Press Releases
Manchin Thanks West Virginia National Guard for Their Service During SOTU Address
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) issued the following statement to thank the West Virginia National Guard for keeping the United States Capitol safe during last night's State of the Union address. The West Virginia National Guard was chosen to assist Capitol Hill security and would have been one of the first to respond to any emergencies. "I thank each and every West Virginia Guard member who stood ready to respond to any security threats during last night's State of the … Continue Reading
January 29, 2014
West Virginia Delegation Requests Further Help From FEMA 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 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to request further financial assistance for those businesses and organizations affected by the Elk River chemical spill. The West Virginia Delegation wrote the letter in support of Governor Tomblin's initiatives to seek assistance for eligible state and local governments and … Continue Reading
January 28, 2014
Manchin, Boxer, Rockefeller Introduce Bill to Prevent Chemical Spills
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) today introduced the Chemical Safety and Drinking Water Protection Act, which gathers into one place the tools to provide oversight of chemical facilities. The Chemical Safety and Drinking Water Protection Act includes common sense measures designed to ensure industrial facilities are properly inspected by state officials and both … Continue Reading
January 23, 2014
Manchin Calls For Hazardous Freedom Industry Site To Be Torn Down and Cleaned Up
Washington, D.C. - Today, after spending the week listening to the concerns of West Virginians affected by the ongoing impacts from the chemical spill that contaminated the largest water source in the state, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) released the following statement: "After speaking to people directly affected by the spill, it is clear West Virginians are still very concerned about the quality of their water and the potential long-term effects of the water contamination. The first … Continue Reading
January 20, 2014
Manchin Statement on Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) issued the following statement today on celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: "In the 30 years since the creation of a national holiday honoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the celebration of his inspiring life and lasting spirit has evolved into a day of national service - 'a day on, not a day off,' as some like to say. Dr. King was taught at an early age that 'life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing … Continue Reading
January 17, 2014
Manchin, Boxer, Rockefeller to Introduce Bill to Prevent Chemical Spills
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) today reached agreement on legislative language that will help protect Americans from chemical spills that threaten drinking water. This bill, the Chemical Safety and Drinking Water Protection Act, brings together in one place the tools to provide oversight of chemical facilities. It strengthens states' ability to prevent chemical … Continue Reading
January 16, 2014
Manchin, Inhofe Introduce Bill to Protect Pilots, Air Traffic Controllers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducts an open rulemaking process before enacting potential changes to the medical certification requirements for pilots and air traffic controllers in relation to sleep disorders. "As a pilot myself, I recognize that there is nothing more important than making sure our skies are safe and I appreciate the FAA's … Continue Reading
January 16, 2014
Manchin to CDC: West Virginia Deserves Answers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and U.S. Representative Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) have asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to explain whether pregnant women should drink the water in the Kanawha Valley. "It is particularly concerning that as many as 150,000 people who had been under a Do Not Use water order were told that their water supply was safe for use before the CDC's recommendation that pregnant women should consider an alternate drinking water source. We … Continue Reading
January 15, 2014
Manchin, Wicker Statement on Regulators Volcker Rule Fix
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) today issued the following statement on financial regulators' decision to carve out certain securities owned by small banks from the Volcker Rule, a move that will protect community banks from losing millions of dollars. Senators Manchin and Wicker introduced similar legislation last week and sent a letter to financial regulators last month demanding they take action to protect community banks. "This oversight … Continue Reading
January 14, 2014
Manchin Introduces Bill to Boost Small Business Growth
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today introduced the Small Business Mergers, Acquisitions, Sales, and Brokerage Simplification Act of 2013 to exempt brokers involved in mergers and acquisitions of privately-owned small businesses from expensive registration requirements before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Costs for these brokers can be very expensive, as a percentage of the transaction, and those costs are often passed down to the small business owners … Continue Reading
January 13, 2014
Manchin and Wicker Introduce Legislation to Protect Community Banks with Carve Out to Volcker Rule
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) today introduced legislation to protect community banks from losing millions of dollars due to an oversight in the Volcker Rule. The Volcker Rule, which went into effect on December 10, 2013, and was intended to protect the U.S. economy from risky bets by large banks, currently requires community banks to sell at depressed values securities that helped them raise capital; the investments were never intended for … Continue Reading
January 10, 2014
Manchin Applauds Treasury Decision to Exempt Volunteer Firefighters from Unintended Healthcare Mandate
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today issued the following statement applauding the Treasury's decision to fully exempt volunteer firefighters and volunteer medical emergency personnel from being counted as full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) under the employer shared responsibility provisions of the "Affordable Care Act." The new rule clarifies that volunteer fire departments will not be subject to the employer healthcare mandate. This requirement would have imposed … Continue Reading
January 10, 2014
Manchin Statement on Federal Response to Water Contamination
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today released the following statement after Governor Tomblin and President Obama issued a federal disaster declaration for West Virginia as a result of a chemical spill that may have contaminated the tap water for nine counties: Kanawha, Boone, Logan, Lincoln, Putnam, Jackson, Roane, Clay and Cabell. "Today I have spoken with the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the regional administrator of the Federal Emergency … Continue Reading
January 10, 2014
EMERGENCY INFORMATION CENTER
Flushing will commence by zones. Click here to review the procedure for flushing out the system and check for your zone: http://bit.ly/1eDz00P If you have specific questions about the flushing procedure, please call WV American Water at their toll-free hotline 1-855-390-4569 or read through these detailed instrictions. http://bit.ly/1a2DSxk Please do not begin the flushing process until the "Do Not Use" order is lifted for your zone. To read my statement on federal response to water … Continue Reading
January 09, 2014
Manchin, Inhofe Urge Full Funding of FAA Contract Towers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) today sent a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD) urging that members fully fund the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Contract Tower Program. "It is critical that we invest in our country's infrastructure and air safety," Senator Manchin said. "Reliable transportation is … Continue Reading
January 08, 2014
Manchin Statement on Need to Protect Homeowners from Drastic Flood Insurance Increases
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today announced he supports the "Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act" to protect homeowners from paying drastically higher flood insurance costs under the revised version of the National Flood Insurance Program. This legislation, cosponsored by 28 additional Senators, would delay changes to the insurance program overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) until the agency can finish an affordability study required by … Continue Reading
January 08, 2014
Manchin Encourages West Virginians to Nominate Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs for Achievement Awards
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today encouraged West Virginians to nominate Mountain State small businesses and entrepreneurs for the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) 2014 Small Business Week awards and for West Virginia's District Office awards. Winners of the national award categories will compete for national titles and attend National Small Business Week events in Washington, D.C., May 12-16, 2014. All nominations are due by Friday, January 17, 2014. "Small … Continue Reading
January 08, 2014
Manchin, Portman, Barrasso, Lee Call on Interior Nominee to Denounce Politically Motivated Jobs Statistics
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Rob Portman (R-OH), John Barrasso (R-WY) and Mike Lee (R-UT) today sent a letter to Ms. Janice Schneider, the nominee to be the next Assistant Secretary for Land and Management at the Department of the Interior, urging her to promptly address a report that poses serious questions about the integrity of Office of Surface and Mining (OSM). If confirmed, Ms. Schneider would have direct oversight for OSM. On December 20, 2013, the Inspector … Continue Reading
January 07, 2014
Manchin, Rockefeller, Rahall Announce Funding to Help Families in Need Find Employment
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Jay Rockefeller, along with Congressman Nick Rahall (all D-WV), today announced more than $227,300 in federal funding to help families who are receiving vouchers find employment that pays a living wage and leads to economic independence. "As West Virginians, we understand the importance of supporting those in our community who have fallen on hard times," Manchin said. "We should do all we can to make sure that our neighbors have the resources … Continue Reading
January 07, 2014
Manchin Announces Service Academy Nominations
Charleston, W.Va. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced today that he will nominate 45 West Virginia students to the U.S. service academies, which include the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, and the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point. "West Virginia has built a reputation of service and sacrifice, and I am extremely proud of these students for their commitment to carrying on our state's … Continue Reading
