CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s U.S. senators are not committed to passing President Joe Biden’s agenda as presented during last week’s State of the Union address, but Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., recognize possible areas for congressional action.
Biden used the 62-minute speech to reinforce the United States’ opposition to Russia’s actions against Ukraine as well as push his domestic policy agenda, including portions of the Build Back Better plan.
Capito sat alongside her Republican colleagues. Manchin, a member of the Democratic majority, also joined Republicans, sitting with Utah Sen. Mitt Romney.
“We wanted to basically be able to show a united front,” Manchin told reporters last week.
Manchin, a moderate voice in the split Senate, has urged cooperation between Republicans and Democrats, noting the Democratic Party has to work with Republicans due to having slim majorities in both congressional chambers.
Manchin tied the seating arrangement to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“If we can’t show that we are united and we’re not divided in the political discourse we have had for far too long, how do we expect our allies — especially NATO allies — to rally around and unite against the aggression of what Russia is doing right now?” he said. “So that was a symbolic thing.”
Biden began the address by stating the United States remains committed to enforcing economic sanctions against Russia, President Vladimir Putin and his allies, as well as providing military assistance and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Manchin applauded the international response related to the attack, but contended the United States should do more. Manchin is leading lawmakers on the Ban Russian Energy Imports Act, which would stop the importation of Russian fossil fuels. Capito is cosponsoring the bill, and Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., announced Sunday his plans to introduce similar legislation in the House of Representatives.
“We should be prohibiting any products that come from Russia that benefit the Russian government or Putin and his oligarchs, especially on petroleum,” he said.
Manchin said Thursday there is a commitment from oil company executives about withdrawing corporate investments in Russia.
“This is something I believe that should be done. It should be done immediately,” he told reporters about the bill.
The Department of Energy announced last Tuesday plans to release 30 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves as part of the International Energy Agency’s dedication of 60 million barrels.
Manchin and Capito joined colleagues over the weekend for a Zoom call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to Manchin, Zelenskyy agreed the United States should ban Russian fossil fuel imports. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told NBC News the United States is talking to European leaders about banning Russian oil imports.
Capito told reporters the president was right to lead the address with Ukraine.
“He then went through — disappointingly, in my view — sort of a laundry list of the Build Back Better plan that is dead basically, ” she said.
Biden reconstructed his push for a sweeping domestic policy agenda that includes extending the child tax credit, allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, investments in job training programs, and higher taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans.
“It’s more and more spending, more social programs, more expansion of government,” Capito said.
Manchin sunk hopes of Congress passing the Build Back Better plan when he announced last December his opposition to the proposal. He cited concerns with inflation and the national debt as factors in his opposition.
The senator, who did not vote for the 2017 tax law, said he has spoken to White House officials about changing the tax code.
“Every corporation in America should pay 15% at least to contribute to this great country that protects them and the defense we give them and all the other things we do,” he said. “We’re not talking about gouging anybody. I want the wealthiest of the wealthiest to pay their fair share.”
Manchin said any domestic policy proposal needs to dedicate funding toward debt reduction and inflation, added congressional committees should also consider any plans.
“Let’s get serious about getting our financial house in order,” he said. “No different than how you all operate your individual lives and the businesses you all work with and for.”
He continued, “There are Republicans that want to do child tax credit. There are Republicans that want to do basically family leave. They just might not have the same idea that you have or the same desire that Democrats what to do it. That’s what the legislative process is about, so try that.”
The child tax credit, which was part of the American Rescue Plan, provided families with up to $300 per child. According to the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, 346,000 West Virginia children live in households that received payments.
Congress did not renew the child tax credit before it expired in December. Columbia University’s Center on Poverty and Social Policy in February reported 3.7 million children entered childhood poverty this year as a result.
Manchin and Capito voiced support for allowing negotiations between the federal government and drug companies to lower the costs of prescription drugs.
“The drug pricing issue is something we’ve tried to find a bipartisan solution on,” Capito said.
“That’s an area, I think, we can make good progress in,” she added. “And it will make an impact on people’s pocketbooks.”
Biden also touched on companies increasing investments in American facilities and increasing manufacturing in the United States.
“I think that we need to bring manufacturing back the United States, and I’m very much in favor of any efforts that would do that,” Capito said.
Biden closed his speech by offering a “Unity Agenda for the Nation.” The proposal’s four core items are efforts to address the opioid epidemic, an increase of mental health services, boosting veterans programs, and supporting treatments to make cancer treatable conditions.
Capito said Congress should pursue reaching these goals, noting how lawmakers worked together to pass infrastructure legislation last year.
“I’m particularly interested in the mental health area,” she continued. “I just had a principal from West Virginia talking [to me] about the mental health needs with teenagers, and we know that’s also the same with adults.”
Biden additionally called on the Senate to pass voting rights legislation after related measures stalled in the chamber earlier this year. Manchin has backed related bills while Capito and Senate Republicans oppose such proposals.