Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced Dr. Rahul Gupta, a fellow West Virginian and nominee to be the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), during his nomination hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. “I am proud that yet another West Virginian has been nominated to serve the American people, and I have no doubt that Dr. Gupta will be a dedicated Director of the ONDCP. As a longtime resident of our home state, Dr. Gupta served as the Health Commissioner of West Virginia for two Governors and led the state’s response to the drug epidemic that continues to ravage our state and many others. As a primary care physician, Dr. Gupta intimately understands the needs of communities across America, and would be the first physician ever to hold this position,” said Senator Manchin. “He truly understands the issues facing our communities fighting this epidemic during a pandemic and has proved to be a strong leader in West Virginia’s efforts to address the crisis that killed 93,331 Americans last year alone. Dr. Gupta is a dedicated public servant and has served West Virginians admirably throughout his time as Health Commissioner. I am proud to introduce him to the committee, and I strongly support his nomination to be Director of the ONDCP.”