Press Releases
Manchin, Rockefeller, Rahall ask HHS to review limits on funding for state clinics
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Jay Rockefeller, along with Congressman Nick Rahall, have repeated their call in opposition to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) changes to the Black Lung Clinics Grant Program that would unfairly burden West Virginians suffering from black lung disease. The three members of the West Virginia Congressional Delegation have been successful in securing additional time and technical assistance for the State's grant application … Continue Reading
April 01, 2014
Manchin Demands Propaganda Film Be Taken Off the Internet and Ceased to be Distributed
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today sent a letter to Adroit Films, the firm that filmed and produced the Don Blankenship-funded documentary, demanding the company to remove this propaganda from all websites, discontinue the distribution of the film and delete all references of Senator Manchin's name, image and representation. Senator Manchin's office has repeatedly attempted to contact Adroit Films via phone and email. Senator Manchin wrote, in part: "Your fraudulent … Continue Reading
March 31, 2014
Manchin Outraged by Don Blankenship-Funded Propaganda Documentary
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) issued the following statement on Don Blankenship's propaganda documentary. "Adroit Films, the propaganda firm behind this shameful documentary, never disclosed to me the intent of this film. They lied to my face and told me this documentary was focused on mine safety, an issue I have been committed to since the Farmington Mine disaster that killed my uncle and 77 miners. Had I known the film was in any way associated with Don Blankenship, … Continue Reading
March 27, 2014
Manchin, Senate Democrats Propose Ideas to Make the Affordable Care Act Work Better
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), along with Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Angus King (I-Maine) proposed a series of commonsense pieces of legislation that take the next steps toward making the Affordable Care Act work better. The bills would make changes to the law in three key areas by: Offering more convenient and greater access to coverage; Providing greater choice and increasing … Continue Reading
March 26, 2014
Manchin, Hoeven, Terry, Vets4Energy: Keystone XL Pipeline Should Be Approved for National Security
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Congressman Lee Terry (R-Neb.) today joined forces with Vets4Energy, the American Petroleum Institute and Canadian Ambassador to the United States Gary Doer to drive home the importance of the Keystone XL pipeline project, and others like it, to secure America's economic and national security. Participating in today's news conference were Vets4Energy Advisor and National Veterans Service Organizations Liaison Rear … Continue Reading
March 26, 2014
Congressional Delegation Requests President to Grant Major Disaster Declaration in Wake Of Chemical Spill
Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Jay Rockefeller, along with Representatives Nick Rahall, Shelley Moore Capito and David McKinley wrote a letter to President Obama and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator W. Craig Fugate 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 the January 9 chemical spill in the Elk River. The congressional delegation wrote, in part: … Continue Reading
March 25, 2014
Manchin, Vitter Introduce Bill to Stop EPA's Preemptive, Retroactive Vetoes of Water Permits
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and David Vitter (R-LA) introduced the Regulatory Fairness Act of 2014, which would limit the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) role in reviewing Clean Water Act (CWA) permits by prohibiting the agency from preemptive or retroactively vetoing a permit under Section 404 of the Act. "For far too long, the EPA has been waging a destructive war against energy production, and it is costing countless American jobs and investment … Continue Reading
March 25, 2014
Manchin Spearheads Efforts to Honor America's Elite Fighter Pilots with Congressional Gold Medal
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Manchin (D-WV) proudly announced the passage of the American Fighter Aces Congressional Gold Medal Act, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The legislation will collectively award a Congressional Gold Medal to all American Fighter Aces, who are among the most distinguished and decorated groups in our country's military history. These elite pilots are only credited if they have destroyed five or more confirmed enemy aircraft in aerial combat. … Continue Reading
March 24, 2014
Manchin Disappointed in Supreme Court Decision To Not Review Spruce No. 1 Mine Permit Case
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) issued a statement following the Supreme Court's announcement that it will not review Mingo Logan v. EPA, a case deciding whether the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had legal authority to retroactively revoke the Spruce No. 1 Mine permit. As Governor, Senator Manchin filed the lawsuit against the EPA for overreaching its authority under the Clean Water Act after the Spruce Mine permit had been approved after an exhaustive, … Continue Reading
March 24, 2014
Senator Manchin's Office Assists Hardy County with Getting More Than 100 Computers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today announced the delivery of more than 100 computers and other technology accessories to Hardy County Schools. Senator Manchin's Potomac Highlands Representative Peggy Hawse today met with the Hardy County Superintendent Barbara Whitecotten and toured the inventory. "More and more, we are dependent upon computers for our day-to-day business and educational needs," Senator Manchin said. "It is so important to try to keep up with these … Continue Reading
March 21, 2014
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
