Press Releases
Manchin Announces Bipartisan Passage of Farm Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today supported the bipartisan passage of the Agricultural Act of 2014, which reforms the country's agriculture policy while also reducing the deficit by $23 billion and supporting 16 million jobs. In addition, the bill contains an amendment Senator Manchin sponsored to help young children and pregnant women develop healthy eating habits. The bill passed by a vote of 68-32. Senator Manchin supported the bill after ensuring programs … Continue Reading
February 04, 2014
Manchin Testifies at Environment and Public Works Subcommittee Hearing on WV Chemical Spill
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) testified at the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife hearing. Senator Manchin discussed the importance of passing legislation he crafted with EPW Chairwoman Barbara Boxer to improve oversight of chemical facilities and help strengthen states' abilities to prevent chemical spills like the January 9th spill that contaminated the water supply in nine West Virginia counties and impacted more than … Continue Reading
January 31, 2014
Manchin Applauds State Department Study to Move Forward with Keystone XL Pipeline
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today applauded the State Department's environmental study's final findings on the Keystone XL Pipeline. The Environmental Impact Study (EIS) found no evidence of serious environmental risks posed by constructing the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would help move this country toward energy independence, create hundreds of thousands of jobs and boost economic growth. "I have been incredibly frustrated for more than five years by the repeated … Continue Reading
January 31, 2014
Manchin, Rockefeller, Rahall Announce $3.8 Million to Assist Households with Energy Costs
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Jay Rockefeller, along with Congressman Nick Rahall (all D-W.Va.), announced West Virginia will receive $3,857,811 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help West Virginians meet their energy costs. These funds offer additional support for West Virginia's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), administered by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, and will assist hundreds of … Continue Reading
January 30, 2014
Manchin Announces Passage of "Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act"
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced the passage of the "Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act" in the Senate by a vote of 67-32. This bipartisan legislation, cosponsored by Senator Manchin, will provide homeowners relief from increasing flood insurance costs unintentionally caused by the Biggert-Waters Act. This bill will delay premium insurance increases for up to four years and will allow homeowners to pass on their subsidized insurance policies to … Continue Reading
January 29, 2014
Manchin Thanks West Virginia National Guard for Their Service During SOTU Address
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) issued the following statement to thank the West Virginia National Guard for keeping the United States Capitol safe during last night's State of the Union address. The West Virginia National Guard was chosen to assist Capitol Hill security and would have been one of the first to respond to any emergencies. "I thank each and every West Virginia Guard member who stood ready to respond to any security threats during last night's State of the … Continue Reading
January 29, 2014
West Virginia Delegation Requests Further Help From FEMA After Chemical Spill
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senators Joe Manchin and Jay Rockefeller, along with Representatives Nick Rahall, Shelley Moore Capito and David McKinley, sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to request further financial assistance for those businesses and organizations affected by the Elk River chemical spill. The West Virginia Delegation wrote the letter in support of Governor Tomblin's initiatives to seek assistance for eligible state and local governments and … Continue Reading
January 28, 2014
Manchin, Boxer, Rockefeller Introduce Bill to Prevent Chemical Spills
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) today introduced the Chemical Safety and Drinking Water Protection Act, which gathers into one place the tools to provide oversight of chemical facilities. The Chemical Safety and Drinking Water Protection Act includes common sense measures designed to ensure industrial facilities are properly inspected by state officials and both … Continue Reading
January 23, 2014
Manchin Calls For Hazardous Freedom Industry Site To Be Torn Down and Cleaned Up
Washington, D.C. - Today, after spending the week listening to the concerns of West Virginians affected by the ongoing impacts from the chemical spill that contaminated the largest water source in the state, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) released the following statement: "After speaking to people directly affected by the spill, it is clear West Virginians are still very concerned about the quality of their water and the potential long-term effects of the water contamination. The first … Continue Reading
January 20, 2014
Manchin Statement on Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) issued the following statement today on celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: "In the 30 years since the creation of a national holiday honoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the celebration of his inspiring life and lasting spirit has evolved into a day of national service - 'a day on, not a day off,' as some like to say. Dr. King was taught at an early age that 'life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing … Continue Reading
January 17, 2014
Manchin, Boxer, Rockefeller to Introduce Bill to Prevent Chemical Spills
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) today reached agreement on legislative language that will help protect Americans from chemical spills that threaten drinking water. This bill, the Chemical Safety and Drinking Water Protection Act, brings together in one place the tools to provide oversight of chemical facilities. It strengthens states' ability to prevent chemical … Continue Reading
January 16, 2014
Manchin, Inhofe Introduce Bill to Protect Pilots, Air Traffic Controllers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducts an open rulemaking process before enacting potential changes to the medical certification requirements for pilots and air traffic controllers in relation to sleep disorders. "As a pilot myself, I recognize that there is nothing more important than making sure our skies are safe and I appreciate the FAA's … Continue Reading
January 16, 2014
Manchin to CDC: West Virginia Deserves Answers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and U.S. Representative Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) have asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to explain whether pregnant women should drink the water in the Kanawha Valley. "It is particularly concerning that as many as 150,000 people who had been under a Do Not Use water order were told that their water supply was safe for use before the CDC's recommendation that pregnant women should consider an alternate drinking water source. We … Continue Reading
January 15, 2014
Manchin, Wicker Statement on Regulators Volcker Rule Fix
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) today issued the following statement on financial regulators' decision to carve out certain securities owned by small banks from the Volcker Rule, a move that will protect community banks from losing millions of dollars. Senators Manchin and Wicker introduced similar legislation last week and sent a letter to financial regulators last month demanding they take action to protect community banks. "This oversight … Continue Reading
January 14, 2014
Manchin Introduces Bill to Boost Small Business Growth
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today introduced the Small Business Mergers, Acquisitions, Sales, and Brokerage Simplification Act of 2013 to exempt brokers involved in mergers and acquisitions of privately-owned small businesses from expensive registration requirements before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Costs for these brokers can be very expensive, as a percentage of the transaction, and those costs are often passed down to the small business owners … Continue Reading
January 13, 2014
Manchin and Wicker Introduce Legislation to Protect Community Banks with Carve Out to Volcker Rule
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) today introduced legislation to protect community banks from losing millions of dollars due to an oversight in the Volcker Rule. The Volcker Rule, which went into effect on December 10, 2013, and was intended to protect the U.S. economy from risky bets by large banks, currently requires community banks to sell at depressed values securities that helped them raise capital; the investments were never intended for … Continue Reading
January 10, 2014
Manchin Applauds Treasury Decision to Exempt Volunteer Firefighters from Unintended Healthcare Mandate
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today issued the following statement applauding the Treasury's decision to fully exempt volunteer firefighters and volunteer medical emergency personnel from being counted as full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) under the employer shared responsibility provisions of the "Affordable Care Act." The new rule clarifies that volunteer fire departments will not be subject to the employer healthcare mandate. This requirement would have imposed … Continue Reading
January 10, 2014
Manchin Statement on Federal Response to Water Contamination
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today released the following statement after Governor Tomblin and President Obama issued a federal disaster declaration for West Virginia as a result of a chemical spill that may have contaminated the tap water for nine counties: Kanawha, Boone, Logan, Lincoln, Putnam, Jackson, Roane, Clay and Cabell. "Today I have spoken with the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the regional administrator of the Federal Emergency … Continue Reading
January 10, 2014
EMERGENCY INFORMATION CENTER
Flushing will commence by zones. Click here to review the procedure for flushing out the system and check for your zone: http://bit.ly/1eDz00P If you have specific questions about the flushing procedure, please call WV American Water at their toll-free hotline 1-855-390-4569 or read through these detailed instrictions. http://bit.ly/1a2DSxk Please do not begin the flushing process until the "Do Not Use" order is lifted for your zone. To read my statement on federal response to water … Continue Reading
January 09, 2014
Manchin, Inhofe Urge Full Funding of FAA Contract Towers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) today sent a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD) urging that members fully fund the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Contract Tower Program. "It is critical that we invest in our country's infrastructure and air safety," Senator Manchin said. "Reliable transportation is … Continue Reading
