U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) was sworn into the United States Senate on November 15, 2010 to fill the seat left vacant by the late Senator Robert C. Byrd. For Senator Manchin, serving as West Virginia's Senator is truly an honor and a privilege.
Born and raised in the small coal mining town of Farmington, W.Va., Sen. Manchin grew up learning the values that all West Virginians share — family, common sense, fairness and hard work. As a small businessman, he learned firsthand from his grandfather, Papa Joe, who was an Italian immigrant and the town grocer, the importance of serving the public. As a young man, his beloved grandmother, Mama Kay, inspired Senator Manchin's belief in public service through her unflagging compassion and desire to help those less fortunate.
Ensuring the security of West Virginians and Americans is one of Senator Manchin’s top priorities. As a member of the United States Senate Armed Services Committee and Ranking Member of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee, he is committed to working with both sides of the aisle to keep Americans safe from threats both at home and abroad. Senator Manchin is fighting to keep America’s military strong and capable of confronting the threats of the 21st century.
The Senator is a firm believer that our military servicemembers are the greatest in the world and the glue that keeps our country together. Senator Manchin is especially proud of the West Virginians who are making sacrifices every day to keep us safe and is forever grateful for their service. It is important that we provide our servicemembers with the resources they need to keep our country safe and the tools needed to successfully transition back to civilian life after their service, which is why he fights for these brave men and women every day.
Senator Manchin has worked to ensure that priorities for West Virginia and the United States are included in the yearly National Defense Authorization Act and that the Senator’s longtime priority, the National Guard, is funded and supported every year.