Press Releases
Manchin Encourages West Virginians to Check For Unclaimed Tax Refunds
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today encouraged West Virginians to check whether they are among the nearly one million taxpayers who have not claimed $760 million in tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If left unclaimed, these tax refunds will become government property. The money comes from people who didn't file tax returns in 2010, but were eligible for tax refunds. The final deadline for reclaiming tax refunds is April 15. "When so many families … Continue Reading
March 19, 2014
Manchin, Rockefeller, Rahall Announce Nearly $8 Million in Funding for Public Housing Projects Across West Virginia
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Jay Rockefeller, along with U.S. Representative Nick Rahall today announced that housing projects across West Virginia will receive a total of $7,926,269 through the Public Housing Capital Fund Program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Capital Fund Program provides annual funds to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) for the development, financing, and modernization of public housing developments and … Continue Reading
March 14, 2014
Manchin, Portman Urge Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to Examine Reliability of the Electical Grid
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Rob Portman (R-OH), both members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, yesterday sent a letter to Energy Committee Chair Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in support of a request made by the United Mine Workers of America, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Utility Workers Union of America, and others for the committee to hold a hearing on our electric grid stability … Continue Reading
March 13, 2014
Manchin Announces Passage of Legislation to Relieve Homeowners From Drastic Flood Insurance Costs
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced the passage of the "Flood Insurance Reform Act," which will eliminate increased flood insurance costs for some properties unintentionally caused by the Biggert-Waters Act. The legislation will suspend insurance premium increases for grandfathered rates, all new subsidized policies initiated after enactment of Biggert-Waters, and all subsidized properties sold after enactment of Biggert-Waters. These provisions will allow … Continue Reading
March 13, 2014
Manchin Receives Publius Award from the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress
Washington, D.C. - Last night, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) was presented with the esteemed Publius Award from the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC) for his bipartisan leadership in Congress. Senator Manchin received the award alongside Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). The Senators were awarded for their efforts to bridge the partisan divide in Washington, promote compromise and encourage consensus building and problem solving at a time of heightened partisan … Continue Reading
March 13, 2014
Manchin Introduces Bill to Ban Zohydro Over FDA Approval
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today introduced legislation to withdraw the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of Zohydro ER, a controversial new painkiller. The FDA approved the powerful and highly addictive opioid drug over the objection of its own Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee, which voted 11-2 against allowing the painkiller to advance in the approval process. Representative Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08) introduced similar … Continue Reading
March 13, 2014
Manchin Confronts FDA Approval of Zohydro and Pay-to-Play Scheme with FDA Commissioner Hamburg Prior to Committee Hearing
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), after months of receiving insufficient answers from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), attended the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing, of which he is not a member, to meet FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg and discuss his serious concerns over the FDA's approval of the powerful and highly addictive opioid drug, Zohydro Extended Release (ER), and the unsettling pay-to-play allegations surrounding … Continue Reading
March 13, 2014
Manchin, Rockefeller, Rahall, Capito, McKinley Urge Reinstatement of FEMA Assistance to Help with Elk River Spill
Washington, D.C. - This week, Senators Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin, along with Representatives Nick Rahall, Shelley Moore Capito, and David McKinley, asked President Obama and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator W. Craig Fugate to reconsider a recent decision by FEMA and appealed this week by Governor Earl Ray Tombin, which denied West Virginia's request for federal assistance and emergency protective measures following the January 9 chemical spill in the Elk River. … Continue Reading
March 10, 2014
Manchin Urges HHS Secretary to Reverse Approval of Zohydro
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to overturn the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of the powerful and highly addictive opioid drug, Zohydro Extended Release (ER). Senator Manchin expressed his concerns with FDA's approval given that the FDA's own expert advisory panel voted against the approval of Zohydro ER by a vote of 11-2 and health experts have … Continue Reading
March 10, 2014
Manchin, Vitter, Lee Want Investigation Into Big PhRMA Allegedly Paying FDA for Drug Approval Process
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), David Vitter (R-La.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) and are asking for an investigation into reports that pharmaceutical drug companies paid $25,000 - $35,000 to attend private meetings between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) to potentially influence prescription drug testing and approval. They have asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to open an … Continue Reading
March 06, 2014
Manchin Applauds House Passage of Bill to Limit EPA Rules on Power Plants
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) issued the following statement on the House passage of the Electricity Security and Affordability Act, a bicameral, bipartisan piece of legislation that he introduced with Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) and U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01). This bill addresses the EPA's proposed greenhouse gas emission standards for new and existing coal-fired plants. The measure passed by a vote of 229-183. "I could not be more pleased that my … Continue Reading
March 06, 2014
Manchin, Rockefeller, Rahall Lead Efforts to Protect Miners and Families in Black Lung Claims Process
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A group of seven Members of Congress, led by Senator Jay Rockefeller, is seeking improvements to a proposed Department of Labor (DOL) rule that could limit the ability of miners suffering from Black Lung disease to access medical records needed to prove their eligibility for federal benefits. In a letter to Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, Rockefeller, along with Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Bob Casey (D-PA), and Representatives Nick Rahall (D-WV), George … Continue Reading
March 06, 2014
Manchin, Rockefeller Congratulate WV Students Selected for the U.S. Senate Youth Program
WASHINGTON D.C. - Senators Manchin and Jay Rockefeller today congratulated two West Virginia students who were selected as delegates to the 52st Annual United States Senate Youth Program. Adrienne Arnold of Charleston, and Dominic Raymond of Morgantown, will join 104 student delegates from across the United States in Washington, D.C. on March 8-15, 2014. "I know I speak for all West Virginians in congratulating Adrienne and Dominic on being selected to represent West Virginia in the U.S. … Continue Reading
March 05, 2014
Manchin, Shaheen, Johnson, Ayotte Introduce Legislation to Protect Rights of Motorcycle Riders
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Johnson (R-WI), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would prohibit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) from issuing grants to states for motorcycle-only checkpoints. The NHTSA initiated the Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstration Program in 2009, which provides states with funds to conduct discriminatory, motorcycle-only checkpoints where riders are … Continue Reading
March 05, 2014
Manchin, Heitkamp, Donnelly, Warner Keynotes Coal Technology Symposium
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) joined Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), and Mark Warner (D-VA) at the Coal Technology Symposium hosted by West Virginia University and the University of North Dakota. The event focused on finding commonsense, viable paths forward for coal, which is projected to remain America's most abundant, reliable and affordable domestic energy source for the next few decades. In addition to presentations from the Senators, … Continue Reading
February 27, 2014
West Virginia Congressional Delegation Requests Further Studies from CDC 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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to urge health officials to conduct further studies on the effects of the January 9 chemical spill in the Elk River. The West Virginia Congressional Delegation wrote the letter in support of Governor Tomblin's request for additional studies, population surveillance, and … Continue Reading
February 26, 2014
Manchin, Vitter Question Pay-to-Play Involvement in FDA Approval of Highly Addictive Painkillers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and David Vitter (R-LA) today sent a letter to the Dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Rochester, Dr. Mark Taubman, regarding reports that the university hosted pay-to-play meetings between pharmaceutical manufacturers and officials at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who oversee safety regulations of painkiller medicine. Industry reportedly paid upwards of $25,000-$35,000 per conference to have a seat … Continue Reading
February 26, 2014
Manchin Demands Federal Regulators Ban Bitcoin
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) sent a letter to federal regulators seeking a ban on Bitcoin, the virtual currency that is unregulated and unstable, and has been used in illicit activity, including drug trafficking and money laundering. Senator Manchin expressed concerns about the negative effect Bitcoin could have on America's economy if this crypto-currency remains unregulated. The letter was sent to Secretary Lew, Chairwoman Yellen, Commissioner Curry, Acting … Continue Reading
February 25, 2014
Manchin Applauds Obama Decision to Prepare Troop Withdrawal in Afghanistan
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today issued the following statement after President Obama ordered the Pentagon to begin preparing U.S. troop withdrawal in Afghanistan by the end of 2014. "I applaud President Obama's decision to prepare for a complete withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, and I hope he will choose this course regardless of who succeeds President Karzai in Afghanistan's April elections. Through the bravery and sacrifice … Continue Reading
February 21, 2014
Manchin Statement on Repairing, Not Repealing the Affordable Care Act
"I have never supported repealing the Affordable Care Act because I came to Washington to find solutions to our country's problems. We cannot go back to the days when millions of Americans were uninsured and nearly twenty percent of our GDP was spent on healthcare, while only being ranked 43rd in the world in health and wellness outcomes. The Affordable Care Act does some things well, like expanding access to preventative care, providing access to those with pre-existing conditions, and … Continue Reading
