Manchin says Senate backing retired miners’ benefits

West Virginia's Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin says the Senate backs permanently extending health benefits for more than 22,000 retired miners and widows whose medical coverage is set to expire after April. Manchin says Wednesday the permanent fix will be included in the Senate measure to continue government funding with a vote likely Friday.

Manchin schedules Town Hall meetings in Parkersburg, Hinton

West Virginia's Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin has scheduled a series of constituent visits around the state over the next two weeks to discuss current state and national issues. According to the senator's office, they include a Town Hall meeting at West Virginia University in Parkersburg on Wednesday.

Senate confirms Mnuchin as Treasury secretary in 53-47 vote

Steven Mnuchin testifies before a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be Treasury secretary in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts The U.S. Senate voted to confirm former banker and Hollywood financier Steven Mnuchin as Treasury secretary on Monday, installing the Trump administration's point-man on tax reform, financial de-regulation and economic diplomacy efforts.

Senate confirms Goldman Sachs executive Mnuchin as Trumpa s treasury secretary

The Senate confirmed Steven Mnuchin as Treasury secretary in a vote Monday evening, adding the former Goldman Sachs executive to President Donald Trump's Cabinet. The 53-47 vote, which fell largely along party lines, makes Mnuchin the 10th of Trump's Cabinet nominees to be confirmed in three weeks.

Politics | “The Sunday Political Brunch” – February 12, 2017

Domination by one party is a rare event in American politics and no fun for the party out of power. And despite all of the anti-GOP protests after the 2016 elections, things may actually get worse for Democrats.

Trump hopes to woo Gorsuch support from bipartisan group of senators

President Donald Trump is set to host a bipartisan group of senators for lunch Thursday at the White House to discuss their potential support for Neil Gorsuch, the President's Supreme Court pick. The meeting is an attempt by Trump to smooth the way for Gorsuch's confirmation, though he may have poisoned the well with an early morning tweet insulting a Democratic senator.

Senate confirms Jeff Sessions to be next attorney general

The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama as the next attorney general, surviving a vocal push by Democrats to derail his nomination. The 52-47 vote was mostly along party lines, though one Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin, joined the Republicans to back their Alabama colleague.

The Latest: Lawmaker to rehang art removed by colleague

Democratic Rep. William Lacy Clay plans to return a painting to its Capitol Hill display after a colleague took offense and removed it because it shows a pig in a police uniform aiming a gun at African-American protesters. The painting by a high school student in Clay's district was inspired by the shooting and protests in Ferguson, Missouri.

With Democrats Like These…

Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia was asked by the hosts of Fox and Friends if he was going to change parties and become a Republican and he said being a Democrat has been his identity, but "my brand is being very independent." He then tried to explain to Brian Kilmeade why begin a republican or a democrat shouldn't interfere with being a good American.

How Trump Cabinet Picks Could Reshuffle the Senate Map

After helping dash Democrats' hopes of retaking a Senate majority this year, Donald Trump's election as president could strike at least one additional blow to the caucus if he appoints a red-state Democratic senator to his cabinet. Democratic Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia both spoken with Trump since his election, fomenting speculation that either one could be offered a slot in Trump's cabinet.

Government funding bill clears key hurdle in Senate

A bill to fund the US government through April that got caught up in a fight over health insurance for coal miners, cleared a key procedural hurdle late Thursday when senators voted 61-38 to advance it. A group of Democrats, who tried to bolster the health insurance provisions in the bill, were not able to get enough votes to block it.

Senate pushes to avert gov’t shutdown over miners’ benefits

The Senate pushed to avert a government shutdown at midnight Friday as coal-state Democrats evoked President-elect Donald Trump in pleading for a more generous extension of health care benefits for retired miners. A key Democrat in the rancorous fight over benefits for retired miners facing a loss of coverage at year's end suggested he would beat a tactical retreat and resume the battle next year.

Governor Tomblin Urges Passage of Federal Miners Protection Act –

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin recently issued a statement urging congressional passage of the Miners Protection Act, legislation supported by U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito that would protect health care benefits for retired coal miners and their families: "For decades, West Virginia's coal miners have given tirelessly of themselves to power our nation, lift up our economy and support their families.