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.
Senator Manchin believes that rebuilding America and investing in the next generation of infrastructure is not a Democratic ideal or a Republican ideal, it’s an American ideal. By choosing to focus on our needs here at home – on roads, bridges, airports, pipelines and broadband in every state – we will not only create jobs, but we will strengthen the very economic foundation of this nation that our people and our businesses rely on to thrive.
Senator Manchin recognizes the importance of delivering affordable, reliable broadband access to every corner of West Virginia. This digital divide prevents students from learning at home and makes it harder for our small businesses to grow and create jobs. Senator Manchin is focused on closing the digital divide to ensure every West Virginian has access to the technological resources they need to succeed in a 21st century economy.
Senator Manchin has hosted more than 20 job fairs across the state with thousands of West Virginians in attendance to help link West Virginians looking for employment with jobs. Senator Manchin understands how hard the people of the Mountain State work and that given the opportunity, nobody works harder than a West Virginian.