Press Releases
Manchin, Bipartisan Group of Senators Oppose Funding Cut to Community Health Centers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, along with 59 other Senators, urged support for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program, which could have its funding cut by nearly 70 percent in September. In a letter to U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Chairman Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), the bipartisan group requested continued funding from the … Continue Reading
March 27, 2015
Manchin Votes No on Reckless Senate Budget That Will Harm West Virginian Families
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today issued the following statement on his vote against the Senate's budget. "It is a real disappointment that even though the Senate spent nearly 15 hours voting on the budget, we were not able to put together a comprehensive plan that defines our priorities based on commonsense American values. Instead, we continue to cast mere messaging votes and talk past each other, rather than work together toward a long-term budgetary fix. This … Continue Reading
March 27, 2015
Manchin Statement in Support of Senator Chuck Schumer for Democratic Leader
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today issued the following statement in support of Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for Democratic leader: "Chuck Schumer has been a dear friend since my first days in the United States Senate. He is a leader who values loyalty and builds friendships with all of his colleagues. He has proven that he can work with moderate and progressive Members of the Democratic Caucus, and importantly, with Republican Members from across the aisle. He also … Continue Reading
March 26, 2015
WV Delegation Calls on Preisdent to Grant Major Disaster Declaration
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, along with Representatives David McKinley, Alex Mooney and Evan Jenkins, sent a letter to President Obama to express their full support of Governor Tomblin's request to declare a major disaster for the state of West Virginia as a result of Winter Storm Thor. The storm moved through West Virginia on Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5, and caused severe weather conditions in all 55 counties, including heavy rain and … Continue Reading
March 26, 2015
Senators Manchin and McConnell Raise the Stakes on NCAA Sweet 16 Matchup
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) today made a friendly wager on tonight's NCAA Men's Basketball Sweet 16 matchup between the West Virginia University Mountaineers and the University of Kentucky Wildcats. The stakes from the friendly wager are a Derby-Pie® exclusively baked by Kern's Kitchen in Louisville, Kentucky against Chico's Bakery pepperoni rolls, the official pepperoni rolls sold at Mountaineer Field for WVU games. The game is … Continue Reading
March 26, 2015
Manchin Introduces Two Amendments to Help Curb Meth Abuse and Support Cleaner Fossil Energy
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today introduced two amendments to the Senate budget that would directly affect the future of West Virginia families, communities and jobs by addressing meth abuse and developing advanced clean fossil research and technology. Senator Manchin's first amendment would create a reserve fund, at no additional cost to the taxpayer, to address methamphetamine abuse. The Senate Budget Committee already passed an amendment to increase investments … Continue Reading
March 24, 2015
Manchin and Capito Announce more than $967,000 Toward Christians Helping Arrange New Growth Enterprises in Northern Panhandle
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) announced $967,139 in federal funding to Christians Helping Arrange New Growth Enterprises (CHANGE) in the Northern Panhandle. The funding has been awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and will be used to provide support for various programs to improve health and community action. "West Virginians pride ourselves on our unique culture of neighbors helping neighbors and have … Continue Reading
March 24, 2015
Manchin Applauds VA for Expanding Veteran Choice Program
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin applauded the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) decision to expand eligibility for the Veterans Choice Program, which allows veterans who live 40 miles from the closest VA facility or who face a significant delay in scheduling an appointment to receive health care in their communities at a non-VA facility. The VA will change the calculation used to determine the distance between a veteran's home and the nearest VA medical facility from a … Continue Reading
March 24, 2015
Manchin Urges Senate Appropriations Committee to Invest in Safety Efforts for Crude-By-Rail
Washington, D.C. - Following the February 16 train derailment in Mount Carbon, West Virginia, Senator Manchin has closely reviewed ways to improve the safety of transporting Bakken crude oil and other energy products along our nation's railroads. U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) joined 21 other Senators in sending a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee supporting robust funding for the Safe Transportation of Energy Products Program, which would improve coordination and investment … Continue Reading
March 20, 2015
Manchin and Capito Announce Nearly $2.6 Million for Head Start Programs in Raleigh and Wyoming Counties
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito announced $1,198,206 and $1,381,731, respectively, in federal funding to the Raleigh County Community Action Association Head Start program and the MountainHeart Community Services Head Start program. This funding will help Head Start provide early learning and development opportunities to children in Beckley and Oceana. "Head Start's mission starts with family, and in West Virginia, we understand the value of … Continue Reading
March 20, 2015
Manchin and Capito Announce Funding to Expand Pulsar Search Collaboratory at WVU
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito applauded West Virginia University (WVU) for receiving the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) Physics Frontier Center Award. The award provides a $4,738,010 federal grant to leverage and expand the Pulsar Search Collaboratory (PSC) program, which is a joint project between WVU and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, West Virginia. "West Virginia … Continue Reading
March 20, 2015
Manchin Introduces Bipartisan Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today introduced the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015, which would reauthorize the Bank's charter until September 30, 2019, and would minimize risk to taxpayers by requiring a regular audit of the Bank's risk management practices and procedures. Currently, the Bank's authorization is set to expire June 30, 2015, and would impact more than 200,000 American jobs that are supported through the … Continue Reading
March 19, 2015
Manchin, Boozman Bill Improves Highway Safety
WASHINGTON D.C. - Senators Joe Manchin, John Boozman (R-AR) today introduced bipartisan legislation to improve the safety of America's roads and highways by eliminating a hurdle in the commercial trucking industry's pre-employment drug screening process. The Drug Free Commercial Driver Act of 2015 would allow the U.S. Department of Transportation to recognize hair testing as an alternative option to give companies greater flexibility when conducting drug and alcohol testing. Under current … Continue Reading
March 19, 2015
Manchin Statement on the Passing of Former Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass
Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today issued the following statement on the passing of former Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass. "Gayle and I are sorry to learn of the passing of our dear friend Commissioner Gus Douglass," Senator Manchin said. "I always enjoyed working with Gus. He was enthusiastic about his job. Each year at the West Virginia State Fair, Gus and I would eagerly walk the fairgrounds, stopping to admire the very best of West Virginia. Whether it was award-winning pies, the … Continue Reading
March 19, 2015
Manchin, Moran, and Capito Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Reform Examination Process for Financial Institutions
Washington, D.C. - Senators Joe Manchin, Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today introduced The Financial Institutions Examination Fairness and Reform Act (S. 774). The bipartisan legislation would reform the examination process for financial institutions by requiring regulatory agencies to issue examination determinations promptly, as well as give banks and other supervised financial institutions the right to have those determinations reviewed. "An effective and fair … Continue Reading
March 18, 2015
Manchin to Senate: Confirm Loretta Lynch
Today, Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) met with U.S. Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch and issued the following statement. "I had the pleasure today of meeting with United States Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch, and I have no doubt that her experience and record make her uniquely qualified to serve as our next U.S. Attorney General. After more than 130 days since her nomination, it is time to put politics aside and confirm her as our next U.S. Attorney General. I urge my Senate … Continue Reading
March 18, 2015
Manchin Introduces Bill to Promote Railroad Infrastructure
Today, Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) introduced the Track, Railroad, and Infrastructure Network (TRAIN) Act, which would reform the environmental permitting process for rail projects in order to facilitate a more efficient way to approve rail infrastructure. The bipartisan legislation would promote additional investment in rail systems without compromising environmental quality. "Our nation's railroads move 29 million carloads every year and take millions of trucks off the … Continue Reading
March 17, 2015
Manchin, Thune Introduce Bill to Block Expensive EPA Regulation that Hinders Economic Opportunities
Senators Joe Manchin and John Thune (R-S.D.) today introduced legislation to block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing costly regulations that would increase energy prices, curb job growth and hinder economic opportunities by setting the ground-level ozone standard at an unprecedented low level. The bill, The Clean Air, Strong Economies (CASE) Act, would stem the economic harm from a lower ozone standard by requiring the EPA to focus on the worst areas for air quality … Continue Reading
March 16, 2015
Manchin Praises Beckley Teacher on Nationally-Recognized Outstanding Performance
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin today congratulated Daniels resident and Woodrow Wilson High School teacher Karen Bonnett for being honored as the Midwest District High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year by SHAPE America - Society of Health and Physical Educators - at its 130th National Convention & Expo this week in Seattle. She will vie with four other district winners for the distinguished honor of National High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year, … Continue Reading
March 16, 2015
Manchin, Hoeven Introduce Veterans Access to Extended Care Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) today introduced the Veterans Access to Extended Care Act, bipartisan legislation they authored to allow veterans greater access to long-term care (LTC) services in their home communities. Specifically, the legislation will enable veterans to stay in nursing homes in their home communities near loved ones and friends because those nursing homes will be able to receive Veterans Administration reimbursement … Continue Reading
