In the News
Howell, Manchin Voice Concerns About Paper Mill Closure | WV MetroNews
by Staff Writers
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Two lawmakers voiced their concerns Wednesday related to the closure of a Maryland paper mill near the West Virginia border. Verso Corporation, based in Miamisburg, Ohio, announced its decision to close its facility in Luke, Maryland, resulting in the elimination of 675 jobs. The company said the mill would close June 30. The 130-year plant is near Mineral County and the city of Keyser. Delegate Gary Howell, R-Mineral, said much of the facility's employees are West … Continue Reading
May 01, 2019
RECLAIM Act Would Direct Mine Reclamation Funds For Economic Development | The Beckley Register-Herald
by Matt Combs
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., was among a group of five senators Tuesday who reintroduced the "Revitalization the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More (RECLAIM) Act." The RECLAIM Act aims at using coal mine reclamation monies to bolster economic development in communities most impacted by the downturn of the coal industry. Along with Manchin, the act was introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Mark Warner, D-Va., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Bob Casey, … Continue Reading
May 01, 2019
Senate Democrats Fight To Speed Mine Land Cleanup Funds | Bloomberg
by Stephen Lee
Six coal-state Senate Democrats reintroduced a bill April 30 that would speed the delivery of $1 billion to states grappling with abandoned mine lands. The Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More (RECLAIM) Act has the support of congressional Democrats and many Republicans, because the money it provides would help clean up polluted lands and waterways, create cleanup jobs, and lay the groundwork for new businesses to move into blighted … Continue Reading
April 29, 2019
Manchin: More Than $4 Million coming To Fix Water System In Calhoun County | WCHS
by Staff Writers
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) - U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin says more than $4 million is coming to a West Virginia county to improve its aging water treatment infrastructure. The West Virginia Democrat on Thursday announced the funding for Grantsville, which has the majority of residents in Calhoun County. He says a $1 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will be matched by more than $3 million in federal and local funds for the repairs. The money will go toward renovating the local … Continue Reading
April 29, 2019
Big Tech Partners With DEA On Opioid Drop-Off Efforts | The Hill
by Emily Birnbaum
Silicon Valley giants are partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in its annual effort to combat the opioid epidemic, a campaign known as National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Throughout the day on Saturday, participants will be able to use Google and Twitter to identify locations to drop off any prescription drugs they have at home, while Facebook runs advertisements about the effort. The Take Back Day campaign has seen results before, with the DEA reporting last fall … Continue Reading
April 26, 2019
West Virginia Members Of Congress Oppose Impeachment | WOWK
by Mark Curtis
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) - Perhaps nowhere in the United States is President Trump more popular, than in the Mountain State where he visits often. Now that the report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller has been out for a week, some Democrats in Congress are calling for Trump's impeachment. "The accountability for the President lies through Congress. And that's the impeachment process," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, (D) Massachusetts. That's despite the fact the report found no collusion … Continue Reading
April 26, 2019
WV Senators Announce $2.2 Million For Repairs To Brooke Pioneer Trail | WTRF
by Staff Writers
U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito announced $2,240,543 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the repair of Brooke County's Pioneer Trail due to recent flood damage. The Brooke Pioneer Trail stretches from Wellsburg, West Virginia to Wheeling, West Virginia along the Ohio River and is a popular recreation area for the residents of West Virginia and visitors alike. "I applaud FEMA for their continued efforts to help rebuild West Virginia after recent … Continue Reading
April 25, 2019
Is Joe Manchin The Only Senator To Consistently Vote Against The Nuclear Option? | Politifact
by Al Bernardi & Austin Jones
For decades, majority leaders in the U.S. Senate have threatened to use the "nuclear option" to change senators' ability to filibuster, a maneuver that blocks bills from coming to a vote unless a supermajority of the chamber votes to proceed. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is one member of the body who has fought to protect the status quo. In a recent tweet, Manchin said, "I was the only member of the Senate - Republican or Democrat - who has consistently voted against efforts to use the so … Continue Reading
April 25, 2019
Legacy Act Would Save Lives | The Clarksburg Exponent Telegram
by Staff Writers
As lawmakers in Washington, D.C., debate major issues and look for ways to handle substantial problems, there are pieces of legislation that get shuffled aside. Perhaps they don't seem as significant as, say, a trade agreement or a treaty or an investigation of a member of the opposition party. Whatever the reason, bills that would make a difference fall to the wayside despite the best efforts of those who originally sponsor them. That's what occurred to a bill that would have created … Continue Reading
April 24, 2019
Manchin Discusses Topics of Interest At Business Summit | Times West Virginian
by Eddie Trizzino
MORGANTOWN - U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin stopped in at the Bridges Without Boundaries business summit Tuesday to address speakers' points of interest from the point of view of a Senator. For him, having a space full of West Virginia leaders together to discuss the state's future itself is an imperative part of shaping the state for the years to come. "It's a tremendous opportunity for us to basically look at the successes we've had and the challenges we still have," Manchin said. "If I've done my … Continue Reading
April 23, 2019
Manchin Announces More Than $1.7M In Rural School Payments | The Beckley Register-Herald
by Jordan Nelson
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), announced Thursday many counties throughout the state will receive a total of $1,778,953 though the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. The rewards will allow for $172,953 to be used in Greenbrier County, $34,635 in Monroe County and $51,413 in Nicholas County. "Senator Manchin pressed United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Chief Victoria Christiansen about the lapsed SRS payments to 14 West Virginia Counties during last week's Energy … Continue Reading
April 18, 2019
More Than $1.7 Million In Federal Funding Set For West Virginia Schools | WV MetroNews
by Staff Writers
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Schools in 14 West Virginia counties will receive federal funding from the Secure Rural Schools program. The more than $1.7 million total comes after U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., questioned a U.S. Department of Agriculture official during a hearing last week about the lapse in funding. "While it's unacceptable the payments have lapsed this long, I am relieved the Forest Service has responded to my continued urging and finally issued these overdue payments. I hope they … Continue Reading
April 17, 2019
Wheeling Housing Authority Preparing To-Do List For 2019 | WTOV
by Jaime Baker
OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. - The Wheeling Housing Authority has five different properties for residents across the city. That can be expensive to keep up with, but the federal government has offered some financial help. "It's the same as upkeeping a house. But we have 543 units to keep up," said Joyce Wolen, executive director, Wheeling Housing Authority. Late last week, Senators Joe Manchin and Shelly Moore-Capito announced more than $13 million to be distributed across the state to modernize … Continue Reading
April 17, 2019
City Of Beckley Receives $313,000 In Federal Funds | The Beckley Register-Herald
by Jessica Farrish
The City of Beckley has received $313,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, and public hearings will be held to decide how the monies will be spent, Beckley Mayor Rob Rappold said Tuesday. "We're required to have some public hearings for input," he said. Rappold said that, in the past few years, the city has used $41,000 CDBG funds for community policing and $35,000 to $40,000 to demolish substandard housing or deserted houses. Over the past few years, CDBG funds … Continue Reading
April 17, 2019
MSHA Considers Moving Mount Hope Office To Academy | The Beckley Register-Herald
by Jessica Farrish
The U.S. Mine Safety Health Administration is considering a plan to move its Mount Hope office to the Operating Engineers building at the National Mine Health and Safety Academy in Beaver, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin's office reported on Monday. MSHA officials have not reached a decision on the plan, said Katey McCutcheon, Manchin's spokeswoman. "We reached out to the Department of Labor, and they said that MSHA is exploring moving to the Operating Engineers building in Academy, but that they … Continue Reading
April 17, 2019
Bill Aims To Allow More Flexibility For Prescription Drug Spending | The Beckley Register-Herald
by Wendy Holdren
The Restoring Access to Medication Act (RAMA), introduced in the U.S. Senate last week, aims to reverse a provision in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that limits the use of funds from pre-tax health accounts (such as health savings accounts and medical saving accounts) towards the purchase of prescription drugs or insulin. If passed, RAMA would also allow consumers to have more flexibility with different pre-tax health savings accounts to purchase over-the-counter drugs. "I have always said … Continue Reading
April 17, 2019
Senators Want More Money For Carbon Capture Research | Bloomberg
by Abby Smith
A dozen senators from both parties want Congress to set an aggressive timeline in spending legislation for the Energy Department to develop new and improved carbon capture technologies. The senators are urging their colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to fund Energy Department programs for carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies at the "highest possible levels" in fiscal year 2020. The Trump White House, in its fiscal year 2020 budget request, proposes a nearly $200 … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
Nearly $30 Million In Housing And Urban Development Funding Awarded To WV | The Clarksburg Exponent Telegram
by Staff Writers
WASHINGTON - Nearly $30 million has been secured for West Virginia through various grant programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funding will come to the state in the form of Community Development Block Grants, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Emergency Solutions Grants and the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS Program, according to a release from the office of U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. West Virginia Nonentitlement will receive … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
City Gets $2.2M for Development, Housing | The Huntington Herald-Dispatch
by Travis Crum
HUNTINGTON - The City of Huntington will receive $2.5 million in federal funds for economic development, expanding affordable housing and providing shelter for the homeless. Meanwhile, the Huntington Housing Authority will get $1.1 million in a federal grant to develop, finance and modernize its facilities. The money announced Monday was part of more than $29.8 million awarded statewide by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to create sustainable communities and expand … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
Federal HUD Funds Announced For Beckley, Raleigh And Mount Hope | The Beckley Register-Herald
by Jessica Farrish
Three housing authorities in the region will receive a portion of $13.5 million in federal money allotted to 30 public housing authorities in West Virginia. Funds are from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s Public Housing Capital Fund and will help West Virginia public housing authorities develop, finance and modernize their facilities as well as their management operations, U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said in a … Continue Reading
