BROADBAND

Take a Speed Test Here.

The sad fact is that many places in West Virginia simply do not have access to reliable broadband and the lack of access affects West Virginians every day. Back in 2015, the FCC released a coverage map that stated 99.9% of Americans had wireless coverage. I knew then what I know now: That is just plain wrong.

From the Hill to the Mountains

MANCHIN, SULLIVAN REINTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO ADDRESS VETERANS’ BURN PIT EXPOSURE
Charleston, WV – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, reintroduced the Veterans Burn Pit Exposure Recognition Act, which will address a barrier currently preventing many Veterans from getting U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare and benefits for illnesses and diseases related to exposure to burn pits. The bill would recognize and concede their exposure during deployed service. Notably, the bill would not automatically grant benefits or healthcare to Veterans who served near a burn pit, nor would it create a presumption of service connection, like Agent Orange.

MANCHIN LEADS BIPARTISAN PUSH FOR SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION
Washington, DC –  Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) led 19 Senators in a bipartisan push for reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program to ensure counties across America do not lose out on essential services due to federal land ownership. The program, which helps fund essential services in rural communities home to federal land, expired in September 2020; the last payment under the current authorization is scheduled for April 2021, less than two months from now.

MANCHIN, CAPITO LEAD COLLEAGUES IN DESIGNATING PUBLIC SCHOOLS WEEK IN FEBRUARY
Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) led 37 Senators in introducing a bipartisan resolution to designate the week of February 22nd, 2021 as Public Schools Week, which passed the Senate unanimously. The Public Schools Week resolution celebrates the critical role public schools play in their communities and encourages state, local and federal lawmakers to prioritize efforts to strengthen public education, bolster services that provide critical support for students, including counseling, extracurricular activities, and mental health resources and urges Congress support efforts to advance equal opportunities for all students.

MANCHIN, COLLINS INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO HELP DISABLED VETERANS PURCHASE ADAPTIVE AUTOMOBILES
The average cost of a new adaptive vehicle that disabled Veterans need to drive safely and maintain their independence ranges from $40,000 to $65,000

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced bipartisan legislation that would reduce the financial burden for disabled Veterans who require special adaptive equipment to drive a motor vehicle. The Advancing Uniform Transportation Opportunities (AUTO) for Veterans Act would make these Veterans eligible to receive a grant to help purchase a new adaptive vehicle once every ten years, helping them to drive safely and maintain their independence.

MANCHIN APPLAUDS WEST VIRGINIA POWER DECISION TO JOIN ATLANTIC LEAGUE OF PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) applauded the decision by West Virginia Power to join the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball for the 2021 season. Since November 2019, Senator Manchin has worked tirelessly to protect West Virginia’s baseball teams after the restructuring of Minor League Baseball (MiLB) over the last year.

Energy Committee News

MANCHIN WILL VOTE TO CONFIRM HAALAND
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement on his decision to vote to confirm Representative Deb Haaland to serve as Secretary of the Department of the Interior.

“Given the political divisions currently facing our country, I believe that every Presidential nominee and every Member of Congress must be committed to a new era of bipartisanship. That is the standard the overwhelming majority of Americans expect and deserve.

With respect to Representative Haaland and her confirmation hearing, while we do not agree on every issue, she reaffirmed her strong commitment to bipartisanship, addressing the diverse needs of our country and maintaining our nation’s energy independence. Her colleagues on both sides of the aisle, including Republican Congressman Don Young from the energy rich state of Alaska, spoke to their productive working relationship, her bipartisan accomplishments and sincere willingness to work collaboratively on important issues. In addition, she reiterated the position of the Biden Administration that our country will continue to use fossil fuels for years to come, even as we transition to a cleaner energy future, through innovation not elimination. Further, she made clear her commitment to working to extend the critical Abandoned Mine Land fees set to expire this year that impact countless states.

For all these reasons, I believe Deb Haaland will be a Secretary of the Interior for every American and will vote to confirm her. I look forward to working with her to protect our public lands and ensure the responsible use of all our natural resources in a bipartisan manner."

MANCHIN, ENERGY COMMITTEE RECONVENE TO CONSIDER SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR NOMINEE
To watch a video of Senator Manchin’s questioning, please click here.

Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee reconvened to continue the hearing to consider the nomination of U.S. Representative Debra Haaland (D-NM) to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Committee, highlighted the need to improve current pipeline permitting processes to help reduce methane emissions from public lands.

MANCHIN PRAISES SENATE CONFIRMATION OF JENNIFER GRANHOLM TO BE SECRETARY OF ENERGY
To watch Chairman Manchin deliver remarks on the Senate floor, click here.

Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, praised the confirmation of Governor Jennifer Granholm to be Secretary of Energy, who was confirmed by a vote of 64-35.

"Today I voted to confirm Governor Jennifer Granholm as Secretary of Energy. Governor Granholm has the leadership skills, the vision, and the compassion for people that we need at the helm of the Department of Energy to develop innovative solutions for the climate challenge, and at the same time, preserve our energy security, protect our national security, cleanup the Cold War legacy, and preserve our scientific and technological prowess. I have known Governor Granholm since we were governors together more than a decade ago, and I know from personal experience that she will work with and listen to members on both sides of the aisle on the issues critical to our nation. She is extremely well qualified to lead the Department, and during her confirmation hearing she committed to working with me to ensure that we don’t leave any workers behind as we move towards a cleaner energy future. I was pleased to support her nomination and look forward to working with her on the energy issues facing West Virginians and Americans everywhere.”

HOW MAY WE HELP YOU? 

To request assistance from my case team, click here.

As your U.S. Senator, I am proud to be your voice with government agencies during your time of need. My goal is for me and my staff to provide the best possible customer service for every West Virginian who contacts me needing assistance. While I have no direct jurisdiction in legal or administrative matters of any federal, state, or local agency, I welcome the opportunity to assist you in any way possible and to assure that full consideration is given to your case. See one of our success stories below:

A constituent from Logan county reached out to Senator Manchin’s office after receiving a unique job opportunity in South Korea.  To accept the job, he was required to submit an apostilled copy of his education degree as well as a criminal background check.  He had not received the apostille document from Department of State.  Caseworker Cris Hewett provided DOS officials with tracking information for the constituent’s documents and they were completed and mailed out within 48 hours.