Manchin Questions U.S. Attorney General on West Virginia Law Enforcement Personnel Shortages, Stopping the Flow of Fentanyl, Holding Russia Accountable for War Crimes in Ukraine

Washington, DC – Today during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science hearing, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on addressing law enforcement personnel shortages in West Virginia, stopping the flow of fentanyl into the United States and holding Russia accountable for war crimes committed in Ukraine.

“In West Virginia, we have the FBI Criminal Justice Investigation Services (CJIS) center, and the people there are concerned. They’re hearing rumors that there are going to be cutbacks and movement of personnel. If you could check that out, it would be tremendous,” Senator Manchin said in part. “Also, at the Hazelton prison, there have been violent crimes and there’s a huge problem with shortages of personnel. We’ve directed money to be spent there and it’s in your budget. But for some reason, you’re not able to find employees to work there. I hope you will personally look into it because it’s been a very important system for the Bureau of Prisons.”

 

 

“We know the ingredients are coming from China and we know they’re going to cartels for the manufacturing of fentanyl…We’ve lost more people to overdoses than any war we’ve ever fought,” Senator Manchin continued. “Is there anything we can do to stop the suppliers in China and the producers in Mexico?”

 

“The war in Ukraine is the most just war we’ve ever been in during my lifetime, because we’re trying to defend freedom and democracy from unwanted attacks. This is an absolutely horrific attack by Putin. Can you discuss the Department of Justice’s work to hold Russia accountable for the war crimes committed?” Senator Manchin questioned.