thousands of West Virginians reliable broadband is still an aspiration instead of a reality. The fight for fair access to the internet is the modern day equivalent to the fight for rural electrification we waged nearly 100 years ago. In 1935, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act into law as part of the New Deal. When this law created the Rural Electrification Administration, less than … Continue Reading
January 12, 2020
We Must Work To Find Common Ground | The Clarksburg Exponent
by Senator Joe Manchin
As our politics becomes increasingly polarized, it is easy to feel discouraged about bipartisanship. I've always said that partisan politics has turned into a tribal mentality and has ruined Washington and is the reason why it's so hard to get things done. But as a senator from West Virginia, I still believe there is plenty of common ground where Democrats and Republicans can work together for the benefit of all Americans. Bipartisanship isn't just a political practice; it's a value … Continue Reading
January 06, 2020
Putting Partisan Politics Aside To Help West Virginia | The Wheeling Intelligencer
by Senator Joe Manchin
When I was sworn in as the U.S. senator for West Virginia, I knew I had big shoes to fill. Senator Robert C. Byrd was a giant in the Senate, known for his work on the Appropriations Committee to bring opportunities and projects to our state. Today, I am proud to hold the seat of the great senator and I take my responsibility to carry on his legacy as a member of the Appropriations Committee seriously. Since my time as governor, I have made sure that our state has a track record of working … Continue Reading
December 23, 2019
Promise Delivered To Our Miners | Charleston Gazette-Mail
by Senator Joe Manchin
Last week, after four long years of uncertainty, Congress came together to permanently secure health care and pensions for our nation's coal miners. With an end-of-the-year deadline looming, Congress had to act to save the health care and pensions of nearly 100,000 coal miners and their families who were going into this holiday season fearing the benefits they earned would be gutted. But Congress did its job, and kept the promise made to our coal miners by including the Bipartisan … Continue Reading
November 27, 2019
Americans Must Not Forget To Be Grateful For Blessings | The Montgomery Herald
by Senator Joe Manchin
As we gather around the dinner table this Thanksgiving, it is important for us to reflect on the great blessings we share as West Virginians and Americans. It is easy to forget how blessed we are to live in a country with the greatest liberties and freedoms in the world, but Thanksgiving is the one day each year that the entire American "family" gathers together to give thanks for the blessings we enjoy. Year after year, we come together no matter what is happening in the life of our country - … Continue Reading
November 19, 2019
3 Senators: We're Ready To Resume Bipartisan Gun Background Check Talks With Trump Anytime | USA Today
by Senators Joe Manchin, Chris Murphy and Pat Toomey
There is no escaping gun violence in America. In the sleepy hamlet of Sandy Hook, Connecticut, a disturbed young man needed only five minutes to murder 20 first-graders and six educators. In Philadelphia, this year is on track to end with the city suffering more homicides, most of them perpetrated with a gun, than any other year in the past decade. In rural West Virginia, suicides are on the rise, with the firearm as the common method of choice. In under a week, we've seen shootings in Santa … Continue Reading
November 10, 2019
We Must Remember To Thank Our Military Men And Women | The Exponent Telegram
by Senator Joe Manchin
West Virginia is one of the most patriotic states in this great nation. During my time in the U.S. Senate, it has been my greatest honor to serve those who have served, and celebrate veterans and all they have given for our freedom. Whenever I travel across our state and speak at schools and community events, I always ask how many people have a family member who served or is serving in our Armed Forces. Nearly every hand always goes up - because service to our country is part of who we … Continue Reading
October 31, 2019
ARC Vital To West Virginia's Future | Charleston Gazette-Mail
by Senator Joe Manchin
Since the time I was a young boy growing up in Farmington, I have always known that West Virginians are the hardest working people in America. We have done the heavy lifting that has made our country the strongest in the world. Whether working in the mines or at one of our new technology companies, we are proud of our hard work and dedication to our country. First and foremost on the minds of many West Virginians is the strength of our economy and the ability for men and women to find job … Continue Reading
October 10, 2019
U.S Senator Joe Manchin On The Value Of Local Newspapers
by Senator Joe Manchin
For as long as our great nation has existed, newspapers have been part of the fabric that strengthens our democracy and makes our communities stronger. Before James Madison became our 4th U.S. President, he wrote the Bill of Rights and enshrined the freedom of the press into the First Amendment of the Constitution. The First Amendment guarantees the unabridged freedom of speech and has allowed newspapers to act as the "Fourth Estate," watching over our three branches of government holding our … Continue Reading
October 06, 2019
Access And Preservation Key To The New River Gorge | The Register Herald
by Senator Joe Manchin
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Raleigh and Fayette counties produced more coal than almost anywhere in the world. At one point there were more than 60 coal towns in and around Beckley and Fayetteville. These coal camps, our brave miners and their families were the heart of our state. They mined the coal that powered our country through World Wars and to the prosperity we enjoy today. There are few active mines in the region now but the legacy of our coal miners lives on. Within the New River … Continue Reading
October 06, 2019
Doing More For Homeless Children In West Virginia | Wheeling Intelligencer
by Senator Joe Manchin
Education is an essential part of our children's lives. All of our students are expected to meet the same challenging state academic achievement standards, but a student's environment outside of school has a profound impact on their ability to learn and achieve in the classroom. Every child needs a loving, caring adult in their life. It's the most important promise you can make to a child, and when that promise is broken we see the horrific situation we are in today that's led to more than … Continue Reading
July 18, 2019
World Jamboree Great For Scouts, West Virginia | Charleston Gazette-Mail
by Senator Joe Manchin
Being a Boy Scout in West Virginia was such a unique and enriching experience for me. It taught me new skills and leadership qualities, while also gaining new friends and mentors that helped shape me into the Senator, former governor, father and grandfather I am today. That's why as governor I worked hard to bring the permanent home of the National Scout Jamboree to West Virginia. In 2007, when the Scouts of America announced they were looking for a new location to house their National … Continue Reading
