Following the Ghouta chemical attack in August 2013 during the Syrian Civil War , Manchin said , " There is no doubt that an attack occurred and there is no doubt it was produced under the Assad regime . It 's not clear cut if Assad gave the order himself . It has not been proven . " He opposed any strikes on the Syrian Government in retaliation for the attacks . Instead , he introduced a joint resolution with Senator Heidi Heitkamp ( D-ND ) requesting that President Obama come up with a long-term strategy on Syria and work diplomatically to ensure the destruction of Syria 's chemical weapons . On September 16 , 2014 , Manchin announced that he would vote against a possible Senate resolution to arm Syrian opposition fighters . " At the end of the day , most of the arms that we give to people are used against us . Most of the people we train turn against us , " he said . He referred to plans calling for ground troops in Syria , which had been proposed by some Republican senators , including Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , as " insanity . " However , he supported the 2017 Shayrat missile strike launched by order of President Trump in response to a chemical weapons attack allegedly perpetrated by the Syrian Government . Manchin said that " yesterday 's strike was important to send a message to the Syrian regime and their Russian enablers that these horrific actions will not be tolerated . " In June 2017 , Manchin was one of five Democrats who , by voting against a Senate resolution disapproving of arms sales to Saudi Arabia , ensured its failure . Potential primary opponent Paula Jean Swearengin charged that because of Manchin 's vote , weapons sold to the Saudis " could possibly end up in the hands of terrorists . " In 2012 Manchin 's candidacy was endorsed by the National Rifle Association ( NRA ) , which gave him an " A " rating . Following the Sandy Hook shooting , Manchin partnered with Republican senator Pat Toomey to introduce a bill that would have strengthened background checks on gun sales . The Manchin-Toomey bill was defeated on April 17 , 2013 , by a vote of 54 – 46 ; 60 votes would have been required to pass it . Despite the fact that the bill did not pass , the NRA targeted Manchin in an attack ad
Ghouta chemical attack
Ghouta chemical attack
Joe Manchin