“West Virginians have more commonsense in their little finger than you can find in all of Washington.”

~ Senator Manchin 

Since taking office, Senator Manchin has traveled thousands of miles around the state of West Virginia to hear citizens’ priorities and concerns. This is your government, and he wants to hear your ideas. 

As a result of these conversations, Senator Manchin has laid out several “Commonsense Solutions” to the pressing challenges facing West Virginia and the country. The solutions include new policy proposals to address problems ranging from our nation’s fiscal crisis to high unemployment rates and substance abuse in our communities. 

“These are difficult times in America, but we cannot run from challenges; we must face them head-on. After spending several months listening to West Virginians, it’s clear that now is the time to come together and create commonsense solutions that will move this nation forward. West Virginians are ready for Washington to start fixing some of the incredible challenges facing this country, instead of simply adding to them. When it comes to creating a better future for the next generation, I’m inspired by the fact that we did it in our state and we can do it across this great nation if we work together and adopt commonsense solutions.” 

Senator Manchin wants to continue these conversations and invites you to share your ideas, either online or when he visits your community. 

To submit your ideas, click here. 

To receive updates on Senator Manchin’s public events and commonsense solutions, click here. 

Please read about Senator Manchin’s latest Commonsense Solutions below.   

The Jobs Score Act

Senator Manchin has also unveiled “The Jobs Score Act,” commonsense legislation that will help Washington stay laser-focused on what matters most: creating and protecting jobs.

“For far too long, Washington has not done enough to reduce our unacceptably high unemployment rates or make jobs this country’s No. 1 priority. There is nothing more important than creating jobs, and it’s time that all lawmakers of both parties start thinking about one very simple question before they vote on bills: how will this affect jobs? The Jobs Score Act is a piece of commonsense legislation that will ensure your elected representatives know exactly how many jobs would be created, protected or lost with each bill.”

The government already requires that bills be “scored” for the amount of money that each will cost. Senator Manchin’s commonsense legislation would simply require the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to determine the number of jobs that would be created, protected, or lost should a specific piece of legislation become law – so lawmakers can take jobs into account as their top priority. This bill will make debates about jobs more transparent and concrete, giving lawmakers a solid basis of information for decision-making.

A 3-Point Plan to Fight Drug Abuse

Outside Cabell Huntington Hospital, flanked by doctors and law enforcement, Senator Manchin announced a three-point plan to fight drug abuse in West Virginia and nationwide. Senator Manchin and community officials stressed the immediate need for commonsense federal measures to combat drug abuse in West Virginia and the nation.

West Virginia has one of the nation’s highest rates of drug overdose deaths, and Senator Manchin has pledged his support for legislation that would put a federal ban on deadly synthetic drugs being marketed as “bath salts” and “plant food,” and add them to the list of controlled substances. He has rolled out legislation in the Senate to crack down on so-called “pill mills,” the places people can go to get powerful prescription drugs that they do not use for medical reasons.

“Every day, our hospitals deal with the effects of drug overdose. Each day, families are being destroyed by prescription drug abuse and other synthetic drugs. No one should be able to exploit loopholes or weaknesses in the law to manufacture dangerous and illicit drugs. The commonsense measures I am supporting would strengthen our laws and better protect our families and children from the dangers of drug abuse.”