Op-Eds

November 14, 2021

Infrastructure bill delivers for West Virginia

by Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Shelley Moore Capito

Across the Mountain State, we are in desperate need of infrastructure investments. More than 3,200 miles of highway and 1,545 bridges are in poor condition. At least 258,000 West Virginians have no broadband access. Thirty-two percent of trains and transit vehicles are beyond their useful lives.The lack of reliable and affordable broadband access makes it difficult for our students to complete their homework, our fellow West Virginians to start new businesses and our seniors to attend … Continue Reading


September 02, 2021

Why I Won’t Support Spending Another $3.5 Trillion

by Senator Joe Manchin

The nation faces an unprecedented array of challenges and will inevitably encounter additional crises in the future. Yet some in Congress have a strange belief there is an infinite supply of money to deal with any current or future crisis, and that spending trillions upon trillions will have no negative consequence for the future. I disagree.An overheating economy has imposed a costly “inflation tax” on every middle- and working-class American. At $28.7 trillion and growing, the … Continue Reading


August 10, 2021

Manchin: 'The Senate is not broken'

by Senator Joe Manchin

West Virginia is home to rolling hills, roaring rivers, and vast forests that make our state Almost Heaven. Those same treasures make for rough terrain and communities that lack access to broadband and upgraded infrastructure.Across the Mountain State, 1,545 bridges and more than 3,200 miles of highway are in poor condition. Thirty-two percent of trains and transit vehicles are beyond their useful lives. More than 258,000 West Virginians have no broadband access.West Virginia’s infrastructure … Continue Reading


June 08, 2021

Why I'm voting against the For the People Act

by Senator Joe Manchin

The right to vote is fundamental to our American democracy and protecting that right should not be about party or politics. Least of all, protecting this right, which is a value I share, should never be done in a partisan manner.During my time as West Virginia’s secretary of state, I was determined to protect this right and ensure our elections are fair, accessible and secure. Not to benefit my party but all the people of West Virginia. For example, as secretary of state I took specific … Continue Reading


April 07, 2021

I will not vote to eliminate or weaken the filibuster | The Washington Post

by Senator Joe Manchin

When Americans vote to send their two senators to Washington, they trust that they will work to represent the interests of their state on equal footing with 98 other senators. I have always said, “If I can’t go home and explain it, I can’t vote for it.” And I respect that each of my colleagues has the same responsibility to their constituents.It’s no accident that a state as small as West Virginia has the same number of senators as California or Texas. It goes to the heart of what … Continue Reading


March 14, 2021

Biden's Plan Will Help Keep Us West Virginia Strong | Charleston Gazette-Mail

by Senator Joe Manchin

Almost one year ago, the first West Virginian was diagnosed with COVID-19. In the time since then we have seen our schools close and reopen, small businesses shut their doors and watched in awe as our hospital workers, grocery store clerks, first responders and front line workers became superheroes. We got used to wearing masks and frequently using hand sanitizer, social distancing when we are around loved ones and doing everything possible to contain the virus. Despite our best efforts we … Continue Reading


February 13, 2021

Cutting state income tax a bad move for WV | Charleston Gazette-Mail

by Senator Joe Manchin

I write today with serious concerns about federal funds the state is anticipating and the harm that will come if financial decisions are made based on a reliance on these federal funds. I urge you to consider the long term ramifications of the proposal.The total West Virginia budget is slightly more than $4.6 billion. Of that amount, $2.2 billion — nearly half — is dependent on the state income tax.The income tax supports early literacy programs and schools, our health departments that are … Continue Reading


January 05, 2021

Congress, it's time to do our job | CNN Opinion

by Senator Joe Manchin

I was first sworn in as a United States senator on November 15, 2010, and took an oath to defend the United States Constitution. Standing alongside me that day was my mother, my wife, our children and grandchildren. I raised my right hand and placed my left hand on our family Bible. Then, I swore to "support and defend" and to "bear true faith and allegiance to" the Constitution of the United States of America.I have since had the honor of taking that oath two more times upon being reelected … Continue Reading


December 23, 2020

Sharing wild and wonderful with the world | The Register-Herald

by Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Shelley Moore Capito

First designated as a National River in 1978, the New River Gorge is composed of approximately 72,000 acres of land along 53 miles of one of the world’s oldest rivers - the New River - stretching from Bluestone Dam to Hawk’s Nest Lake. More importantly, it is home to hiking trails, globally-renowned rock climbing formations, world-class whitewater rafting, and remarkable hunting and fishing opportunities. Not to mention, the third tallest bridge in the United States - an iconic West Virginia … Continue Reading


December 15, 2020

How we compromised on covid-19 relief | The Washington Post

by Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Mitt Romney

Coming off the most bitter, divisive presidential election (and post-election) in modern American history, expectations have been understandably low for Congress’s ability to agree on anything — even another round of covid-19 relief. Progress has been nonexistent for several months, with talks at an impasse between a comprehensive $2.2 trillion stimulus package put forth by Democrats and a much more targeted $500 billion bill proposed by Republicans. These proposals were denounced and … Continue Reading


August 26, 2020

Outdoors Act Helps Keep W.Va. Wild, Wonderful

by Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott

As West Virginians, we areblessed to live in one of the most naturally beautiful states in the nation. From our scenic rivers to our majestic mountains to our unspoiled wilderness areas, there truly is something for everyone in “wild and wonderful”West Virginia.With the recent signing into law of the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, our region and our state are even better poised to take advantage of West Virginia’s natural beauty by expanding outdoor recreation opportunities while … Continue Reading


June 20, 2020

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

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