Op-Eds
I remain committed to bringing jobs to the region | Beckely Register Herald
by Senator Joe Manchin
My grandparents, Papa Joe and Mama Kay, owned a small store in my hometown of Farmington, and they taught me how valuable a day's work for a day's pay can be to an individual, a family and a community. Our town wasn't rich with material goods; in fact, most people outside of our town would have described us as poor. But we described ourselves as hardworking, proud and patriotic. We mined the coal that powered our state and our country through wars and recession, but also to peace and … Continue Reading
March 22, 2016
Time for Senate to fulfill its duties | Charleston Gazette-Mail
by Senator Joe Manchin
The Constitution states "[The President] shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint ... Judges of the Supreme Court." Last week the President fulfilled his Constitutional obligation and nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. The Constitutional obligation now lies with the Senate. I know we are able to debate, advise and consent on nominations, because we just did it. On Sept. 15, 2015, President Obama nominated Dr. Robert Califf to be the … Continue Reading
March 03, 2016
New act is first step toward US opioid abuse recovery | Charleston Gazette Mail
by Senator Joe Manchin
The nationwide opioid abuse epidemic has hit West Virginia harder than it has any other state in our country. Drug overdose deaths in the Mountain State have soared by 700 percent since 1999. In 2015 alone, we lost 600 West Virginians to opioid abuse. But West Virginia is not the only state suffering; prescription drug abuse continues to tear apart families and communities across the country. Fifty-one Americans die every day from opioid abuse, totaling a loss of nearly 200,000 of our loved … Continue Reading
February 04, 2016
Stories like Haley's inspire me to keep fighting drug abuse problem | Beckley Register-Herald
In southern West Virginia, a young girl by the name of Haley was excited for her 12th birthday party. Eager to spend the day celebrating with her friends, she was deeply hurt and embarrassed, though not entirely surprised, when the day took an unfortunate turn. Her mother, a longtime addict of prescription pills, failed to appear for much of the party, leaving Haley's 16-year-old sister to pay for the event. Haley's mom eventually showed at her daughter's party, but by that time, her eyes were … Continue Reading
November 13, 2015
President Obama's EPA 'overreaching' water rules will jeopardize state economy | Preston County News and Journal
It's no secret here in West Virginia that regulations being imposed by the Obama Administration are slamming our state's coal industry and our coal mining jobs. But now, it is not just the mining jobs that the EPA is attacking. The agency is overreaching with a new water rule that will jeopardize virtually every sector and the local economies across the Mountain State. Thankfully, the Senate voted to roll back these dangerous regulations. Each and every West Virginian wants to drink clean … Continue Reading
November 11, 2015
On this day, consider sacrifices of our men, women in uniform | Beckley Register-Herald
Every year on Veterans Day, we gather as a nation to express our deepest gratitude to the men and women who have fought to safeguard our beloved nation and secure our freedoms. No matter the war, no matter the rank, no matter the duty, every one of our veterans has answered America's call. They have served us well and we must do the same for them. One of the ways we can show our gratitude to our veterans is by providing them with the best possible care when they return home. Earlier this … Continue Reading
November 04, 2015
Confirmation of Feinberg a good move | Montgomery Herald
by Senator Joe Manchin
Last week, the Senate confirmed West Virginia native Sarah Feinberg as Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). As a West Virginian, I truly believe she has the same pragmatic approach to problem-solving that we see in our state every day. I have the utmost confidence in her ability to bring customer service and West Virginia common sense to Washington, in large part, because of her effective and efficient response to the train derailment in Fayette County and other … Continue Reading
November 02, 2015
Energy agenda crushing state | Charleston Daily Mail
On Oct. 23, the Obama administration published its job-killing energy plan that intends to shut down our coal industry. It is time for Congress to step up and step in. I have always fought for West Virginia, which is why I introduced a resolution with Sen. Mitch McConnell this week to stop these regulations that are hurting our state. This is another battle I am proud to lead against the administration's demonization of coal. Never before in our history have we seen something as unreasonable … Continue Reading
October 30, 2015
Prescription drug abuse epidemic and its impact | Logan Banner
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with students and community members at Oceana Middle School about West Virginia's prescription drug abuse epidemic and its impact on the lives of our students and their loved ones. As always, I was struck by the devastating impact this crisis has had on so many in our state. I was especially moved by the stories of two Oceana Middle students. Fourteen year-old Kerry's parents are separating because of the effect of opioid abuse on his family, and twelve … Continue Reading
September 30, 2015
Congress, don't kill Social Security Disability Insurance, fix it and save it | Fox News
by Senators Joe Manchin and Tom Cotton
Nearly 11 million Americans rely on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), a program intended to provide a safety net to workers who develop a serious, long-term disability. Most American workers pay into SSDI through their payroll taxes, but payments to beneficiaries have exceeded these taxes in recent years. Indeed, since 2009, SSDI has paid out $155 billion more than it has taken in. According to the 2015 annual report from the Social Security system's trustees, the SSDI trust fund … Continue Reading
September 30, 2015
Make Washington Work | Roll Call
by Senators Joe Manchin and Mark Kirk
Congress' current approval rating is at a dismal 14 percent, and it's no wonder why - governing by crisis and subjecting our constituents to partisan bickering is not what we were elected to do. Instead of offering viable solutions to the issues our nation faces, many members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have merely dug in their heels and refused to budge. When the government shut down in 2013, Standard & Poor's estimated it cost our economy $24 billion. Across the country … Continue Reading
July 01, 2015
Export-Import Bank Lapse Hurts W.Va. Businesses | Charleston Gazette-Mail
Today is the first day in over 80 years that West Virginia businesses will not have the backing and resources of their government to support them in exporting their products overseas. They will not have a bank that will guarantee loans for them; they will not have the legal backing and financial expertise that is available to their competitors in over 60 countries around the world. During these difficult economic times, and as our economy becomes more and more global each day, it is shameful … Continue Reading
June 20, 2015
Today We Celebrate the Values We All Share as West Virginians | Beckley Register-Herald
by Sen. Joe Manchin
Every June 20, friends, families and neighbors gather together to celebrate West Virginia Day - a holiday dedicated to our statehood. On this special anniversary, we recognize our exceptional history, unique culture and strong traditions. But most importantly, today we are distinctly unified in the profound pride that comes with being a West Virginian. As our beautiful state turns 152, may we all come together today to say, "I'm proud to be a West Virginian." Our state has a one-of-a-kind … Continue Reading
June 17, 2015
Flag Day has Special Significance to West Virginia | Times West Virginian
by Sen. Joe Manchin
Every day, Americans all across this great land pledge their allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. We salute it; we fight for it; we cherish it; we honor it. But one day a year, we pay special tribute to our flag. We set aside every June 14 as Flag Day, commemorating the date in 1777 when the Continental Congress officially made the Stars and Stripes the symbol of America. Flag Day has a special significance to West Virginia. Our state was born out of the bloody conflict of … Continue Reading
June 07, 2015
Manchin remebers D-Day | Logan Banner
by Sen. Joe Manchin
Each year, June 6th marks the anniversary of D-Day, the 1944Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. This important event, notablythe largest seaborne invasion in world history, took an entire year tocoordinate and was a decisive turning point in the war that heralded the comingend of Adolf Hitler's regime and a turning point for the war in Europe. Thisday, we pay tribute to the heroes who - with unequivocal patriotism, braveryand valor - stormed those terrifying shores to change the … Continue Reading
June 06, 2015
North Bend Rail Trail worth celebrating | Parkersburg News and Sentinel
by By Sen. Joe Manchin
Today marks American Hiking Society's Annual National Trails Day. Each year, hundreds of thousands of outdoor-loving Americans and West Virginians participate in hikes and other activities on our beautiful trail system. Today, we celebrate our 200,000 miles of trails and we honor the work of thousands of the volunteers and non-profit organizations that play a role in the development and upkeep that creates such wonderful recreation opportunities. Our state has a rich history in the culture … Continue Reading
April 12, 2015
We have the passion, wisdom to stop drug deaths | Sunday Gazette-Mail
by By Sen. Joe Manchin
A long time ago, I learned an important lesson from my grandparents Mama Kay and Papa Joe. They taught me that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. That has never resonated louder than this past week when I traveled to Atlanta to participate in the 2015 National Prescription Drug Abuse Summit. Professionals from local, state and federal agencies, state and national leaders, clinicians, treatment providers, counselors, educators and advocates gathered for one … Continue Reading
February 25, 2015
DHS shutdown far too risky | Martinsburg Journal
by By Sen. Joe Manchin
At a time when our country faces many threats, both at home and abroad, making sure that our Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is operating at full capacity is crucial. This week, funding for DHS will expire and many of the agency's critical operations will potentially come to a standstill if Congress cannot agree on a bill to ensure its full funding. There is no doubt - a DHS shutdown would impact our entire nation, including individuals in West Virginia and in the Eastern Panhandle. … Continue Reading
February 12, 2015
Let’s protect our children in schools | Charleston Daily Mail
In today's partisan world of politics, many might think that we now live in a divided America. That's simply not true. Americans form their priorities based on their values - and making sure our kids remain safe in every single school across the country has always been at the top of that list. It is important to acknowledge that the vast majority our teachers, principals, and school employees are dedicated professionals and strong role models, but we must take action against that small … Continue Reading
February 04, 2015
Improving mental health care for W.Va. veterans | Logan Banner
by Joe Manchin
As a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and as a proud defender of West Virginia's nearly 168,000 brave veterans, I am so pleased that this week Congress passed critical veteran health care legislation - The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act. Its passage takes a momentous stride toward making sure our veterans in West Virginia and across America receive the absolute best mental health care when they return home from war. As an original co-sponsor of the … Continue Reading
