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Coronavirus: What West Virginians Need to Know

WV JOBS

I am proud to have co-hosted 48 major hiring events throughout the state since 2015. If you are looking for a job, want to change your career, or enhance your skills, these job fairs are the places to be!

Click here to stay up-to-date on WV Jobs

Upcoming Job Fairs:

Concord University Career Fair and Teacher Recruitment Day

March 17
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Concord University 
Contact: Sharon Manzo / smanzo@concord.edu / 304.384.5102

Employers register online: http://bit.ly/2nZDYDJ

Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell Job Fair

March 24
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Erma Byrd Higher Education Center, 300 University Drive, Beaver 

For more information contact FCI McDowell's HR Department: 304-436-7300 or visit USAJobs.gov.

Bluefield State College Annual Job Fair

March 26
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Ned Shott Gymnasium, 219 Rock Street, Bluefield

Employers may register by contacting Rebekah Hatch at rhatch@bluefieldstate.edu 

Randolph County Job Fair

March 26
12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Phil Gainer Community Center, 142 Robert E. Lee Ave. Ext., Elkins 

For more information, contact Kris Wilmoth at kris@randolphwv.com

Scheduling  

My staff and I participate in events and meetings across the Mountain State throughout the year.  From Skypes with classrooms, to small business ribbon cuttings, job fairs, and Manchin Mobile Mondays, we are honored to receive your invitation.   

To invite the Senator to your event, click here.

From the Hill to the Mountains

MANCHIN NAMED HONORARY UMWA MEMBER

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) was named an honorary member of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). Senator Manchin received this honor for his relentless work over the last 5 years to secure pensions for 92,000 coal miners and their widows and healthcare benefits for 36,000 coal miners. 

“My grandfather, Papa Joe, started working in the mines at nine years of age and I will never forget his stories of how hard he worked and fought for his fellow miners to have the dignity and respect every miner deserves. I lost my Uncle John, classmates from high school, friends and neighbors in the 1968 Farmington No 9 mining disaster. I know the hard work and risk our miners take every day to provide for their families but also the patriotic pride they have in providing our great nation with the power we needed to win wars and propel us to become the world power we are today. Standing alongside the UMWA members while they fought tooth and nail to secure the pension and healthcare benefits they rightfully earned has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Today I am humbled to be recognized as an honorary member of this great organization and to be brought in as one of their brothers. I am incredibly proud of everything we have accomplished together for West Virginia coal miners and their families and all miners across America. Thank you to Cecil Roberts and the entire UMWA membership for this tremendous honor,” said Senator Manchin.

Please click here for photos and here for video from the ceremony.

MANCHIN, CAPITO REINTRODUCE PROTECTING JESSICA GRUBB'S LEGACY ACT

U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) today reintroduced the Protecting Jessica Grubb’s Legacy Act to change existing privacy regulations, known as 42 CFR Part 2, surrounding medical records for those suffering with substance use disorder. The goal of the legislation is to save lives by ensuring that medical providers do not accidentally give opioids to individuals in recovery like in the case of Jessica Grubb. In order to ensure all parties involved are supported and heard in the implementation of this legislation, the reintroduction of the Legacy Act has several significant changes when compared with the version introduced earlier this Congress. To view the summary of changes to the Legacy Act, please click here.

“No family or community should ever have to go through the senseless and preventable tragedy that Jessica Grubb and her family had to endure. That is why today we are reintroducing this critical legislation, the Protecting Jessica Grubb’s Legacy Act. This bipartisan bill is essential to combatting the opioid epidemic and ensuring that these painful deaths are prevented. By making changes to the existing regulations regarding the medical records of patients with substance use disorder, we can save thousands of lives. No one should go to the doctor expecting to receive help and instead be thrown back into the nightmare of addiction. We must do more to combat this crisis as a country. The Legacy Act will help make sure we are combatting this epidemic, not contributing to it,” said Senator Manchin.

MANCHIN LAUNCHES CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE PAGE FOR WEST VIRGINIANS

To view the coronavirus resource webpage please click here.

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV)  announced a coronavirus resource page on his website to ensure West Virginians have access to accurate information so they can be prepared and safe.

“I have been closely monitoring the Coronavirus disease outbreak and have received several Senate briefings with officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control, National Institute of Health, Department of Health and Human Services and others. Today, I launched a webpage, manchin.senate.gov/coronavirus, where West Virginians can find information and resources on this public health emergency. The most important thing West Virginians can do right now is take preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs and follow the advice of our public health professionals. We must all do our part to help stop the spread of the coronavirus and other infectious diseases,” said Senator Manchin.

MANCHIN STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT DECISION TO HEAR AFFORDABLE CARE ACT CHALLENGE LATER THIS YEAR

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV)  issued the following statement on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decision to hear a challenge to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Texas v. United States, later this year.

 “The Supreme Court announced their decision to hear Texas v. United States, a challenge to the Affordable Care Act, which currently protects health coverage for 800,000 West Virginians and millions of Americans. I hope that the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case will mean a definitive answer after the years of turmoil for those West Virginians and Americans living with preexisting conditions. These Americans live in fear of losing their healthcare because of the Administration’s continuous attacks on the law of the land, the ACA, which protects their health coverage.

 “Time and time again, I have stated that the ACA is not perfect, but we simply cannot throw the baby out with the bath water. I am outraged by the Administration’s efforts to do so while touting their support for people with preexisting conditions. It is unconscionable. I also urge West Virginia’s Attorney General Patrick Morrisey to withdraw from this dangerous lawsuit on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of West Virginians who will be harmed.

 “While the Administration is actively undermining the protections for people with preexisting conditions, I will continue to fight for Congress to pass bipartisan legislation that will fix our current healthcare system and ensure that the Senate has the opportunity to defend the constitutionality of preexisting condition protections in court. Every West Virginian and American deserves access to quality and affordable health insurance and I will not stop fighting until their access is protected.”

MANCHIN STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF MADISON MAYOR HAROLD SONNY HOWELL

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV)  released the following statement on the death of Madison Mayor Harold Howard “Sonny” Howell II.

“Gayle and I are heartbroken to learn of the passing of our dear friend Madison Mayor Harold Howard “Sonny” Howell II. My uncle, the late A. James Manchin and Sonny were the closest of friends. I met Sonny in the 1970’s and he has remained an absolute unconditional, lifelong friend. I have met many unique people throughout the years but nobody compared to Sonny. He was a true example of what it means to be a public servant having served in the U.S. Army, as a Justice of the Peace, Boone County Circuit Clerk and for many years as Mayor. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Ona, son Kip and his wife Deanna, his grandchildren Harry and Meredith, and the entire Boone County community as they mourn this tragic loss.”

MANCHIN SENDS ANOTHER 183 SPEED TESTS TO FCC HIGHLIGHTING BROADBAND COVERAGE MAP ISSUES IN WEST VIRGINIA

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), has sent 330 speed test letters submitted by constituents from across West Virginia to Ajit Pai, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), including 183 letters sent recently, since July 2019. These speed tests highlight incorrect broadband coverage maps and support the need for the formation of a public feedback system to better assess broadband coverage across rural states like West Virginia. These speed test results are from West Virginians in 50 counties who do not have reliable broadband service. On February 10th, Senator Manchin launched a new webpage, manchin.senate.gov/speedtest, for constituents to easily submit speed tests to the FCC and to learn more about the fight to bring reliable broadband to rural communities across West Virginia.

“In 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the rural electrification program to bring electricity to communities across America. Now, the fight to bring reliable broadband to rural communities across the nation is just as important. Without access to the internet, citizens can’t learn, apply for jobs, or become members of society who can give back to their communities. That’s why I’m asking all West Virginians to submit their internet speed tests, so we can prove to the FCC that our broadband coverage is well below the stated coverage. We must ensure that rural communities like those in West Virginia have access to reliable broadband, which is why I have sent 330 letters and counting to Chairman Ajit Pai to show the actual broadband speeds available on the ground in West Virginia,” said Senator Manchin.

MANCHIN TO FCC CHAIRMAN: WE BOTH KNOW THE FCC'S MAPS ARE WRONG

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai on the proposed Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) timeline. In the letter he urged the FCC to go back to the drawing board and create a process and timeline that will allow for verification of the map accuracy before $16 billion in subsidies are committed over the next ten years.

The Senator wrote in part, “I urge you to revise the aggressive timeline outlined for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and postpone the initial auction until after the eligibility maps can be challenged and verified. If we learned no other lessons from the Mobility Fund II (MF-II) experience, we should have at least learned the importance of getting the maps right before we award billions of dollars. Unfortunately, instead of learning from the failures of the past, your proposal seems intent on repeating them… We both know that the FCC’s maps are wrong. Not only did I test them personally, I have shared with you hundreds of speed tests I have received from my constituents across West Virginia that show service levels far below the established federal standard of service (25/3 Mbps). Unfortunately, it does not appear that any of that data has been used to update the FCC maps.”

SENATE UNANIMOUSLY PASSES MANCHIN, CAPITO RESOLUTION IN HONOR OF KATHERINE JOHNSON

The United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) to honor Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson, NASA mathematician and proud West Virginian.

“A White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia native, Katherine Johnson not only completed groundbreaking work at NASA during the space race, but also broke the barriers of race and gender during a critical time in our nation. Katherine graduated summa cum laude from West Virginia State College in 1937 with degrees in mathematics and French and became the first African-American woman to attend graduate school at West Virginia University. She began her work as a mathematician for NASA, eventually running the equations that sent the first American astronaut to orbit Earth. Because of the accomplishments of intellectual leaders like Katherine Johnson, more young women have, and will, blaze their own trails in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, and will continue to make our state and entire nation proud. We cannot thank Katherine enough for her contributions to our state and our nation and she will be missed greatly by us all,” said Senator Manchin.

MANCHIN INTRODUCES SAFE KIDS ACT TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ON SUBSTANCE USE

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced the Saving America’s Future by Educating (SAFE) Kids Act of 2020. The SAFE Kids Act directs the Department of Education along with several health agencies to develop evidence-based, age appropriate curriculum on the negative impacts of substance use – including but not limited to opioids, tobacco, and vaping. This legislation also establishes a competitive grant program for states to implement the curriculum in public schools. More information on the SAFE Kids Act can be found here.

“The opioid epidemic has ravaged our nation and our state. Families have been destroyed, tens of thousands of lives have been lost, and an entire generation is starting their lives at a disadvantage because of this terrible crisis. We must do better for our future generations. In high schools across America, 1 out of 8 seniors reported using prescription opioids recreationally. Of those seniors, 7 out of 10 also used another substance like marijuana or alcohol. That is unacceptable, which is why I am introducing the SAFE Kids Act to create a curriculum to educate our students on these dangers. I believe education and awareness are the keys to preventing substance use misuse and abuse in the next generation and ensuring the next generation of West Virginians and Americans aren’t burdened by this awful epidemic,” said Senator Manchin.

Energy Committee News

This Week: Senate to Take Up Manchin’s American Energy Innovation Act

Process-Driven, Consensus-Based Legislation on Senate Floor This Week

Click here to watch Senator Manchin's floor remarks.

Washington, D.C. – Last week, after a full year of hearings, business meetings, and bipartisan negotiations, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, released the text of their energy innovation package. The full Senate will take up the American Energy Innovation Act (AEIA) this week. The AEIA is an all-of-the-above approach to our energy future that brings together innovative solutions that will keep our energy affordable and reliable and protect our grid while reducing emissions across the economy and strengthening our position as a global leader.

“This legislation is the result of strong bipartisan work with my colleagues on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to make a down payment on emissions-reducing technologies, reassert the United States’ leadership role in global markets, enhance our grid security, and protect consumers. Importantly, this bill will connect energy-producing communities, including in states like West Virginia and Alaska, to new markets and job opportunities while laying the groundwork for the Department of Energy to advance new and necessary critical emissions-reducing technologies,” Ranking Member Manchin said.

For the full bill text, please click here. For a summary, please click here. 

MANCHIN VOTES TO CONFIRM FERC NOMINEE AGAIN

The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a business meeting to consider the pending nomination of Mr. James P. Danly, nominated to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). He passed out of committee by a recorded vote of 12-8. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, voted to support Mr. Danly. Ranking Member Manchin also supported Mr. Danly’s nomination in November 2019 when the Committee voted 12-8 to pass Mr. Danly out of committee.

Senator Manchin took this opportunity to again express his disappointment with the White House for failing to nominate a Democratic FERC Commission nominee that could be paired with Mr. Danly’s nomination. 

“I supported Mr. Danly’s nomination to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission when the Committee reported his nomination last November, and I will vote for him again this morning. I found him to be professional, bright, and well qualified for the job in my meeting with him and during his confirmation hearing in November. As the Commission’s General Counsel for the past two and a half years, Mr. Danly has demonstrated that he has a firm grasp on the issues before the Commission. I must say again, however, that I am disappointed we are advancing the nomination for the Republican seat on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission without pairing Mr. Danly’s nomination with a nomination to fill the Democratic seat that has been vacant since last August. I think we can all agree that the Commission functions best when it is fully staffed with all five Commissioners. Commissioner McNamee has said he will not seek another term when his current term expires at the end of June.  Unless we fill the vacant Democratic seat, we will again be faced with a bare quorum of three Commissioners even after Mr. Danly is confirmed, once Mr. McNamee’s term expires. Moreover, filling the Republican seat while leaving the Democratic seat vacant is not in keeping with the longstanding practice of this Committee or the need to keep the Commission bipartisan. That said, I will vote for Mr. Danly on the strength of his qualifications. I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to do the same when we receive the qualified nominee for the open Democratic seat,” Ranking Member Manchin said.

Key Federal Resources

MANCHIN, CAPITO ANNOUNCE NEARLY $13.5 MILLION FOR HEALTH CENTERS ACROSS WEST VIRGINIA

U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $13,461,596 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for health centers across West Virginia.

“This funding is especially critical on the heels of the announcement about the closure of Fairmont Regional Medical Center. Health centers across our state ensure that rural communities continue to have access to close, reliable healthcare no matter where they live in our great state. Whether fighting to protect people with preexisting conditions or providing funding for health centers like those receiving funding today, I will continue to fight for West Virginians to have access to the healthcare they deserve,” said Senator Manchin.

MANCHIN, CAPITO ANNOUNCE $2.6 MILLION FOR DAMAGED ROADS ACROSS WEST VIRGINIA

U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced a grant of $2,626,972 through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads program. This funding will help improve infrastructure throughout West Virginia and repair existing federal roads that have been devastated by flood damage.

“I am thankful to the DOT for providing funds to address some of the terrible road conditions we are facing in West Virginia, especially in communities that have faced devastating flood events in recent years. As we all know roads are always an issue in a mountainous state like West Virginia, but the frequent flooding we experience makes matters worse. I will continue to fight for West Virginia to receive this funding so we can ensure our roads are safe,” said Senator Manchin.

MANCHIN, CAPITO ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $300,000 FOR SENIOR CORPS ORGANIZATIONS IN WEST VIRGINIA

U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced a grant of $302,661 through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) for West Virginia Senior Corps organizations. This funding will create opportunities for citizens 55 and older to use their skills and experience to better their communities through a multitude of service projects.

“Our senior citizens are one of the best resources to educate the future generations of West Virginia. This funding will help our citizens provide academic tutoring, mentoring, disaster relief support, and more for the Charleston and Summersville communities. I am glad to see the CNCS investing in our senior members to ensure that their knowledge isn’t lost for the next generation,” said Senator Manchin.

MANCHIN, CAPITO ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $2.2 MILLION FOR HEAD START PROGRAMS

U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee,  announced $2,243,658 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for Head Start programs in West Virginia.

“Early education is an essential part of our children’s lives and will ensure a brighter future for generations to come. Head Start ensures that every child they serve, no matter their background or circumstance, have the skills and knowledge needed to be successful throughout their education. I have been a proud longtime supporter of Head Start programs and truly appreciate the work and dedication these programs show to our students. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am proud to have secured increased funding for Head Start programs across West Virginia,” said Senator Manchin.