url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at http://billjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399319,House Republicans made good on tax reform promise,2017-12-29,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Bill Johnson,J000292,billjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Republicans promised we would send tax reform legislation to President Trumps desk for his signature in 2017. We delivered! Despite what you may have heard from the mainstream media, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will benefit all Americans and their families. For the first time since 1986 over 30 years real tax relief and reform is being delivered to you, the American people. Many have asked me,What does this legislation mean to my family and me?Heres my answer this legislation means: higher wages; lower taxes; bigger take-home paychecks starting in February; job growth; a simpler and fairer tax system; and, a stronger economy all across our nation. There are real, tangible benefits for the hardworking men and women of Eastern and Southeastern Ohio, and its one of the most important pieces of legislation that Congress has passed in decades. Why did I support the Tax Cut and Jobs Act? Its simple I believe you know how to spend your money better than Washington elites and bureaucrats do. So, were giving your money back to you. And, one reason so many Big Government politicians, bureaucrats and elites are upset about this tax reform legislation is that too many in Washington view it as their money. Reducing taxes at all levels of income will stimulate the economy, both from the top down (allowing more investment in business and job creation) and from the bottom up (giving hardworking Americans more choices, more opportunities, and more purchasing power). Its a return to the same simple private sector, free enterprise, market driven philosophy that has built the greatest nation on the planet. Would you like to file your federal taxes on a single page? Now, most Americans will be able to do just that. In Eastern and Southeastern Ohio, nearly 85 percent of families take the standard deduction. But, the new law nearly doubles the standard deduction, raising it to $24,000 for married couples and $13,000 for individual filers. That means more of your money is tax free. And, families will see their Child Tax Credit doubled to $2,000 per child providing extra money for food, diapers, a car repair, and other unexpected expenses that pop-up. If you have expensive medical bills, the new tax law expands your medical deduction if your doctor bills exceed 7.5 percent of your income. Additionally, important deductions for home mortgage interest, charitable donations, 401(k) contributions, and property, state, local, or sales tax remain. Its important to note that investments in education will also be protected. I heard from many of you regarding this issue and how vital it is. Student loan interest will continue to be deductible. Tax-free stipends for graduate students and tuition waivers will be maintained, and families will now be able to use up to $10,000 from 529 college savings accounts on primary and secondary education. Equally important, our tax reform legislation repealed Obamacares burdensome individual mandate. Across America, nearly 80 percent of the households that paid this tax last year had incomes less than $50,000. You may have been one of them. Well, no more because this onerous individual mandate is gone. Plus, the tax burden in every individual tax bracket has been reduced. Everyone who pays taxes will be keeping more of their money. For our job creators, small businesses will be offered a first-ever 20 percent tax deduction to all S Corps, Partnerships, LLCs and Sole Proprietorships. Where the old tax code punished their success, the new tax code will reward their success, and theyll be encouraged to expand and grow. Additionally, some American corporations left our shores over the last two decades because our old corporate tax rate of 35 percent the highest in the industrialized world made them non-competitive in the global economy. The new corporate tax rate of 21 percent thats effective immediately makes America competitive again and we are open for business. Poorly conceived Washington policies of the past cost American jobs but, not any more. Tax reform was one of the main reasons why I decided to run for Congress in 2010, and this is something Ive been working for ever since. Its a new dawn in America, because The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will empower individuals, families, and businesses to invest and succeed in the American Dream. U.S. House of Representative Bill Johnson represents Ohios 6th Congressional District.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399426,Man's best friend could speed healing at VA,2017-12-27,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - About one out of every five veterans returns home with invisible wounds of war. An Ohio representative argues assuming command over a four-legged friend, could be a key to improving the recovery of struggling veterans. share: f t WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - About one out of every five veterans returns home with invisible wounds of war. An Ohio representative argues assuming command over a four-legged friend, could be a key to improving the recovery of struggling veterans. At holiday parties and among friends, former Army Ranger Nick Starling found himself constantly on high-alert. Starling suffers from hyper-vigilance a symptom of Post-traumatic stress disorder and his tours in Iraq.But a year-and-a-half ag, a Saint entered his life. Thats why I can have my back to the door right now is because I know hes got my back, said Starling as he talked to our reporter. Saint is Starlings service dog. The highly-trained rescue relieves Starlings anxiety allowing him to attend an event like this without feeling the need to seclude himself at home for a week afterward. So he helps out with that, Starling said with a laugh. Anybody thats ever been a pet owner knows that the bond you create with your dog really does make a difference in your life, said Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio). He wants struggling veterans to take on a new mission while theyre in a VA hospital: train dogs to assist others with physical and mental disabilities. In theory, the newfound companion would complement the new trainers recovery. Anything we can do to get these veterans help we need to focus on, said Stivers. Stivers said his idea for a pilot project at three hospitals is backed by research into the positive effects of both service and therapy dogs. His proposed law cleared the House but stalled in the Senate in 2016 he hopes the outcome will be different in 2018. The current bill has significant bi-partisan support, but will need to clear several legislative hurdles to sniff any chance of becoming law.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/renacci-report?ContentRecord_id=DCD3F676-155E-4218-8146-76FDCDC90CEA,12.22.17: Week in Review,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"Good Afternoon, This week was a monumental one in United States history, as Congress passed the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, the first time our tax code has been reformed in over 30 years. This new legislation, signed into law by President Trump earlier today, ushers in a new era of prosperous economic growth and tax cuts for middle-income Americans. I hope as you celebrate the holidays in the coming weeks and welcome in the new year, you spend time reflecting on the past year with your family. Its been an honor to represent the 16thdistrict of Ohio and I look forward to representing you in the new year. You can watch a review of my weekhere. Media Mashup The Cleveland Plain Dealer ran my Op-Ed about my fight to save the historical tax credit in the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act and the benefit it has on the community. You can read the full piecehere. On Tuesday, I spoke with Melissa Francis on Fox News about the tax reform vote that occurred later that day. You can view the cliphere. Washington Wrap Up Earlier this week, I introduced the Creating Access to Rehabilitation for Every Senior (CARES) Act. This bill waives the 3-day inpatient stay requirement for SNFs that meet certain quality measures. This legislation not only better serves patients with more accurately designated care, but also reduces costs to our already stressed healthcare system by relying less on the expensive inpatient hospital setting, and shifting the weight more towards patient-centered care settings such as in an SNF. Also, I led a bipartisan letter addressed to Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi to delay the implementation of 340B cuts before the end of the year. This program has been critical in supporting our safety-net providers in helping low income and vulnerable individuals across the country access affordable and comprehensive health care services. I am proud to be able to lead this letter. My staff spoke with local health insurance providers about the need to repeal or delay Obamacares Health Insurance Tax, which goes into effect next year. They discussed the negative effect this tax will have on consumers by driving up the cost of health insurance premiums. Im looking forward to working with my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee to deliver relief from this tax, and other Obamacare taxes, which drive up healthcare costs for Americans. District Doings My district staff volunteered at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank earlier this week, compiling produce for the food banks community food distribution. Overall, my district staff helped serve over 750 households for their December 2017 produce distribution. I am very grateful my staff had the opportunity to go out in the community and help those in need. As always, thanks for allowing me to represent the 16th district in our nations capital.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/videos?ContentRecord_id=ED498A5F-68FD-48B3-8425-A7DC522B6824,Week in Review: December Week 3,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"array 1 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_CFPAGE LINE 42 RAW_TRACE at cffloor2dschedule2ecfm1427030490.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\footer\floor-schedule.cfm:42) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\footer\floor-schedule.cfm TYPE CFML 2 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 168 RAW_TRACE at cflay2eroot2ecfm46086300.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\lay.root.cfm:168) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\lay.root.cfm TYPE CFML 3 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 44 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2elayouts2eapply2ecfm1968182580.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.apply.cfm:44) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.apply.cfm TYPE CFML 4 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 55 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2elayouts2eroot2ecfm806605951.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.root.cfm:55) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.root.cfm TYPE CFML 5 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 304 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor3(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:304) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 6 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 276 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor8(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:276) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 7 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 192 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor14(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:192) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 8 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 35 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor15(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:35) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 9 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 1 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:1) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 10 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 124 RAW_TRACE at cfmyopenbox2ecfm795925253.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\[myopenbox]\myopenbox.cfm:124) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\[myopenbox]\myopenbox.cfm TYPE CFML 11 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 198 RAW_TRACE at cfindex2ecfm1379643951.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\index.cfm:198) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\index.cfm TYPE CFML",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3A2132A2-A711-4760-B080-1E76E810ED0A,Portman: Historic Tax Cuts Signed Into Law,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement after President Trump signed into law historic tax cuts that were approved by the House and Senate this week: These historic tax cuts will make a real difference for middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for Ohio workers.While our economy is improving, too many families today are still dealing with the middle-class squeeze of stagnant wages and higher expenses.Providing tax relief for middle-class families and reforming our business tax code to create more jobs and boost wages is the right thing to do, and I was proud to play a significant role in helping craft this measure. Im pleased that were already seeing a positive response from employers rewarding their workers with better pay and bonuses while increasing their investments in their businesses and their communities. These historic tax cuts will help create a better economy and a better future for all Americans, and Im pleased that they are now the law of the land. NOTE: Last night, Portman delivered this floor speech detailing how tax reform will help the middle class, boost jobs, and increase wages. A brief summary of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=64C53C0C-6164-405B-A74C-C5B1383EDBCD,A Year of Delivering Results for Ohio,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In 2017, Senator Portman continued his record of delivering results for Ohio, just as he did in 2016. This year, Portman delivered on his promise to fix our broken tax code as President Trump signed into law historic tax cuts to boost the middle class, create more and better jobs, and increase wages. In addition, Portman made significant progress on his efforts to combat the horrific crime of human trafficking, help Ohioans struggling with addiction, provide resources to the men and women in uniform serving our country at Ohios military installations, and more. Here is a look at what Portman accomplished for Ohio in 2017: Creating More Jobs & Higher Wages for Ohio Families. When Senator Portman ran for the Senate in 2010, he campaigned on a jobs plan, a key component of which was tax reform. He promised to help lead an effort to reform our tax code and provide relief to families and small businesses. In so doing, he kept his commitment to the people of Ohio. In addition to tax reform, Portman worked on a number of measures to help create jobs, level the playing field for Ohio workers, and make Ohio businesses more competitive. Senator Portman played a leading role in helping craft the landmark tax reforms which were signed into law on December 22, 2017. Portman worked throughout the process to develop and help improve the bill, including adding several amendments during Senate consideration by the Senate Finance Committee. Heres a quick rundown on how Portman worked to improve the tax bill, both during Senate deliberations and the final conference agreement: Pushing for Middle-Class Tax Cuts. Throughout this debate, Portman focused consistently on ensuring that the middle class get a significant tax cut, and at least maintaining the progressivity of the code. In particular, he focused on lowering tax rates and expanding the child tax credit, and he was successful in doing so. Expanding Tax Relief for Small Businesses. Reforms to the business tax code are an essential component of this tax reform law, especially lowering rates for small businesses. These pro-growth reforms will grow our economy, create more jobs, and make America more competitive with our foreign counterparts. The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) endorsed the bill. Leveling the Playing Field for American Companies & Workers. Portmans bipartisan work on international tax reform is a key component of this tax reform bill. In 2015, he chaired a bipartisan working group on international tax reform with Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), now Minority Leader. Together they developed a bipartisan framework to reform the international tax code, transition from a worldwide to a territorial tax system, and give American companies a level playing field with their foreign competitors. The gist of that framework is now a part of the tax reform law. Details about this 2015 effort are here. Preserving Private Activity Bonds (PABs). Both in the Senate-passed bill and the final House-Senate agreement, Portman helped preserve PABs, which are an essential source of funding for important infrastructure and community redevelopment projects across Ohio. The original House bill eliminated PABs. Preserving the Historic Tax Credit (HTC). Portman is a strong supporter of the HTC and worked with Senator Cassidy (R-LA) to restore the current 20 percent credit in both the Senate-passed bill and the final House-Senate agreement after the House eliminated it entirely and an early draft of the Senate bill reduced it to 10 percent. The HTC encourages private investment in the rehabilitation of historic buildings. It has been used to preserve numerous historic Ohio buildings, including Cincinnatis recently rehabilitated iconic Music Hall. The Cincinnati Enquirer editorial board said Portman was true to his word and delivered a win for the region. Preserving the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC). While the House eliminated the NMTC, Portman led the effort to preserve it in the Senate bill and the final House-Senate agreement, which has been signed into law. The NMTC helps economically distressed communities attract private capital for community redevelopment purposes, and Cincinnati has been a significant beneficiary. Earlier this year, Portman visited the Nehemiah Manufacturing Company, which is using the NMTC to expand and provide meaningful employment opportunities to ex-offenders re-entering society. Preserving the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Portman led the effort to preserve the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides employers with a tax credit for hiring and retaining veterans, ex-felons, disabled individuals, summer youth employees, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Supplemental Security Income recipients. A 2015 Portman amendment added a $2,400 credit for first year wages paid to the long-term unemployed. The House bill eliminated the tax credit, but Portman helped preserve it in the final tax law. Easing the Burden of High Medical Expenses. The tax reform law includes changes from Portmans Seniors Tax Hike Prevention Act, which would allow seniors to deduct a greater share of their medical costs. Under the final bill, all taxpayers at any age may take advantage of this expanded deduction. Helping Families Combat Unfair Tax on Student Loans. The tax reform law includes Portmans bipartisanStop Taxing Death and Disability Act,legislation to eliminate a tax penalty levied on student loans forgiven for families after their child develops a permanent disability or dies. Promoting the Craft Beverage Industry in Ohio. The tax reform law includes the bipartisanCraft Beverage Modernization & Tax Reform Act, legislation cosponsored by Portman thatwould provide excise tax relief to thegrowing craft beverage industry, helping these entrepreneurs reinvest more in their businesses and our communities. Ohio is number four in the country in craft beer production and supports 15,000 jobs in the state. Preserving Worker Retirement Security. The tax reform law includes aPortman amendmentto protect smallstartup businesses ability to utilize nonqualified deferred compensation programs for millions of employees and retirees; remove a provision that would have subjected 457 plan participants like Ohio police and firefighters to a harmful 10 percent early distribution tax; and preserve the ability of all 401(k) participants to make catch-up contributions after age 50. Portman also worked with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) to preserve additional catch-up contributions available to 457 and 403(b) plans, including clergy in church pension plans. These amendments preserved popular retirement security incentives. Preserving Key Higher Education Tax Incentives. Along with his colleagues in the Senate, Portman worked to preserve key tax incentives for undergraduate and graduate students, helping Ohio students struggling with the high cost of college. In October, Portman, who this year received theNAM Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence,embarked on an Ohio Auto Manufacturing Jobs Tour. During the three-day tour, he covered more than 700 miles across Ohio to learn more about recent auto investments into Ohio, raise awareness for the economic impact of the automotive industry in our state, and discuss how tax reform will benefit auto manufacturers. Portman, who is co-chair of the Senate Auto Caucus, visitedFords Sharonville Transmission Plant, theGeneral Motors Parma Metal Center, theGeneral Motors Toledo Transmission Plant, theFiat Chrysler US Toledo Assembly Complex, and theHonda of America Manufacturing Plant in Marysville. During his visits, Portman discussed a host of issues including regulations, health care costs, trade, workforce development, and our outdated and burdensome tax code. A highlight video of his tour can be found here. In Ohio, Portman has put a priority on his efforts to create jobs and boost wages for Ohio workers. He held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders to get input on tax reform, and spent time meeting with Ohio businesses and manufacturers. In Columbus, Portman co-hosted a small business roundtable with Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon. They visited Burton Metal Finishing where they toured the facilities and hosted a roundtable discussion with local small business owners. This year alone, Portman visited Nehemiah Manufacturing in Cincinnati, Campbell Soup Company in Napoleon, International Paper and Food Services in Kenton, Speyside Bourbon Cooperage, Inc. in Jackson, the Haessly Hardwood Lumber Company in Marietta, Sapa Extrusions in Sidney, Pennex Aluminum Company in Leetonia, Cincinnati Crane & Hoist, the General Tool Company in Cincinnati, the GE Aviation Engine Test Facility in Peebles, the BASF plant in Greenville, the Idea Foundry in Columbus, the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET) in Cleveland, and Rice Energy in Belmont County to listen to their concerns and learn about how he can help. Portmans bipartisan Leveling the Playing Field Actand bipartisan ENFORCE Actare working to help American manufacturers by cracking down on foreign competitors that launder products through other countries to try to get around our trade laws. In March, Portman and Senator Brown urged Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to address unfair trade practices by Korean producers of Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG). In April, the Commerce Department found that Korean steel producers have been unfairly dumping these imports into the U.S. market, leaving Ohio steelworkers and steel companies at a competitive disadvantage. The SenatorsLeveling the Playing Field Acthelped pave the way for the positive decision in the case. In addition to his work on the Leveling the Playing Field Act for Ohio steelworkers, Portman has continued to fight to protect steel jobs in the state. In February, Portman joined Senator Brown in introducing the Steel Industry Preservation Act, bipartisan legislation that would create a tax credit for domestic steel companies, lower the cost of steel production, and promote job growth within the industry. Portman and Brown also asked President Trump to prioritize reducing steel overcapacity, urging the administration to take swift action on the 232 investigation, which has been pending for months. Portman has been awarded the Congressional Steel Champion Award for his work to protect the steel industry and Ohio steelworkers. In July, Portman and Brown announced that, at their urging, the Commerce Department ruled that U.S. aluminum extrusions producers are being harmed by unfair trade practices by foreign competitors. The decision, which will help American manufactures fight back against Chinese efforts to avoid our trade laws, resulted from a letter Portman and Brown sent to Secretary Ross in June. In September, Portman, who in February hosted an employee town hall meeting with Whirlpool employees at their plant in Clyde, testified before the International Trade Commission (ITC) to fight on behalf of Ohio Whirlpool workers and against unfair trade practices. In October, the ITC ruled to impose restrictions on imported washing machines that will help stop South Korean manufacturers from unfairly flooding the American market, thus helping protect Whirlpool jobs. In April, Senators Portman and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) introduced the bipartisan Regulatory Accountability Act (RAA) designed to make federal regulations smarter and more effective so they better support businesses, families, and jobs. This bill will modernize a federal regulatory process that hasnt been significantly reformed in 70 years. The legislation, which is widely supportedby small businesses, workers, farmers and ranchers, was approved by the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee in May and now awaits a vote on the Senate floor. In 2015, Portman got his bipartisanFederal Permitting Improvement Act signed into law. This year, Portman worked to ensure the law is fully implemented in order to spur economic growth and job creation. Director of Office of the Management and Budget (OMB) Mick Mulvaney and the Deputy Director of the OMB pledged to Portman that they would work to get the law up and running. In addition, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations held an oversight hearing in September to examine implementation of the law and the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Councils progress to date, with the goal of more efficiently and effectively rebuilding our aging infrastructure. Portman, who is the co-founder of theSenate Career and Technical Education Caucusand author of theEducation Tomorrows Workforce Act,continued his strong support for expanding CTE programs to help close the skills gap and put more Ohioans to work. As part of his efforts to close the skills gap, Portman joined Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) tointroducethe bipartisanJOBS Actto help students access training forthe 5.5 million vacant jobsthat are unfilled in part because of a shortage of qualifiedworkers.He also introduced the bipartisan CTE Excellence and Equity Actto support re-designing the high school experience to include courses more relevant to the 21st century workforce to better prepare students for future careers. In April, following a previous visit in February, Portman hosted Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao at the Transportation Research Center (TRC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations (NHTSA) Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) in East Liberty. Portman was instrumental in keeping the NHTSA facility in East Liberty, part of his continuing efforts to help Central Ohio become a model for the nation on how to use smart, 21st-century transportation to help create economic growth and expand opportunity. In May, Portman helped secure full funding for the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Portman has long fought to protect funding for the center, which is an economic driver for the local community and supports thousands of Ohio jobs. Combating Drug Addiction. No one in the Senate has been more active in the fight against drug abuse and addiction than Senator Portman. This year, he continued to lead the national effort to combat the opioid crisis that is devastating communities across Ohio and our country. After his bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act(CARA) was signed into law last year, Portman worked tirelessly in 2017 with the Trump administration to ensure it was implemented properly and ensure that federal resources are focused on evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery programs to help make a difference in peoples lives. Portman also received the National Organization for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) Leadership Award for his longstanding work to combat the opioid crisis and, specifically, his relentless effort to get CARA signed into law. Also this year, Portman introduced the bipartisan Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, legislation he is working to get signed into law to help stop dangerous synthetic drugs likefentanyland carfentanil from being shipped through our borders to drug traffickers here in the United States. The heroin and prescription drug epidemic is having a devastating impact on Ohio families and communities. Thats why Senator Portman worked tirelessly this year to make sure that CARA was fully funded and implemented as quickly as possible. Thanks in large part to Portmans efforts, key components of CARA to help expand education, treatment and recovery services to help combat addiction are now being implemented. As his work with CARA shows, Portman has been a leader in the fight for more funding to combat this crisis. In addition to fighting to fully fund CARA, Portman has worked to fully fund the21stCentury CURES initiative, and helped secure $250,000 for Portsmouth to help those on the frontlines turn back the tide of addiction. Fentanyla deadly synthetic drug up to 50 times more powerful than heroinis now killing more Ohioans per year than heroin, contributing to why drug overdose deaths are the leading cause of accidental death in the state. Fentanyl, and the even deadlier carfentanil, is being shipped to the United States from countries overseas like China. That is why, in February, Portman and a bipartisan group of Senators introduced the STOP Act, legislation designed to help stop dangerous synthetic drugs likefentanyland carfentanil from being shipped through our borders to drug traffickers here in the U.S. In May, Portman chaired a Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) hearing on the STOP Act and stopping illicit drugs from being shipped into the United States. During the hearing, Newtown, Ohio Police Chief Thomas Synan, Jr. and Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Gilson testified that the STOP Act would help them address the fentanyl crisis in Ohio. The Customs and Border Protection Acting Director and the Postal Service Inspector General also urged Congress to act on the bipartisan legislation. In May, the administration announced proposed cuts to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), which supports the Drug Free Communities Act, legislation Portman authored in 1997, which has provided more than $1 billion to community drug coalitions around the country over the last 20 years. The ONDCP also supports the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, which has helped states like Ohio that are ground zero for this problem. Portman strongly opposed the cuts, and urged the administration to reverse course. Thanks in large part to Portmans efforts, the administration has not moved forward with the proposed cuts. In fact, in September, 27 Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant recipients in the state of Ohio were named, demonstrating that the program is working for Ohioans. The funding is desperately needed for drug abuse prevention and education, and Portman will continue to fight for these critical programs. Portman continues to tour the state meeting with those in recovery and those on the front lines dealing with the heroin and prescription epidemic. This year alone Portman hosted a roundtable on addiction in Fremont, met with recovering drug addicts at Racing for Recovery in Holland, co-hosted a workshop at Columbus State Community College to help local providers secure resources to tackle the epidemic, visited the Sojourner Recovery Services residential womens facility in Eaton and the Unity House for women in recovery in Delaware, joined the MetroHealth System in Cleveland to launch the MetroHealth Office of Opioid Safety, met with Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Sammarco to discuss the opioid crisis in Cincinnati, visited the Groups treatment facility in Chillicothe, and visited the Ohio Health Grant Medical Center and the Maryhaven Addiction Stabilization Center in Columbus. Working to End Human Trafficking. This year, Portman continued his longstanding work to combat human trafficking and help trafficking survivors. Portman who is the author offive federal anti-trafficking laws designed to better serve victims and help law enforcement end this horrific crime spent 18 months investigating the explosion of online sex trafficking. The bipartisan investigation, completed in January, resulted in a stunning report detailing how Backpage.com knowingly facilitated criminal sex trafficking of vulnerable women and young girls and covered up evidence of these crimes in order to increase its own profits. Portman turned the findings of his investigation into legislative action, authoring the bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA), a bill that now has 56 cosponsors in the Senate. Portman continued touring the state to meet with survivors of human trafficking to hear their stories as well. On January 10th, Senators Portman and Claire McCaskill (D-MO), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), held a hearing and published a stunningnew reportdetailing the Subcommittees findings from its 18-month-long investigation into the scourge of online sex trafficking. The widely praised report found that Backpage knowingly concealed evidence of sex trafficking crimes by systematically editing its adult ads all the while doing nothing to stop the traffickers committing these crimes. I Am Jane Doe, a film that chronicles the stories of young women who were trafficked on the website Backpage.com and Senator Portmans investigation into online sex trafficking, was released this year. Portman hosted screenings of the film in Cleveland, Toledo and Columbus. After issuing the PSI report, Portman and his bipartisan colleagues began to develop legislation to solve this problem, and in August, he and a bipartisan group of senators introduced the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act. The narrowly-crafted bill amends the Communications Decency Act to hold accountable companies like Backpage that knowingly facilitate the trafficking of women and children online and ensure that victims of sex trafficking can get the justice they deserve. In September, the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on SESTA, during which Senator Portman testified along with Yvonne Ambrose, whose daughter, Desiree Robinson, was trafficked on Backpage and tragically murdered.The hearing demonstrated that there is a strong bipartisan consensus for passing this narrowly-crafted bill. Portman released this video highlighting the hearing. SESTA was unanimously approved by the Senate Commerce Committee in November. Portman is now working on a bipartisan basis to get this bill passed in the Senate and to the presidents desk for his signature. Protecting Ohioans, Honoring Veterans, and Making America Stronger.Portman is committed to keeping Ohioans safe and giving our men and women in uniform the resources they need to protect themselves and best complete their mission. Now a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Portman has consistently advocated for a more robust and comprehensive American strategy to protect our allies and deter our adversaries. As part of that effort, Portman has sought to increase the range of capabilities for military installations throughout Ohio, and create jobs and opportunity for Ohios servicemembers. In August, Portmantraveled more than 1,400 miles and visited 13 counties over five days as part of his Ohio Defense Tour. Portman visited theWright-Patterson Air Force Basein Dayton, the178th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wingin Springfield, theJoint Systems Manufacturing Centerin Lima, the180th Fighter Wingin Toledo,the NASA Plum Brook Stationin Sandusky, the179th Airlift Wingin Mansfield, theAir Force Metrology and Calibration Centerin Heath, theUS Coast Guard Station Cleveland Harbor, theYoungstown Air Reserve Station, theRickenbacker 121st Air Refueling Wingin Columbus,Battelles Advanced Manufacturing Facilityin Columbus, and theOhio National Guard 123rd Air Control Squadronin Blue Ash.The tours purpose was to listen to military personnel and discuss ways he can further reinforce Ohios defense capabilities. A video highlighting the tour is here. Portman continues his strong advocacy on behalf of the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima. In December, President Trump signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes more than $1.6 billion to increase the rate of production of the newest upgraded Abrams tanks. It also authorizes $622 million to complete the fourth Stryker brigade with upgraded survivability and mobility improvements as well as a second brigade of Stryker vehicles with an upgraded weapons system. The funding was included at the urging of Portman and Senator Gary Peters (D-MI). Portman has made clear he will continue to keep fighting for more funding for Lima. Included at Portmans request, the NDAA authorizes $15 million to support the construction of upgraded fighter aircraft hangars for the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo, Ohio as part of the NDAA. Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI)includedthis funding after Portmansent a letterearlier this year urging them to do so. Portman and Senator Browns amendments to support jobs and the important research mission at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's Air Force Research Lab were also signed into law as part of the NDAA. This legislation is critical to our national security and to maintaining our militarys technological edge. In May, the Senate passed Portman and Senator Joe Donnellys (D-IN) resolution honoring the cutting-edge work of Department of Defense (DoD) laboratories such as the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patt. In July, Portman pressed the administration to redesignate North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, and in October, he led abipartisan letterto the State Department outlining the many destabilizing and terror-related acts taken by this rogue regime.In November, the president announced that North Korea would be relisted as a state sponsor of terrorism. Portman has also introduced the North Korean Enablers Accountability Act to tighten the economic embargo on North Korea and its enablers. In August, President Trump signed into law Portmans priorities to hold Russia accountable as part of the Russia, Iran, and North Korea sanctions legislation. The legislation mandates congressional review if sanctions on Russia are relaxed, suspended, or terminated, codifies and strengthens existing sanctions contained in executive orders on Russia, and more. Portman has also been vocal in urging the administration to pursue a tough Russia policy and a more coordinated effort between the United States and the European Union to counter Russian disinformation. In December, as part of the NDAA, the president signed into law Portman and Senator Chris Murphys (D-CT) language to improve the ability of the United States to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation from our enemies. The language builds on theirCountering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act,legislationsigned into lawlast year, by helping them to promote more seamless coordination between the Department of Defense and the State Department on this issue. Portman and Murphy successfully urged the State Department to step up its efforts to fully implement the law and secure sufficient resources for its Global Engagement Center to help counter the foreign propaganda and disinformation. Portman, who is co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, has continued to be Ukraines strongest advocate in Congress. This year, Portman who last year received the Shevchenko Freedom Award, the Ukrainian communitys highest honor successfully fought to boost security assistance for Ukraine in the NDAA, building on provisions that Portman got signed into law in 2016 and 2015. This years package includes $350 million in security assistance, including lethal and non-lethal equipment and training, and, for the first time, authorizes assistance to bolster Ukraines naval capabilities. Portman haslongledtheeffort to provide Ukraine the kind of assistance necessary to ward off Russian aggression and maintain its territorial integrity, including introducing a bipartisan resolution in March to condemn illegal Russian aggression. Portman recently praised the Trump administrations decision to approve the sale of lethal military equipment to Ukraine for the first time. Portmans bipartisan Hack Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Act, designed to strengthen cyber defenses at DHS by utilizing white-hat or ethical hackers to help identify unique and undiscovered vulnerabilities in the DHS networks and information technology, passed the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in October and awaits a vote in the Senate. Protecting the Great Lakes & Our Environment:Senator Portman continues to be a leader in the bipartisan effort to protect our Great Lakes and the environment. Portman, who serves as co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, has a lengthy record of accomplishments in protecting Lake Erie. This year, Portman has led the effort in the Senate to preserve and fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a results-driven program to address the most serious issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of the Great Lakes basin, including invasive species, pollution, and toxic contamination. This year, Senator Portman built on his record of delivering results for the millions of Ohioans who depend on Lake Erie. By fighting to keep the lake clean, protect the lake from dangerous invasive species and harmful algal blooms, strengthen fish and wildlife restoration efforts, ensure that Ohioans have safe drinking water and much more, Portman has demonstrated his commitment to continue improving the health of Lake Erie and support the tourism, fishing, and recreation that surrounds it. Following news this year that the administration proposed to eliminate funding for the GLRI, Portman fought for and secured GLRI funding. In May, Portman announced that Congress approved full funding of $300 million for the program. In April, Portman joined Port of Cleveland leadership to host a roundtable discussion on the importance of the GLRI to Lake Erie and the surrounding communities. Later in the month, he saw a firsthand a GLRI success story in a visit to the restored wetland at Maumee Bay State Park and later at the University of Toledo Lake Erie Center. In May, Portman visited a farm in Dunkirn with the Ohio Farm Bureau to see firsthand how the GLRI is being used to implement farming practices to help protect the health of Lake Erie. In addition to fighting for full GLRI funding, Portman led an effort to keep Region 5 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)which serves Ohio, as well as Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Minnesotaup and running. He also introduced the Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization (GLFRA) Act to give the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) the legislative authority to support the $7 billion Great Lakes sport and commercial fishery industry. In September, Portmans bipartisan Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act passed the Senate. The legislation would help protect fresh water bodies such as Lake Erie by reauthorizing the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA), which was first enacted in 1998. For almost two decades, the HABHRCA program has served as the federal governments research and response toolkit for harmful algal blooms. In November, Portman and his bipartisan colleagues urged the Army Corps of Engineers to remain on target to complete the Brandon Road study, which is imperative to ensuring that Asian Carp do not enter the Great Lakes and threaten the lakes $7 billion fishing industry. Portman, who last year received aClean Water Awardfrom theNational Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), will continue working to preserve and protect the critical GLRI program and against efforts by the administration to eliminate GLRI funding altogether. Portman has consistently fought to ensure that that promises made to the Piketon community regarding the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant are kept. This year, Portman visited the plant twice, first in June, and then again in September with Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, who agreed with Portman that having a domestic capability to enrich uranium is a national security issue and that he is willing to re-evaluate the Obama administrations decision to end the domestic uranium enrichment demonstration program. Portman will continue to work every year to secure the funding necessary to keep the cleanup project on track and to project jobs. In March, the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee approved the bipartisan energy efficiency legislation Portman introduced with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (ESIC). The measure contains important energy efficiency policy reforms that will strengthen the economy and reduce pollution without any new taxes or mandates. Components of the bill were signed into law by President Obama in April 2015 and are already helping individuals and companies use less energy, creating jobs and reducing emissions. Taken together, these bipartisan reforms include common-sense initiatives that will create nearly 200,000 new jobs, save consumers $16.2 billion annually in reduced energy costs, and reduce carbon emissions equivalent to taking 22 million cars off the road. Fighting for Better, More Affordable Health Care. This year, Portman continued to fight for a better health care system that lowers the cost of coverage, provides access to quality care, and protects the most vulnerable in our society. Obamacare isnt working for Ohio families and small businesses whove seen their premiums and deductibles skyrocket. Portman was an active voice in the health care debate, consistently advocating for a solution that would both repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act with a more workable system that lowers costs, increases access to care, and protects the most vulnerable. He fought for Ohio priorities, including adding to the Senate replacement bill an unprecedented $45 billion in new resources for opioid treatment and $100 billion to help low-income Americans get high-quality, affordable health care. He also worked to ensure that those on expanded Medicaid continue to have good health care options under a new system, whether its under the current Medicaid structure or affordable health care options on the private market. He continues to work to stabilize the insurance markets and ensure that Ohioans have access to affordable health care. In October, President Trump signed into law Portmans bipartisan Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act, legislation he authored with Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) to reauthorize current research and improve public health programs for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss in newborns, infants, and young children. In September, the Senate passed the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act, which included several Portman provisions, including ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries can receive high-quality, personalized care at home, incentivizing beneficiaries to receive preventive services and better manage their health care, and ensuring the Medicare Advantage program includes accurate quality measures to incentive plans to continue to care for low-income seniors. Portman has consistently urged the Senate to extend funding for the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP), praising the program that is vital to approximately 219,000 Ohio kids. Congress extended CHIP funding into early 2018, but Portman believes Congress must enact a long-term solution as quickly as possible. Portman also introduced the bipartisan Ace Kids Act to improve health outcomes and care coordination for children with complex medical conditions on Medicaid. In May, Portman announced that the bipartisan agreement to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year included a permanent fix to 22,000 miners who were set to lose theirhealth care. The agreement included language from the health portion of Portmans Miners Protection Act, bipartisan legislation Portman introduced in January with his colleagues to ensure that the federal government and coal operators honor their obligation of lifetime pensions and health benefits to retired miners and their families. Other Accomplishments.In addition to helping lead efforts to reform our broken tax code, continuing his work to combat addiction, working to end human and sex trafficking, bolstering the national defense, and protecting our environment, Portman has also been a leader on other issues. Here is a look at some of his other accomplishments over the past year: In April, Portman voted to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuchs nomination for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Portman made his decision to support his nomination after meeting with him in February. In addition to confirming Gorsuch, the Senate has voted to confirm 12 court of appeals judges and six district court judges. In November, President Trump signed into law Portmans bipartisan TSP Modernization Act to give much-needed retirement flexibility to federal employees by modernizing the Thrift Savings Plans (TSP) outdated withdrawal rules. The bill will make the TSP more responsive to the needs of its participants and give federal employees the retirement flexibility they deserve. In 2017, Senator Portman and his casework team opened 3,435 cases (as of 12/13/17) to help Ohioans in need. 2,627, or 88.54 percent, of those cases were closed favorably. Throughout his time in the Senate, Portman and his team have opened a total 20,228 cases and have closed 16,774, or 82.92 percent, of those cases favorably. Portman is committed to working across the aisle to deliver results. That has resulted in more than 50 bills signed into law on a myriad of important policy issues. This year, he was awarded the 2017 Jefferson-Lincoln Award from the Panetta Institute for Public Policy for his outstanding stewardship of our democracy through dedicated, responsible, and bipartisan leadership, and the Jacob K. Javits Prize for Bipartisan Leadership from the Javits Foundation for his achievements that advance the public interest without regard to political affiliation. Portman has long made clear that there is no place in our society or our country for hatred or religious intolerance of any kind. Earlier this year, with mounting threats made against Jewish Community Centers in Ohio, Portman came out strong in defense of religious tolerance and stood in solidarity with the Jewish community. Portman visited the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus to meet with Ohio Jewish leaders and urged the administration to take action in response to threats made against JCCs, Jewish Day School, and Synagogues in Ohio and across the country. After threats made to Islamic communities, Portman spoke out forcibly against hateful threats and visited the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati in a show of solidarity. Portman has helped lead the efforts in the Senate to pass legislation that would clear the way for the Delta Queen, a U.S. National Historic Landmark, to once again carry passengers on overnight trips on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. In April, the Senate approved Portmans bipartisan legislation. The bill now awaits action in the House. The Senate recently approved Portmans Federal Register Printing Savings Act, legislation that would eliminate the mandatory daily printing and delivery of the Federal Register to congressional offices. This common-sense bill will save taxpayers about $1 million annually and make the federal government more efficient and effective. The Senate recently passed Portmans External Power Supply (EPS) Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation that will give needed certainty to Ohio LED manufacturers. The bill will exempt the manufacturers of energy saving LEDs from an onerous Department of Energyregulation that could have curtailed or stopped production of LEDs. It is now headed to the White House for the presidents signature. Having volunteered and participated in dozens of builds for more than 20 years, Portman is a longtime supporter of Habitat for Humanity, which helps provide affordable housing to low-income families. In August, following his successful Buckeye Build last year, Portman returned to Cleveland to participate in another build and volunteered again on his birthday in December, as is his custom, while in Washington, D.C. for Senate votes. Portman is also using his platform as a U.S. Senator to help Habitat assist families throughout Ohio and the country. In June, his Housing Opportunities Made Easier (HOME) Act, legislation designed to ensure that Habitat for Humanity affiliates and other organizations can receive donated appraisals on the homes they build, passed the House of Representatives. It now awaits vote in the Senate. In April, the Senate passed Portmans resolution to designate April 2017 as Second Chance Month and honor those who work to remove unnecessary barriers that prevent those with a criminal record from becoming productive members of society. Portman is the author of the Second Chance Act, legislation designed to help break the cycle of recidivism through drug treatment and job training, which makes our community safer, saves taxpayer dollars, and most importantly, helps former inmates fulfill their God-given potential. In June, Portman and Brown presented Columbus Police Officer Keith Kise with the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery. Senator Portman has fought for all Ohioans and continued to deliver results for them. He helped lead the effort reform the broken tax code to create more jobs and boost wages. He has led the effort to combat Americas drug epidemic. He has led the effort to help end online sex trafficking. He has consistently stood up for American global leadership and Ohios servicemembers, and much, much more. Senator Portman will continue to deliver results for Ohio in 2018. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=9E02597F-EE90-40B6-A7E9-B8F65C43D97B,Senate Passes Portman Legislation Giving Certainty to LED Manufacturers,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced today that the Senate has passed his External Power Supply (EPS) Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation that will give needed certainty to Ohio LED manufacturers. Portmans legislation will exempt the manufacturers of energy saving LEDs from an onerous Department of Energyregulation that could have curtailed or stopped production of LEDs. He issued the following statement: This bill will give needed certainty to Ohios LED manufactures from a regulation that was never intended to affect them. Now these Ohio made products will not have to fear future federal action that could have stopped production of these goodsand threatened manufacturing jobs. I am pleased the bill is now on its way to the presidents desk and I look forward to it being signed into law. NOTE: Last night, the Senate passed the House-passed version of Portmans EPS legislation (H.R. 518), and its now headed to the White House for the presidents signature. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D533E3C5-7244-42A2-BBF4-FC578E01C59D,"On Senate Floor, Portman Discusses Historic Tax Reform That Will Help Middle Class, Boost Jobs, Increase Wages",2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.In a speech on the Senate floor last night, U.S. Senator Portman Rob Portman (R-OH) discussed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, historic tax reform legislation that was signed into law by President Trump today. Portman, who served as a conferee on the House-Senate conference committee, discussed how the bill will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here. Mr. President, Im standing heretonight to talk about a couplethings.First is the tax legislationthat was passed this week inCongress.This is going to help everybodyI represent because its goingto help our entire country.Its going to lift up ourcountry in ways were alreadybeginning to see.There have been a lot of peopleto thank, and today I was at thesigning ceremony where SpeakerRyan and President Pro temporeOrrin Hatch signed it and its onits way to the president for hissignature.I want to start by thankingthem, Speaker Ryan, ChairmanHatch and Chairman Brady of theWays and Means Committee withwhom I worked closely.He is a gentleman, always looking for ways tosolve problems and to get toyes.I commend him for that.I also want to thank some of thecolleagues on the FinanceCommittee who I worked closelywith.This core four group includingSenator John Thune, Senator PatToomey, Senator Tim Scott andmaybe most importantly is thestaff. We had an enormous undertakinghere and it was ambitious to tryto meet the goals that were setout early on of realmiddle-class tax cuts andenergizing the economy byhelping small businesses andchanging the whole internationalsystem so we could level theplaying field.There was a lot to do and ittook a lot of expertise, time,and effort.Mark Prater, Jay Khosla, BrendanDunn, who led that effort,we all owe you our thanks.Then of course a slew of otherstaff, including Zach Rudisill of mystaff who just spent hours andhours and put his heart and soulinto this.Thank you, all of you, forhelping us to get to this point. You know, for years, Mr.President, Democrats andRepublicans alike have calledfor middle-class tax cuts.We talk about it in campaigns.Im proud to say that this weekwe delivered on it.And I know some of my Democraticcolleagues have been critical ofthe legislation and some havesaid, well, these are not reallymiddle-class tax cuts becausethey expire.Yes, they expire after eightyears.We wish they didnt, but thatsthe rules, the budget rules here,but thats the same thing thathappened with the 2001 tax cuts,the 2003 tax cutsand Congress worked toextend those using the samebudget rules for about 95 percent ofthose taxpayers.Im strongly hoping that we willdo the same thing, and I believe we will, but this is real tax relief.And for families in Ohio, medianincome, the average saving will be justover $2,000 every year.That helps a family budget.Thats a little money you canput aside for retirement.Maybe thats money to use for avacation you didnt have.If youre living paycheck topaycheck, which is true with alot of people I represent,thats a big help.Its a big help.Thats from doubling the childcredit.Thats from doubling thestandard deduction, essentiallycreating $14,000 of a zeroincome bracket. By the way, doing those sorts ofthings in this bill means aboutthree million Americans or moreare going to be leaving the taxrolls all together.These are people who have taxliability now and under the newbill starting in a couple ofweeks, they will not have anincome tax liability.Theyll be out from under theIRSand theyll be able, as they movemany of them from welfare towork or from a federal programinto gainful employment, not toworry about the tax man.Thats really important, too.So I am proud of the legislationbecause I think its going toreally help the people Irepresent in an immediate way.And people will see it in theirpaychecks.The proof is in the paychecksbecause theyll see it probablystarting in February the withholding will change. The IRS has to go through aprocess on that.I wrote a letter to themyesterday encouraging them tomove on that quickly becausepeople want to see that in theirpaychecks.So the tax relief starts in acouple of weeks, January 1.It will be in the paychecks whenthe withholding changes, hopefullysometime late January or February.People will see less money beingheld from their paycheck becauseof the tax cuts that enable themto have a healthier familybudget.But Ive got to tell you, Mr.President, I believe that thisis going to go well beyond thatfor the people I represent. As important as thosemiddle-class tax cuts is whatwere doing to stimulate moreinvestment in this economy.And thats through the changesfor small businesses who willnow be able to put more moneyinto their business rather thanpaying more taxes.Many of these businesses,so-called pass-through companies,which is most of the businessesin America, they pay taxes asindividuals.They dont pay the business taxrate.They pay the individual taxrate, and many of them do take adividend.They take money out of thecompany every year for onepurpose and thats to pay theirtaxes.To the extent theyre not takingthe money out as much to paythose taxes because of thechanges we made here for smallbusinesses, theyre going to be able toinvest more in their people,more in their equipment, more intheir plants, and Im hearingthis from small business peoplearound the state of Ohio. Last weekend I was with a numberof them and theyre excited about thisbecause they want to be able toinvest more in their business.They want to be able to investmore in their people.They want to be able to givepeople who work for them theopportunity to have a higherwage.Right now, wages are flat, they reallyhave been for the past coupledecades when you take inflationinto account.This has the incredibleopportunity for us not just toprovide middle-class tax cuts,which are important, not just tohelp businesses invest, butactually to help get wages up sothat people will see that ifthey work hard and play by therules they are going to seehigher wages, the ability to getahead, and have more hope forthemselves and for their kidsand their grandkids.Everyone regardless of economicstatus, region, or party isgoing to see the benefits ofthis tax reform bill. By the way, some workers arealready seeing the benefit as wetalk today because there are abunch of companies thatannounced today that, because ofthe tax reform and tax cutlegislation, they are alreadytaking steps to increase the payof their employees, increasebenefits, or invest more moneyin building plants, equipment, oradding more jobs throughinvestmentor both.These companies include some bigcompanies youve heard of likeComcast.It includes other companies likeWells Fargo, Boeing, and AT&T.Theyve made these announcementstoday.One company that announced todayis in my hometown.Its Fifth Third Bank, kindof an unusual name, Fifth Third,but that makes them distinctive,right?They said today, were going tostart paying our people a higherentry-level pay.Instead of 13-something an hourit will be 15 bucks an hour andprovide bonuses to employees notaffected by that.And theyre going to do it rightnow, and theyre doing it becauseof the tax reform legislation.So to those who say, gosh, whatabout me?I would just say look at yourpaycheck, and if you work for oneof these businesses thatsalready made an announcement, ofcourse youre feeling good aboutit, but even if you work foranother company that maybe is alittle quieter about whattheyre doing, maybe theyre notgoing to make a bigannouncement, trust me itsgoing to be in their interestnow in a competitive market outthere to invest in thosecompanies, to invest in theirpeople, to invest in training,to invest in better equipment,better technology, and those arethe sorts of things that overtime, Mr. President, are goingto make the biggest difference, Ithink, in this tax bill. If you look at whats happeningin our economy today, the reasonwages are flat, and by theway, expenses are not flat.Expenses are up and wages areflat. Thats called the middle-classsqueeze.Whats the biggest expense formost people?Health care.The way to deal with that is toget the economy moving andspecifically to increase theproductivity.Thats what economists say.When you have low productivity,you have low economic growth.Thats not the America I grew upin and thats not the America Iwant my kids to grow up in.By making these investments inbetter technology, in betterequipment, in better training,what happens?You get more productivity.You get higher efficiency.You get the opportunity toincrease your business and,therefore, hire more people andthats something I think overtime will play out and willcreate the opportunity to liftup everybody. John F. Kennedy, who was aDemocrat, but had a lot ofthings to say that sound morelike what Republicans aretalking about today.One was he said that a risingtide lifts all ships. A rising tide.In the 1960s, he did cutcapital gains, by the way, thatand that increased economic liftactivityRonald Reagan put in tax reform,along with a bipartisan group inthe United States Congress, thatended up with strong economicgrowth in the 1980s and 1990s. But that was 31 years ago.Thats the last time we madethese kinds of substantive,comprehensive changes in the taxcode.Its past time to do it again.The final thing I will say aboutthe tax reform proposal is thatwhen you talk to businesses thatare competing globally, which ismore and more companies,including a lot of smallercompanies now, the globaleconomy is upon us.People say, gosh, I wonder whenthe economy is going to affectme globally.Well, it does.It affects all of us, because inyour town, wherever it is, inyour business, wherever you work,youre probably competingdirectly or indirectly on aglobal basis. Ill give you an example.There is a little company in myhometown called Standardtextile.Its a great company.They make linens.Its a company that competesevery day globally.And, in fact, a lot of thecompanies they compete with, asyou can imagine, are companiesthat make these linens somewhereelse, say, in Asia, where,traditionally, people have beenable to find lower costs.Guess what they are looking atnow with this tax reform bill?The ability to invest more herein America.American workers, American-madelinens.And they tell me, as do othercompanies, that this is going togive them a better competitivesituation because no longer areyou going to have a tax codethat has the highest businessrate in the entireindustrialized world and aninternational system that saysif you keep your money overseasrather than bringing it back,when you earn money, you cansave on your taxes.Thats whats resulted in$2.5 trillion to $3 trillionbeing locked out of America andbeing kept overseas. This tax reform proposal unlocksthat. It allows us to bring thatmoney back.People call it repatriation.I guess thats accurate, repatriation.I wish it had never beenunpatriotriated in the firstplace.If youre a patriot, you shouldwant that money to be spent herein America.Thats whats going to happenwith this tax reform proposal.So it is about the tax cuts forworking families, hardworkingfamilies who deserve it, who arenow stuck in a situation whereits tough to get ahead.This will help immediately.It is about helping smallbusinesses and other companieshere in America to be able toinvest more, being able to writeoff equipment when they buy itright away, as an example, havinga lower rate.But its also about levelingthat playing field and sayingthat America once again is goingto reposition itself as theleader in the world, once againbe that beacon of opportunitythat other countries look to and say, we would like to be likethat, a free market economywhere people who work hard andplay by the rules can get ahead.You cant say that now with ourcurrent tax code because workers are competing on anun-level playing field with onehand tied behind their backsbecause of our tax code. Three times as many Americancompanies were purchased byforeign companies last year asopposed to the other way around.4,700 U.S. companies becameforeign companies over the lastdecade or so because of our taxcode.Thats based on an Ernst &Young study that came outrecently that said if this taxreform proposal that we have nowpassed had been in place, those4,700 companies would still beAmerican companies.All of us are patriots here inthis body.All of us should want to bringback those jobs to America,repatriate those profits toAmerica, give American workersthe ability to compete on alevel playing field.I know there were somedifferences of opinion in this legislation.We have heard a lot of it onthe other side of the aisle.But on this issue, its beenbipartisan in the past, and Ihope it will be bipartisan goingforward, to hold these reformsin place so that we can showthat we have confidence andfaith in American workers.We have confidence that if wegive them the right toolsinthis case, the right tax code towork with, they can compete andthey can win. I think were going to see that,I think, again. With the hopefulsigns we have seen even today ofcompanies providing better payor benefits or making additionalcommitments on investments, evenwell beyond that, were going tosee, maybe quietly and maybespread out all over the countryin ways that wont be as obviousof decisions that are going to bemade, business budgets that aregoing to change as a result ofthis tax reform bill.Im hearing it from smallbusinesses.Im hearing it from the biggercompanies that compete directlyglobally.And Im certainly hearing itfrom families who are happy tosee a little tax break to beable to help them as we go intothe holidays. Mr. President, thats all good news, and I think passing that legislation is really going to help the people I represent. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=DD1CE65A-1944-49A7-9AB4-26916C0985C2,"Senate Passes Portman Bill to Stop Unnecessary Printing of the Federal Register, Save Taxpayer Dollars",2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced that the Senate approved his Federal Register Printing Savings Act, legislation that would save taxpayer dollars by eliminating the mandatory daily printing and delivery of the Federal Register to congressional offices. He issued the following statement: This common-sense bill will save taxpayer dollars and make the federal government more efficient and effective. I am pleased that the Senate passed the measure unanimously and I will continue to work to get it signed into law. NOTE: TheFederal Register Printing Savings Actis estimated to save $1 million annually by eliminating the daily printing and delivery of the Federal Register to congressional offices. A congressional office could still receive the federal register if they ask for it, but the Government Publishing Office would no longer proactively deliver it to offices. Portmans measure (S. 1195) was approved by the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee in July. The Senate passed the House-passed version of Portmans bill (H.R. 195) yesterday, with an additional measure attached, so it will go back to the House for passage once again before heading to the presidents desk. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E032E349-4A66-453E-987B-4D956455CC21,"Portman Discusses Childrens Health Insurance Program, Need for Long-Term Funding Solution",2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Portman Rob Portman (R-OH) discussed the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the need for a long-term funding solution. CHIP has enjoyed wide bipartisan support in the past. The Senate Finance Committee, which Portman serves on, recently passed legislation that would fund CHIP for five years by a unanimous vote. Ohio has the 10th largest CHIP program, and 219,000 Ohio childrenand nine million children nationwideget health coverage through CHIP. Portman addressed the need for bipartisan cooperation to enact a long-term funding solution to help some the most vulnerable members of society, children in need. Transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here. I also want to talk aboutsomething tonight that was notaccomplished.And it was not accomplished inthis vote we just had, which wasa continuing resolution thatkeeps the government funded fora little while longer intoJanuary.Some of us have pushed hard toinclude various things in thislegislation.I understand that some of theseitems are controversial, and itwas hard to get it done becauseyou needed 60 votes tonight.You needed a bipartisanconsensus, really, on how tomove forward not to shut downthe government.And I am not a fan of governmentshutdowns,they wont work.They are inefficient.They cost taxpayers more at theend of the day.They cause a lot of pain in theprocess. But I will tell you we had theopportunity to pass certainthings tonight that were notcontroversial, and I dont understand why we didnt do it.Some issues, again, Iunderstand on the spending frontwere more controversial.I understand some issues weremore controversial in terms ofhow you deal with theimmigration issue.The DACA issue is one I supportresolving.I think we should codify it andresolve that.People wanted to add differentthings there.Let me tell you about one whereI dont think there was anydisagreement.And if we could have passed it, it would have provideda lot of certainty andpredictability to families inOhio and around the country.Its one that passed mycommittee, the Finance Committeeby a strong vote, not abipartisan vote but a unanimousvote.And thats the Childrens HealthInsurance Program, the CHIPprogram.We passed it with a unanimousvote out of committee. People say well, but we need tofind pay-fors for it.It is about $8 billion to dowhat we did, which is afive-year extension of theprogram.Providing, again, certainty andpredictability to familiestonight who are wondering whats going to happen.Whats going to happen with thisprogram?Are my kids going to have thekind of quality health care thatthey can access through theChildrens Health Insurance Program, theCHIP program.But Ill tell you, there aresome pay-fors out there that are bipartisan.A big one that could covernearly half of that cost is onewhere you simply ensure that theMedicaid program has moreintegrity so that if athird-party payer is paying,then the Medicaid programdoesnt pay.Its always been a bipartisaninitiative.Its a pay-for that, again, wehave looked at through thisprogram.It would have been one that wecould have used.So I dont get this notion thatwe couldnt pass it because wecouldnt find the pay-fors.The pay-fors were there. I dont get that this wascontroversial because its not.I believe, on both sides of theaisle, we wanted to resolve theChildrens Health InsuranceProgram.Again, with all the otherissues, I understandIt's tough when you have got toget the 60 votes and have to getthis passed in order to keep thegovernment operating, which isnot a situation we should be in,but we're in.But I must tell you, I am verydisappointed that we were notable to deal with this one issuetonight that has not beencontroversial, that came out ofthe committee with a unanimousvote,not bipartisan, but unanimous. CHIP now helps 219,000 Ohiochildren get the health coveragethey needand nine million childrennationwide.Ohio has the 10th largestprogram.CHIP has been a leading cause indriving the uninsured rate downfor Ohio kids.In the case of my home state, wehave seen our CHIP funding bequestioned because the programwas authorized until the end ofSeptember.Now its no longer authorized,so were not sure exactly howmuch money we have left.We think we have enough to getinto February in Ohio.Some states, I tell you, areworried about even getting intoJanuary. So tonight there was ashort-term extension that, as Iunderstand it, will take theprogram into February, butagain, this doesnt provide thatlong-term certainty thatfamilies are looking for. And I must tell you Im disappointed from what I hearabout the reasons because Iasked and asked on both sides ofthe aisle, and the one reason I got,again, from leadership on bothsides of the aisle is that,gosh, we cant do it unless wedo other things with it.You know, it is called CHIP,Childrens Health InsuranceProgram.But it shouldnt be a politicalchip.It should be taken out ofpolitics.It should be something that wedeal with separately.So I will just tell you thatusing it as leverage for otherprograms is not the way I'mgoing to look at it.Its not the way we should lookat it.We should have passed ittonight.We should have passed it to helpprotect some of the mostvulnerable members of oursociety. Funding it should be a toppriority.Regardless of your partisanposition, regardless of thepolitical climate, it should beout of the political fray.And I urge my colleagues when wecome back after the first of theyear, lets make that apriority.Lets bring it to the floor.Lets have a vote.Lets keep it bipartisan.Maybe it could even beunanimous.And lets give those families inOhio, the 219,000 kids whodepend on it, and the millions offamilies around this country thepeace of mind to know that,yeah, were extending thisprogram. Lets do that five-yearextension, that five-yearauthorization.We have already passed incommittee.Lets take it out of thispolitical process and put itwhere it belongs, which is anissue that every single memberof this body should want toaddress for the kids theyrepresent. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/rob-s-rundown?ID=F79784C4-9E51-4EE0-A301-C0A59EE135FE,"Rob's Rundown: Week of December 17 - 22, 2017",2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"This week, President Trump signed into law the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, historic tax reform legislation that will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers. Portman, who served as a conferee on the House-Senate conference committee, worked tirelessly to get this bill over the finish line on behalf of Ohio workers and families. The House and Senate passed the bill earlier this week.Also this week, Portman delivered the commencement address at Ohio State University, continued his birthday tradition of participating in a Habitat for Humanity build continued to highlight the scourge of opioid abuse in Ohio and push for solutions like the STOP Act, and more. For a more detailed look at Senator Portmans week, please see the following: Sunday, December 17 Portman Delivers Commencement Address at Ohio State University On Sunday, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) delivered the commencement address at Ohio State Universitys graduation ceremony. Portman has been working to help expand access to college, make it more affordable for students, parents and families, and help new graduates get good jobs so that they can achieve financial independence and become debt-free. Portman also fought to preserve key tax incentives for undergraduate and graduate students in the final tax reform legislation. Photos from his speech can be found here. Transcript of his speech can be found here and a video can be found here. Tuesday, December 19 Before Historic Senate Vote, Portman Details How Tax Reform Will Help Middle Class, Boost Jobs, Increase Wages In a speech on the Senate floor, Portman discussed the finalized House-Senate agreement on tax reform that was voted on in the Senate later in the evening. Portman, who served as a conferee on the House-Senate conference committee, discussed how the bill will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here. Portman Praises Senate Passage of Historic Tax Cuts Portman issued the following statement after the Senate passed historic tax cuts, which will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers: For years, Republicans and Democrats alike have called for middle-class tax cuts and a more competitive tax code for American workers and businesses, and today Republicans are delivering on that promise. This bill will cut taxes for middle-class families, reform our business tax code to create more jobs and higher wages for Ohio workers, and update our international tax code to encourage jobs and investments in America. This is the first time Congress has passed comprehensive tax reform legislation in 31 years. Id like to thank Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker Paul Ryan, Chairman Orrin Hatch, Chairman Kevin Brady, and all of my colleagues who were united by the desire to help the middle class and re-open the American economy as the best place in the world to do business. This plan is made in America, for America. By passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congress is making good on its promise to help create a better economy and a brighter future. Wednesday, December 20 Portman Praises Authorization of Sale of Defensive Lethal Military Assistance for Ukraine Portman, co-founder and chairman of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement regarding media reports that the president has decided to approve lethal military equipment for Ukraine for the first time. Providinglethal weapons to Ukraine will send a clear message that America stands with the Ukrainian people in their nearly fouryear struggle to secure a democratic, prosperous, and independent future for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. This decision--while long overdue--will reversethe Obama administration's de facto arms embargo against Ukraine and will finally allow Ukraine to access the tools it needs to defend itself. As co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and author of several provisions authorizing expanded U.S. military assistance--including lethal aid--and establishing the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, I hope that this decision opens the door to the full implementation of the bipartisan legislation Congress has already passed to help the Ukrainians defend themselves against Russian aggression."" NOTE:Portman,whoreceivedthe Ukrainian-American communitys highest honor,the Shevchenko Freedom Award,haslongledtheeffortto provide Ukraine the kind of assistance necessary to ward off Russian aggression and maintain its territorial integrity. The co-founder and co-chairman of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, Portman has visited Ukraine several times, including leading a Congressional election observation mission with Senator Ben Cardin during Ukraine's Presidential election in 2014. For the past threeyears, Portman has successfully introduced amendments to the annual National Defense Authorization Act that expanded U.S. military aid to Ukraine. These provisions helped build the primary statutory framework for U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. In addition, he has repeatedly writtenletters, deliveredmultiplefloorspeeches, andpressed?senior Administration officialson the importance of providing meaningful assistance to help Ukraine stand up to Russia's military aggression. Thursday, December 21 In a New Video, Portman Highlights Historic Tax Reform Legislation Congress Recently Passed On Thursday, Portman unveiled a new video highlighting the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, historic tax reform legislation that is on its way to the presidents desk. The once-in-a-generation legislation will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers. Portman released the following statement on the tax reform bill: Our plan gives middle-class families a tax cut so they can keep more of their hard-earned money; its going to reform the business tax code to create more jobs and create higher wages while making American workers more competitive in the global marketplace; and it will level the playing field internationally, creating a fairer tax system that encourages jobs and investments to occur right here in this country rather than sending them overseas. This bill is made in America, for America, and I look forward to the president signing it into law soon. Portman Urges IRS to Move Quickly to Change Withholding Tables, Deliver Historic Tax Cuts Following passage of historic tax cuts, Portman urged the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to move quickly to change its withholding tables and deliver these tax cuts as quickly as possible. On behalf of the hard-working Americans across the nation who are eager to see their paychecks reflect the benefits of this historic legislation, Portman said in a letter to the IRS, I request that you expedite any requisite updates to the relevant guidance on withholding. The full letter can be found here. Portman Statement on CDC Report Confirming Significant Increase in Drug-Related Deaths On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control released its 2016 mortality data report which found that there were 63,632 drug-related deaths last year, an increase of 21 percent from 2015.The report shows that nationally, overdose rates are 19.8 per 100,000. In Ohio, the rate is double that at 39.1 per 100,000. In fact, Ohio ranked second among all states for drug-related deaths with fatalities taking 4,539 lives. Deaths specifically associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids doubled. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement on the report and impact of the heroin and prescription drug epidemic: Im saddened by new statistics from the CDC, which confirm that drug-related deaths continue to rise across the country and that fentanyl continues to be a primary driver in these deaths. With the rate of overdose deaths in Ohio double the national rate, this fight is personal for me and my fellow Ohioans. I will continue to fight in the new year for common-sense legislation like the STOP Act to help stop the flow of fentanyl and other dangerous synthetic drugs into the country and our local communities so that every American can reach their God-given potential. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this bill as quickly as possible. NOTE:Portmans bipartisan Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act will help stop dangerous drugs such as heroin, fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders to drug traffickers here in the United States. President Trumps opioid commission endorsed the STOP Act in November. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has also endorsed the bill as well. On Senate Floor, Portman Discusses Historic Tax Reform That Will Help Middle Class, Boost Jobs, Increase Wages In a speech on the Senate floor, Portman discussed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, historic tax reform legislation that was signed into law by President Trump on Friday. Portman, who served as a conferee on the House-Senate conference committee, discussed how the bill will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here. Portman Discusses Childrens Health Insurance Program, Need for Long-Term Funding Solution In a speech on the Senate floor, Portman discussed the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the need for a long-term funding solution. CHIP has enjoyed wide bipartisan support in the past. The Senate Finance Committee, which Portman serves on, recently passed legislation that would fund CHIP for five years by a unanimous vote. Ohio has the 10th largest CHIP program, and 219,000 Ohio childrenand nine million children nationwideget health coverage through CHIP. Portman addressed the need for bipartisan cooperation to enact a long-term funding solution to help some the most vulnerable members of society, children in need. Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here. Friday, December 22 Portman: Historic Tax Cuts Signed Into Law Portman issued the following statement after President Trump signed into law historic tax cuts that were approved by the House and Senate this week: These historic tax cuts will make a real difference for middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for Ohio workers.While our economy is improving, too many families today are still dealing with the middle-class squeeze of stagnant wages and higher expenses.Providing tax relief for middle-class families and reforming our business tax code to create more jobs and boost wages is the right thing to do, and I was proud to play a significant role in helping craft this measure. Im pleased that were already seeing a positive response from employers rewarding their workers with better pay and bonuses while increasing their investments in their businesses and their communities. These historic tax cuts will help create a better economy and a better future for all Americans, and Im pleased that they are now the law of the land. Senate Passes Portman Bill to Stop Unnecessary Printing of the Federal Register, Save Taxpayer Dollars Portman announced that the Senate approved his Federal Register Printing Savings Act, legislation that would save taxpayer dollars by eliminating the mandatory daily printing and delivery of the Federal Register to congressional offices. He issued the following statement: This common-sense bill will save taxpayer dollars and make the federal government more efficient and effective. I am pleased that the Senate passed the measure unanimously and I will continue to work to get it signed into law. NOTE: TheFederal Register Printing Savings Actis estimated to save $1 million annually by eliminating the daily printing and delivery of the Federal Register to congressional offices. A congressional office could still receive the federal register if they ask for it, but the Government Publishing Office would no longer proactively deliver it to offices. Portmans measure (S. 1195) was approved by the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee in July. The Senate passed the House-passed version of Portmans bill (H.R. 195) yesterday, with an additional measure attached, so it will go back to the House for passage once again before heading to the presidents desk. Senate Passes Portman Legislation Giving Certainty to LED Manufacturers Portman announced on Friday that the Senate has passed his External Power Supply (EPS) Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation that will give needed certainty to Ohio LED manufacturers. Portmans legislation will exempt the manufacturers of energy saving LEDs from an onerous Department of Energyregulation that could have curtailed or stopped production of LEDs. He issued the following statement: This bill will give needed certainty to Ohios LED manufactures from a regulation that was never intended to affect them. Now these Ohio made products will not have to fear future federal action that could have stopped production of these goodsand threatened manufacturing jobs. I am pleased the bill is now on its way to the presidents desk and I look forward to it being signed into law.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399405,A Tax Overhaul Three Decades in the Making,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Christmas came a few days early for the American people this week. Its not the Jelly of the Month Club, but it is a gift that will keep on giving the whole year. share: f t Christmas came a few days early for the American people this week. Its not the Jelly of the Month Club, but it is a gift that will keep on giving the whole year. This week, Congress passed comprehensive tax reform, giving our tax system its first overhaul in more than 30 years. While there are many aspects to tax reform, throughout the legislative process, I have fought for what I know is important to the families and communities in the 15th District. Like many, when the original tax reform bill was introduced, I had concerns about the elimination of the tax exemption for graduate student tuition waivers. This important part of our tax code helps students at universities across the country including Ohio University and Ohio State University by exempting reduced tuition from being taxed as income. Many universities waive tuition costs for students who work as teaching or research assistants while attending graduate school. For some, this is the only way they can afford to pursue graduate degrees. However, without the tuition waiver provision, any discount in tuition would be considered taxable income, putting a great financial burden on our graduate students. Thats why I fought to preserve the tax exemption on graduate student tuition waivers and I am proud it is maintained in the final passed version of tax reform. With this provision preserved, students can have the opportunity to attend graduate school without the burden of being taxed for the additional work they do to offset the cost of tuition. I also fought successfully to expand the child tax credit for working parents in our country. As a parent, I know firsthand that raising children comes with expenses. From medical expenses, to new clothes, to just putting more food on the table, parents need all the help we can give them. The tax reform bill, as passed, will expand the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000, giving working families relief and support so they can provide for their children. Another important provision I worked to keep intact is the historic tax credit. No matter the size of the town or city, historic buildings on the national register are often the centerpiece of a community. It is important that we protect and preserve these historic landmarks for future generations. For many communities, the historic tax credit is relied upon to help with downtown restoration projects to ensure the integrity of the buildings is maintained while being functional. It was beneficial to our local communities that this tax credit was maintained in the final legislation. Finally, I was proud to work to ensure the low-income housing tax credit was preserved in tax reform. Thousands of families, individuals, and seniors rely on low-income housing for a safe and affordable place to live. Maintaining the low-income housing tax credit will ensure businesses can continue investing in these important projects so homes will still be available to those who are most in need. These are just a few of the provisions in the tax reform bill that will help families and communities across the country. Im proud to have supported tax reform because these issues will specifically help the 15th district. Tax reform is truly the gift that will not only keep on giving the whole year, it will keep on giving for years to come. To learn more about how tax reform will help you and your family, visit fairandsimple.gop. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://chabot.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398775,Freedom of Press Caucus Urges Secretary Tillerson to Pressure Burma to Release Two Reuters Journalists,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steven Chabot,C000266,chabot.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Reps. Steve Chabot (OH-01) and Adam Schiff (CA-28), today along with six other colleagues from the bipartisan Congressional Caucus for Freedom of the Press, wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson requesting that the State Department urge Burma to drop all charges and immediately release Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who could face up to 14 years in prison for their investigative journalism. Their reporting has extensively focused on the Rakhine States refugee crisis, where over 600,000 Rohingya, including at least 250,000 children, have fled into neighboring Bangladesh, as they sought refuge from assault, rape, and murder by Burmese state security forces. The journalists arrested have reportedly been charged for unlawful possession of military documents pertaining to the violence in Rakhine State. In the letter, the eight members write: Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo arrest shows that the Burmese military is attempting to silence the atrocities it cannot deny. By helping to expose ongoing violence in Rakhine State violence the Burmese military has denied journalists have helped keep international pressure on Burma to end its violence. That is why we believe that press freedom is essential to ending this crisis and that working to free Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo will further American efforts to bring a resolution to the crisis. To that end, we ask you to use all available U.S. diplomatic tools to urge the Government of Burma to drop all charges and immediately release Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. Schiff and Chabot were joined in the letter by six of their colleagues: Rep. Joseph Crowley (NY-14), Rep. Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. (NY-11), Rep. David N. Cicilline (RI-01), Rep. Barbara Comstock (VA-10), Rep. Ann Wagner (MO-02) and Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-33). The full letter can be found below: Dear Secretary Tillerson, As Members of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus for Freedom of the Press, we are deeply troubled by the recent arrest in Burma of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. These arrests come amid a growing crackdown on press freedom, which is having a grave impact on the ability of journalists to cover Burmas military persecution of the Rohingya in Rakhine State. Both journalists have reported extensively on the Rakhine States refugee crisis, where over 600,000 Rohingya, including at least 250,000 children, have fled into neighboring Bangladesh, as they sought refuge from assault, rape, and murder by Burmese state security forces. The journalists arrested have reportedly been charged for unlawful possession of military documents pertaining to the violence in Rakhine State. They have put themselves at great personal risk to report on the Rohingya crisis and could face up to 14 years in prison for their investigative journalism. We applaud the actions you have taken so far to help resolve the crisis in Burma, including providing humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh, correctly characterizing the violence against the Rohingya as ethnic cleansing, and a commitment to holding Burmese military officials accountable through U.S. law, including possible targeted sanctions. As you know, the House has been actively engaged in seeking a resolution to the crisis as well. Earlier this month the House passed H.Con.Res. 90 with near-unanimous, bipartisan support to condemn the ethnic cleansing in Burma. The House Committee on Foreign Affairs is also considering the bipartisan the BURMA Act of 2017, which would enhance sanctions against those who violate human rights in Burma. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo arrest shows that the Burmese military is attempting to silence the atrocities it cannot deny. By helping to expose ongoing violence in Rakhine State violence the Burmese military has denied journalists have helped keep international pressure on Burma to end its violence. That is why we believe that press freedom is essential to ending this crisis and that working to free Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo will further American efforts to bring a resolution to the crisis. To that end, we ask you to use all available U.S. diplomatic tools to urge the Government of Burma to drop all charges and immediately release Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=AD50AED5-9FB4-4CD2-9E16-0268D8657731,Renacci Pushes to Preserve the Doctor-Patient Relationship by Creating Access to Rehabilitation for Every Senior,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today Congressman Renacci reintroduced H.R. 4701, the Creating Access to Rehabilitation for Every Senior (CARES) Act. This bipartisan bill will reduce barriers to health care services for our nations seniors by eliminating the three-day inpatient hospital stay requirement for Medicare beneficiaries who are in need of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. Eliminating the three-day stay requirement is supported by both hospitals and nursing homes throughout the country. The Creating Access to Rehabilitation for Every Senior (CARES) Act will enhance access to quality care for our nations seniors by protecting the doctor-patient relationship and removing Washington red tape as a barrier to their health care, saidRep. Jim Renacci. Beneficiaries in need of skilled nursing care are typically the frailest and oldest of the Medicare population, and they should not be shut out of these critical rehabilitation services due to Washington over-regulation. As a former operator and manager of long-term care facilities in Northeast Ohio, I remain committed to finding bipartisan solutions that will allow Ohio seniors to receive the treatment they need at the time they need it without Washington standing in the way. Background: Enacted in 1965 by Congress, in order to meet Medicare criteria for coverage of post-acute care in a skilled nursing facility (SNF), patients must first have an inpatient hospital stay of three or more consecutive days, not counting the day of discharge. Medicare covers up to 100 days of SNF care per episode of carebut theres a catch following a qualifying three-day inpatient hospital stay. In July 2013, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reported that beneficiaries had 617,702 hospital stays that lasted at least three nights, but did not include three inpatient nights; these beneficiaries did not qualify for SNF services under Medicare. The OIG report concluded that CMS should consider how to ensure that beneficiaries with similar post-hospital care needs have the same access to and cost-sharing for SNF services. In September 2013, the Commission on Long-Term Care called for the enactment of legislation to eliminate the requirement of a prior three-day inpatient stays in an SNF. The Commission noted that with declining hospital lengths of stay, many inpatient stays that require post-acute skilled nursing may not qualify for coverage. The Commission report also included the fact that without the three-day inpatient stay, patients who should be transferred for a short post-acute stay in a SNF would not be eligible for coverage. This legislation not only better serves patients with more accurately designated care, but also reduces costs to our already stressed healthcare system by relying less on the expensive inpatient hospital setting, and shifting the weight more towards patient-centered care settings such as in an SNF.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=CC7C3611-9775-4AE1-A219-03EFE86D6A5C,Renacci Leads Charge to Protect our Most Vulnerable and Frail Patient Population from CMS Cuts,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Congressman Renacciled a letteralong with 19other members from both sides of the aisle in Congress to Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi requesting a delay on the implementation of 340B cuts before the end of the year. The 340B program has been critical in supporting our safety-net providers in helping low income and vulnerable individuals across the country access affordable and comprehensive health care services. This past year, I have advocated on many occasions the importance of protecting our most vulnerable and frail patient populations by requesting a reconsideration of these cuts that CMS is making. While I acknowledge the concerns of the growth in spending in this program and lack in transparency, the across-the-board cuts that CMS is making will disproportionately affect our nations safety net hospitals and potentially put our patients at risk. With the cuts set take effect in January, a delay in the rule is a compromise to allow Congress to have time to examine the program while delivering relief to our safety-net hospitals. Read full letter with signatures HERE",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4794FC47-DA95-4A46-96CD-A4B50D39DC6A,"On CNN, Portman Praises Ambassador Nikki Haley After U.N. Vote on Jerusalem",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"During an interview on CNN today, Senator Portman, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, discussed todays vote at the United Nations (U.N.) condemning the United States decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and praised Ambassador Nikki Haley standing up for the United States and our allies. Portman believes that Jerusalem has always been the capital of Israel and has long supported moving the U.S. embassy there, including voting for the bipartisan Jerusalem Embassy Act in 1995. Excerpts can be found below and a video can be found here. PORTMAN PRAISES AMBASSADOR NIKKI HALEY The people I represent who are paying those dues to the U.N. And again about one-third of the peace keeping is paid for by our taxpayers, they deserve to have representation in the U.N., which is Nikki Haley, that stands up for us. I think its totally appropriate. I do think it should be an aggregation of all positions, in other words, not just this one position, youve got to look at our alliances around the world to determine whos helping us and whos not. That should be one of the factors thats considered. PORTMAN ON THE U.N. VOTE REGARDING JERUSALEM I think it reflects a continued effort by the United Nations and frankly a double standard with regard to Israel. I am concerned about it, but its not surprising. The whole issue of boycotts, divestments, sanctions, BDS is something that Senator Ben Cardin and I have been involved in for some time on, trying to get the United Nations, including the Human Rights commission and other groups, to understand that Israel is being held to a different standard than other countries. You mentioned some of the countries that violate human rights. You missed Iran and North Korea by the way. You know, its ironic that here we are talking about the move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as being the seminal issue in the Middle East peace when there are so many other issues that need to be addressed. As you mentioned in Syria, as you mentioned there are human rights violations going on in other countries in the Middle East as well that are far more important for the U.N. to be taking a look at.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4F36F9BD-6C11-443B-9904-ED90DD0DBE11,"Portman Urges IRS to Move Quickly to Change Withholding Tables, Deliver Historic Tax Cuts",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Following passage of historic tax cuts, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) is urging the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to move quickly to change its withholding tables and deliver these tax cuts as quickly as possible. On behalf of the hard-working Americans across the nation who are eager to see their paychecks reflect the benefits of this historic legislation, Portman said in a letter to the IRS, I request that you expedite any requisite updates to the relevant guidance on withholding. NOTE: Following is the full letter, which can also be found here. December 20, 2017 David Kautter Acting Commissioner Internal Revenue Service 1111 Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC 20224 Dear Commissioner Kautter: I write you following the recent passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a historic piece of legislation that will reform the United States Internal Revenue Code with the aim to provide much-needed tax relief to the middle class and improve the ability of domestic businesses to compete in the global economy. In order to realize these important reforms, particularly those affecting working individuals who bring home a paycheck every month, the IRS must take immediate action to update the relevant guidance documents for employers that are necessary for the administration of payroll in compliance with federal law. Along these lines, I was pleased to see the IRS issue a statement on December 13 indicating that the organization is already taking initial steps to prepare guidance on withholding for 2018. On behalf of the hard-working Americans across the nation who are eager to see their paychecks reflect the benefits of this historic legislation, I request that you expedite any requisite updates to the relevant guidance on withholding. As the IRS proceeds with such updates, please keep me apprised of the process so that I may relay to my constituents what they ought to expect in the coming year and when to expect it. In particular, please provide me the plan for administering the new tax law changes, including your planned implementation dates for sending employers the new guidance documents on withholding. I appreciate your help in this matter. Sincerely, ______________________________ Rob Portman United States Senator ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5378BD47-F538-45EE-88D8-0698A6ED2229,"In a New Video, Portman Highlights Historic Tax Reform Legislation Congress Recently Passed",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) today unveiled a new video highlighting the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, historic tax reform legislation that is on its way to the presidents desk. The once-in-a-generation legislation will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers. Portman released the following statement on the tax reform bill: Our plan gives middle-class families a tax cut so they can keep more of their hard-earned money; its going to reform the business tax code to create more jobs and create higher wages while making American workers more competitive in the global marketplace; and it will level the playing field internationally, creating a fairer tax system that encourages jobs and investments to occur right here in this country rather than sending them overseas. This bill is made in America, for America, and I look forward to the president signing it into law soon. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=8D34E77A-159F-4A0D-9725-B938E3BEF4CA,Portman Statement on CDC Report Confirming Significant Increase in Drug-Related Deaths,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Portman Calls on Senate to Pass STOP Act to Help Address the Epidemic WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, the Centers for Disease Control released its 2016 mortality data report and found that there were 63,632 drug-related deaths last year, an increase of 21 percent from 2015.The report shows that nationally, overdose rates are 19.8 per 100,000. In Ohio, the rate is double that at 39.1 per 100,000. In fact, Ohio ranked second among all states for drug-related deaths with fatalities taking 4,539 lives. Deaths specifically associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids doubled. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement on the report and impact of the heroin and prescription drug epidemic: Im saddened by new statistics from the CDC, which confirm that drug-related deaths continue to rise across the country and that fentanyl continues to be a primary driver in these deaths. With the rate of overdose deaths in Ohio double the national rate, this fight is personal for me and my fellow Ohioans. I will continue to fight in the new year for common-sense legislation like the STOP Act to help stop the flow of fentanyl and other dangerous synthetic drugs into the country and our local communities so that every American can reach their God-given potential. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this bill as quickly as possible. NOTE:Portmans bipartisan Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act will help stop dangerous drugs such as heroin, fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders to drug traffickers here in the United States. President Trumps opioid commission endorsed the STOP Act in November. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has also endorsed the bill as well. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F8E3170F-24F4-481E-BF56-2B705969098F,"Day After Vote, Portman Discusses Historic Tax Cuts on Fox Business",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"During an interview of Fox Business today, Senator Portman, who served as a conferee on the House-Senate tax reform conference committee, discussed how these historic tax cuts will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBCs Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Delaware Gazette, and Cincinnati Enquirer. The tax reform effort is widely supported by Ohio small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and other state and local organizations. Excerpts can be found below and a video can be found here. PORTMAN PRAISES ADMINISTRATION EFFORTS TO PASS TAX REFORM PresidentTrump and his administrationworked really well with us onthis tax reform bill and theydo deserve credit.As you know, Ive worked on taxreform for many yearsincluding trying with theObama administration to dealwith the huge problems in ourtax code on the internationalside and corporate side.We are losing jobs andinvestment every day nowthreetimes as many Americancompanies were bought byforeign companies last year.They indicated interestbecause it's an obviousproblem and yet were neverable to pull the trigger andget to work with us to actually solvethe problem.We now have a more competitivetax code that will helpworkers in my home state of Ohio.They deserve to be commendedfor that. PORTMAN ON HOW TAX REFORM WILL HELP THE MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES Even Democrats who areopposed to the bill admit thatmost people are going to get atax cut here.In fact, some of the Democratswho have been most against thebill when they spoke on the floor said that twothirds of people would geta tax cut that is greater than$100.This is middle-class familiesaround Ohio.The Democrats numbers just arentaccurate in terms of theamount of tax relief thats going outand they acknowledge that.What they do say is that theythink the tax cuts in thefirst eight years while realshould be made permanent.We agree with that. We Republicans agree with that. But we haveto live under the constraintsof the Senate budget rulesjust as what happened in 2001and 2003.In both of those cases, as youknow, the tax cuts wereextended for about 95 percent of those taxpayers.I hope that will happenagain. PORTMAN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHILDRENS HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM I think youre absolutelyright.Nobody wants a governmentshutdown.It doesnt help the economy orthe taxpayer because when wedo one of these governmentshutdowns we end up comingback and spending moreafter-the-fact.I think there is a commitmentto getting it done.Unfortunately, what were notdoing is dealing with some of theissues we ought to beaddressing.The Childrens HealthInsurance Program, for instance, bipartisan, its already come out of committee.I think we ought to includethat and deal with that issuenow andits a five-year authorization. I think Republicans, having just had agreat victory on this tax reform and tax cutbill, ought to be sure that we also leave towndealing with the spendingissues and do some substantivework in addition on thehealthcare front which we cando. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398562,"Latta Votes to Send Tax Reform to Presidents Desk; Employees to Benefit From Bonuses, Increased Wages",2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) voted to send tax reform to President Trumps desk after the bill passed the U.S. Senate last night. After the passage of the bill, companies around the country began announcing benefits that employees will receive due to the historic tax legislation.Ohios Fifth Third Bank has announced that they will pay more than 13,500 employees a $1,000 bonus and will raise the minimum wage for their workers to $15 dollar per hour. The bonuses will not be provided to senior managers and top executives. The news comes on the heels of similar announcements by AT&T and Boeing. AT&T said they will be providing $1,000 bonuses to 200,000 employees and are investing an additional $1 billion in the United States in 2018. Boeing will invest $300 million in workplace development, facilities, and charitable giving endeavors such as employee gift-match programs. Wells Fargo also announced that they will be increasing their minimum wage to $15 and providing $400 million in philanthropic contributions in 2018. The President hasnt even signed his name, and were already seeing what a big win this bill is for American workers, said Latta. Despite unprecedented attacks from those supporting the status quo, I voted for this legislation because I knew it would mean more money in the pockets of middle-class Ohioans. Starting in February, taxpayers are going to have a bigger paycheck because of this bill. In addition, were already seeing the benefit from from companies that are choosing to grow, expand, and invest in their workforce. With Christmas less than a week away, the announcements by these businesses to pass the savings from tax reform on to their employees and their families is a very welcome gift. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399404,Supporting an Open Internet,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Free and open internet should never be a partisan issue. Everyone uses the internet, regardless of their political affiliation, and therefore it is difficult to find someone who is opposed to maintaining access for all consumers on an equal basis. However, where we do not have consensus is on how best to preserve the ideas embodied by net neutrality. share: f t Free and open internet should never be a partisan issue. Everyone uses the internet, regardless of their political affiliation, and therefore it is difficult to find someone who is opposed to maintaining access for all consumers on an equal basis. However, where we do not have consensus is on how best to preserve the ideas embodied by net neutrality. Prior to 2015, the internet was governed by what is referred to as a light-touch framework. Classified as an information service, the internet was regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and instances of monopolistic behavior and rule breaking were handled on a case-by-case basis. This allowed innovation to flourish and the internet to become the incredible power that it is today. For the last two years, the internet has been reclassified as a Title II utility service regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and was subject to the same standards that were used to regulate rotary phones in the 1930s. In todays increasingly globalized and connected world, the internet has influenced virtually every factor of our daily lives, including how we communicate with loved ones, conduct business, or how our automobiles and public transit keep us safe on the roads. This technological marvel is something that wasnt even imagined in the 1930s, and therefore should not be regulated the way telegraph lines, rotary phones, or gas lines are. Rather than enforcing anti-competitive practices on a case-by-case basis, Title II regulation has installed a mother-may-I regime which has delayed engineering, created confusion for innovators, and cost billions of dollars to comply with. As a result innovation has stalled, and investment in broadband dropped each of the two years under the old FCC rules. In the wake of the FCCs decision to reclassify broadband as an information service, and reversing the rules on throttling and blocking I felt that it was essential to re-implement these important provisions. Congress has the responsibility to ensure that consumers are protected from predatory actions, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) do not have a right to pick winners and losers or prohibit users from legal content. These standards need to be implemented with the permanency of law so that consumers are protected and not subject to the whims of unelected bureaucrats. With that in mind, I am cosponsoring legislation in an effort to prohibit throttling, and blocking of online content by ISPs. H.R. 4862 is an important piece of legislation that seeks to prohibit ISPs from preventing access to lawful internet traffic and content, and from slowing traffic based on the content, source, or destination of the information. The legislation also provides proper authority to the FCC to enforce the prohibition on throttling and blocking, and ensures the FTC maintains the ability to prosecute any anti-competitive practices as they have done for over 100 years. Ive heard from many of my constituents who do not want ISPs deciding what sites they visit, what videos they watch, or how they conduct their business online, and I agree. This bill would prohibit those sorts of monopolistic practices. Additionally, by codifying the standards for ISPs and protecting consumers through legislative action, we can prevent future administrations from politicizing the principles and open nature of the internet. Amidst the hyperbole online, what is being missed is the common ground and agreement on the principles of net neutrality that almost everyone can agree on. While much of the debate has focused on reclassification to enforce these rules using Title II, many others believe that there is no place for government intervention in business. Instead of the all or nothing approach, the legislation I support is a middle ground approach that protects consumers with codified net neutrality rules, while preventing overly burdensome and broad regulations. The bottom line is, net neutrality is important, and I am committed to preserving the principles of a fair and open internet through legislation as opposed to executive action. I do not want ISPs to create a fast lane for their preferred content. That choice should remain with consumers I will continue working on this legislation and other solutions to protect consumers and the open internet. If you have questions about net neutrality, H.R. 4862 or any other issue before Congress, do not hesitate to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-2015, my Hilliard office at (614) 771-4968, my Lancaster office at (740) 654-2654, or my Wilmington office at (937) 283-7049. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://davidson.house.gov/2017/12/davidson-statement-disaster-spending-bill,Davidson Statement on Disaster Spending Bill,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Warren Davidson released the following statement concerning his “NO” vote on the $81 billion Hurricane and Wildlife Disaster ""Stimulus” Supplemental. Davidson does not consider this bill to be emergency aid as it almost doubles the $44 billion funding request that was initially made by President Trump. “I fully support the families in California, Texas and Florida and all those affected by the destructive force of these recent hurricanes and wildfires; but including unaccountable spending projects in disaster relief efforts is different. I can't support a bill that masquerades as emergency aid while wildly spending America down a path to bankruptcy. In its current state, this is another example of a Washington, D.C. spending spree that sticks Ohioans and others with billions in debt. We should wholeheartedly respond to help families affected by these natural disasters, but we need to do so responsibly.” H.R. 4667, the Hurricane and Wildfire Disaster Supplemental bill appropriates $81 billion in total disaster relief of which: $27.6 billion for FEMA Disaster Relief Funds, $27.8 billion for Community Development Block Grants for disaster recovery and infrastructure, $12 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, $4 billion for education and public health activities, $1.6 billion for Small Business Disaster Loans, $1.5 billion for defense facility repairs, and $3.8 billion for agriculture assistance. The bill also makes additional changes that would make cotton grows eligible for the Price Loss Coverage Program and removes the annual livestock insurance cap. According to Congressional Budget Office, less than 14 percent of these funds will actually be spent by the end of September 2018. What’s more, only $67 billion of these funds will be spent by 2027. Additionally, the Community Development Block Grants alone in the bill are retroactively made available to individuals affected by natural disasters that stretch back to Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Rep. Davidson supported the reforms in the National Flood Insurance Program which passed the House in November. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://davidson.house.gov/2017/12/davidson-swats-tax-cut-critics-during-cunningham-interview,Davidson Swats Tax Cut Critics During Cunningham Interview,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - During an interview with The Bill Cunningham Show on 700 WLW in Cincinnati, Congressman Warren Davidson outlined what tax deductions Ohio families can expect to see in the new tax reform bill and confronted calls that the tax reform bill will raise the deficit. You can access the full interview here. Deficit? The economy is currently growing at 4 percent with just the expectation of tax reform. …Here’s the thing, people are concerned about the deficit. The reality is, cash revenue, as in money into the government, has only gone up when the economy is growing. When the economy is not growing then revenue into the government is going down no matter what tax rates have been over the years. When you look at the Obama years, they were saying you know, 1.5 percent is the new normal and 2 and 3 percent are long gone. Just in the expectation that we’re going to pass tax reform the economy’s growing at 4 percent. So the CBO score, which is almost always wrong and likely wrong again in this case, says this tax reform will only grow the economy by an additional .04 to .08 percent – when in reality it’s already growing at an additional 2 percent just off the expectation. When the economy’s going to grow, take home pay is going to grow. Then when you get into the cuts, the cuts that are in there are going to benefit working class Americans ... We’ve run scenario after scenario and people are going to get more take home pay out of this. Tax rates go down and take home pay goes up. …Well it’s a straightaway for everyone. Let’s say you’re married. Right now your standard deduction is $12,000 and some change. With tax reform it’s now $24,000. So effectively your first $24,000 of income your tax rate on that is zero percent. Then as you go through the rate structure, the rates get lower as you move through your taxable income. It (the new tax reform bill) keeps all the popular deductions your mortgage deductions, charitable giving, 401K savings, there was a bunch of drama about that, and the good news is that it keeps medical expenses. So let’s say you’ve had a bad year and you spent a lot of money on medical bills. This bill keeps these medical deductions. So the final product for the most part, is better then what passed either body. What about the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT); and then this bill keeps the mortgage interest deduction limit around $750,000 is this true? …Yes, the vast majority of homes in the 8th congressional district would qualify for this and the vast majority of home across Ohio would be that way too and overwhelmingly across the country. The other part is that state and local taxes like ours are not very high compared to New York or Illinois. But if you look at our state and local taxes we have kind of a high tax burden in the state and it matters. It goes not just for property taxes, it goes for income state taxes too. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/videos?ContentRecord_id=46B6D179-45AA-4722-B6E7-DD4A3DA319F7,Rep. Renacci talks upcoming tax reform vote on Fox News,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"array 1 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_CFPAGE LINE 42 RAW_TRACE at cffloor2dschedule2ecfm1427030490.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\footer\floor-schedule.cfm:42) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\footer\floor-schedule.cfm TYPE CFML 2 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 168 RAW_TRACE at cflay2eroot2ecfm46086300.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\lay.root.cfm:168) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\lay.root.cfm TYPE CFML 3 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 44 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2elayouts2eapply2ecfm1968182580.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.apply.cfm:44) TEMPLATE 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C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\[myopenbox]\myopenbox.cfm TYPE CFML 11 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 198 RAW_TRACE at cfindex2ecfm1379643951.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\index.cfm:198) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\index.cfm TYPE CFML",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/videos?ContentRecord_id=9755E769-2C6C-4302-AE99-6806C8613DAB,To the President's Desk: Tax Reform 2017,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"array 1 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_CFPAGE LINE 42 RAW_TRACE at cffloor2dschedule2ecfm1427030490.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\footer\floor-schedule.cfm:42) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\footer\floor-schedule.cfm TYPE CFML 2 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 168 RAW_TRACE at 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RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:1) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 10 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 124 RAW_TRACE at cfmyopenbox2ecfm795925253.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\[myopenbox]\myopenbox.cfm:124) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\[myopenbox]\myopenbox.cfm TYPE CFML 11 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 198 RAW_TRACE at cfindex2ecfm1379643951.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\index.cfm:198) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\index.cfm TYPE CFML",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5DEE0123-E1B8-4ED3-9B71-B444D5281EF8,Portman Praises Authorization of Sale of Defensive Lethal Military Assistance for Ukraine,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), co-founder and chairman of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statementregarding media reports that the president has decidedto approve lethal military equipment for Ukraine for the first time. Providinglethal weapons to Ukrainewill senda clear message that America stands with the Ukrainian people in their nearly fouryear struggle to secure a democratic, prosperous, and independent future for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.This decision--while long overdue--willreversethe Obama administration's de facto arms embargo against Ukraine and will finally allow Ukraine to access the tools it needs to defend itself. As co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and author of several provisions authorizing expanded U.S. military assistance--including lethal aid--and establishing the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, I hope that this decision opens the door to the full implementation of the bipartisan legislation Congress has already passed to help the Ukrainians defend themselves against Russian aggression."" NOTE: Portman,whoreceivedthe Ukrainian-American communitys highest honor,the Shevchenko Freedom Award,haslongledtheeffortto provide Ukraine the kind of assistance necessary to ward off Russian aggression and maintain its territorial integrity.The co-founder and co-chairman of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, Portman has visited Ukraine several times, including leading a Congressional election observation mission with Senator Ben Cardin during Ukraine's Presidential election in 2014. For the past threeyears, Portman has successfully introduced amendments to the annual National Defense Authorization Act that expanded U.S. military aid to Ukraine. These provisions helped build the primary statutory framework for U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. In addition, he has repeatedly writtenletters, deliveredmultiplefloorspeeches, andpressed?senior Administration officialson the importance of providing meaningful assistance to help Ukraine stand up to Russia's military aggression. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=699EA05E-5F72-4AF2-97F0-540A13680C54,"Portman, King, Coons Introduce Domenic's Law to Provide Relief to Parents of Disabled Children",2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bill Allows Student Loan Forgiveness for Families Suffering from Childs Permanent Disability WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Chris Coons (D-DE) and Angus King (I-ME) introduced Domenics Law, legislation to allow a parent whose child develops a total and permanent disability to qualify for student loan discharge. This legislation was originally part of the Senators Stop Taxing Death and Disability Act which was included within both the House and Senate versions of H.R. 1, Tax Cuts & Jobs Act. The Stop Taxing Death and Disability Act would both amend Section 437(d) of the Higher Education Act to provide student loan forgiveness to parents who take out loans for their children and also change the Internal Revenue Code to exempt individuals from the tax liability created by the forgiveness of their student loans in cases of death and disability. However, the language pertaining to student loan discharge for parents was taken out of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act because amending the Higher Education Act was not permitted under the reconciliation rules. Families like the Carducci family of Steubenville, Ohio, whose son Domenic, has become permanently and totally disabled are going through unimaginable grief, said Portman, whose interest in this issue was spurred by the outreach from constituents in Ohio. Because of this tragic disability, they cannot afford a massive student loan bill. The last thing that families in these situations need is that kind of financial burden. I remain committed to addressing this legislative issue fully, and urge my colleagues to support providing relief to families enduring such difficult circumstances. Parents whose child becomes totally and permanently disabled suffer tremendous hardship, said Coons. The federal government should not be making life more difficult by requiring parents to pay off student loans taken out on behalf of their disabled child. Im pleased that the bipartisan Stop Taxing Death and Disability Act was enacted into law to make this type of loan forgiveness tax exempt. I call on my colleagues to enact this additional provision so that its clear in statute that all families are eligible for tax-exempt student loan forgiveness due to death and disability. To ask a parent of a child who becomes permanently and totally disabled to then turn around andpay off student loans is just wrong, Senator King said today in a statement. Families facing this adversity shouldnt have to endure anyadded financial hardship. The federal government authorizes the forgiveness of certain federal loans in the case of total and permanent disability of the borrower, including: Student loan discharge for disability.Each year, thousands of Americans, including veterans, develop disabilities or chronic health conditions so severe that they are determined by the federal government to be totally and permanently disabled. In recognition of the tremendous burden of their disabilities, Congress authorized the Department of Education to forgive outstanding federal student loans held by these Americans. Many private lenders also discharge student loans as a result of total and permanent disability. Despite this law, families of individuals who suffer great personal loss or severe injury are often shocked to learn that the parents who took out student loans for their children are not eligible for the same student loan forgiveness by the federal government and private lenders. Domenics Law will: Allow a parent whose child develops a total and permanent disability to qualify for student loan discharge.The bill resolves an inconsistency in statute by authorizing the Department of Education todischarge federal loans owed by a parent of a child who becomes totally and permanently disabled. Currently parents are allowed to discharge federal student loans if their child dies, but not if their child develops a total and permanent disability. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A6A65BB8-C1C1-4709-9B6E-FF3BDC616EBF,Portman Praises Senate Passage of Historic Tax Cuts,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Following House Passage on Wednesday, the Bill Will Be Sent to President Trump for His Signature WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement after the Senate passed historic tax cuts, which will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers: For years, Republicans and Democrats alike have called for middle-class tax cuts and a more competitive tax code for American workers and businesses, and today Republicans are delivering on that promise. This bill will cut taxes for middle-class families, reform our business tax code to create more jobs and higher wages for Ohio workers, and update our international tax code to encourage jobs and investments in America. This is the first time Congress has passed comprehensive tax reform legislation in 31 years. Id like to thank Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker Paul Ryan, Chairman Orrin Hatch, Chairman Kevin Brady, and all of my colleagues who were united by the desire to help the middle class and re-open the American economy as the best place in the world to do business. This plan is made in America, for America. By passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congress is making good on its promise to help create a better economy and a brighter future. NOTE: Prior to the vote, Portman delivered this floor speech detailing how tax reform will help the middle class, boost jobs, and increase wages. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://billjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399318,Bill Johnson Votes for Historic Tax Reform and Relief,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Bill Johnson,J000292,billjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bill Johnson released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives approved the conference committee report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: share: f t Congressman Bill Johnson released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives approved the conference committee report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: This is an historic week for the American people. For the first time in over 30 years, real tax relief and reform will be delivered. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will reduce taxes at every income level, double the standard deduction and child tax credit, and empower businesses to grow and hire more people. Important deductions for home mortgage interest, student loan interest, and charitable donations remain. Most importantly, the middle class hardworking Americans that are too-often left behind will see tremendous tax relief. This legislation delivers higher wages, lower taxes, bigger take-home paychecks, a simpler and fairer system, and a stronger economy across the board. Once approved by the Senate, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will be signed into law by President Trump, empowering individuals, families, and businesses to invest and succeed in the American Dream.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398552,Latta: Passage of Historic Tax Reform Legislation a Big Win for Ohio Families,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) joined his colleagues in passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation 31 years in the making that would reform the nations broken tax code and provide needed tax relief for middle class families, grow the economy, and create jobs. The passage of the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 1 The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, means it now moves to the U.S. Senate for approval.One of the top pledges of this Congress was to provide needed tax relief to middle-class families and the small businesses that drive our economy and create jobs, said Latta. The passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will mean a family of four in Ohios 5th Congressional District, making the median income, will keep $2,415 more of their hard-earned money. While the defenders of the status quo have used misdirection and misinformation to try to stop tax reform, our efforts to fix a broken tax code and provide needed tax relief wont be derailed. At the same time, the legislation has provisions to grow our economy including a new deduction for our nations small businesses and farmers that are pass-through entities and ensuring that American businesses are on a level playing field with their foreign competitors. Its taken 31 years since the last overhaul of the tax code, and the passage of this bill is a big win for the people of Ohio. Highlights of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Provides a tax cut of $2,415 for a family of four making the median income in Ohios 5th Congressional District. Nearly doubles the standard deduction, allowing Americans to protect more of their income AND making it so 9 out of 10 taxpayers can file on a form the size of a postcard. Doubles the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $2,000, ensuring more tax relief will go to middle-class families. Protects graduate tuition waivers from taxation. Protects the deduction for student loan interest. Expands the deduction for qualified medical expenses. Establishes a new pass-through deduction to provide tax relief to small businesses, the engines of our economy. Eliminates the individual mandate which disproportionately punishes lower-income and middle-income taxpayers 79% of taxpayers that are forced to pay this fine make less than $50,000. Doubles the exemption for the death tax to provide more relief for family farms and small businesses. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399402,Statement from Rep. Stivers on House Passage of Tax Reform,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today is a historic day. After three decades, we have finally passed legislation to overhaul our nations tax system. Our tax reform package will make America more competitive, bring jobs back to our country, and put more money in the pockets of hardworking taxpayers leading to greater economic growth for our country. share: f t The following statement can be attributed to Congressman Steve Stivers (R-OH):Today is a historic day. After three decades, we have finally passed legislation to overhaul our nations tax system. Our tax reform package will make America more competitive, bring jobs back to our country, and put more money in the pockets of hardworking taxpayers leading to greater economic growth for our country. Tax reform is also a win for Ohios 15th district. Throughout the process, I fought for what I know is important to the families and communities in the district, like the graduate student tuition waiver, expanding the child tax credit, continuing the historic tax credit, and preserving the low income housing tax credit. All of these provisions were included in the final package passed today. I am proud to have supported this once in a generation opportunity to provide much needed reform to our broken tax system and ensure continued economic growth for our nation for years to come. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399403,Rep. Stivers a Lead Co-Sponsor on Net Neutrality Law,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Ive heard from many of my constituents who do not want ISPs deciding what sites they visit, what videos they watch, or how they conduct their business online, and I agree, Stivers said. share: f t WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, the Open Internet Preservation Act was introduced in an effort to prohibit the anti-consumer practices of throttling, and blocking of online content by internet service providers (ISPs). Representative Steve Stivers is an original cosponsor of this important piece of legislation that seeks to prohibit ISPs from preventing access to lawful internet traffic and content, and from slowing traffic based on the content, source, or destination of the information. The Open Internet Preservation Act also ensures openness by requiring all ISPs to disclose their network management practices for consumers and entrepreneurs alike. In the wake of the decision of the FCC to withdraw the previous Open Internet Order, Stivers cosponsored the bill to fortify net neutrality standards and protect consumers through the legislative branch. This approach creates the permanency of law. Consumers deserve to know that these protections will remain in place as opposed to being subject to transitory bureaucrats. Anti-competitive practices should be illegal, regardless of the Administration. Ive heard from many of my constituents who do not want ISPs deciding what sites they visit, what videos they watch, or how they conduct their business online, and I agree, Stivers said. ISPs should never prohibit users from legal content and consumers should never be kept in the dark. ISPs do not have the right to pick winners and losers, consumers decide what they want on their screens. This bill would prohibit those sorts of monopolistic practices. Prior to 2015, the internet was classified as an information service, and was regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Instances of anti-competitive behavior and rule breaking were handled on a case-by-case basis. This bill would return regulation of anti-competitive business practices to the FTC, and the FCC would enforce these codified rules for consumer protection. Bottom line: free and open internet should never be a partisan issue, Stivers said. This bill would put into law crucial consumer protections that millions of Americans have asked for and that are emphasized in the principles of net neutrality. Furthermore, it does so without imposing the burdensome and overly broad aspects that were originally designed for the rotary telephone on the cultural and economic engine that is our modern internet. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://chabot.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398774,Chabot Applauds House Passage of Tax Reform Legislation,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steven Chabot,C000266,chabot.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve Chabot (R-Westwood) today applauded House passage of the conference report to H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Following the vote on H.R. 1, Chabot issued the following statement: Today, the Republicans in the House followed through on our promise to the American people to pass real reform that simplifies the tax code, reduces taxes for the vast majority of Americans, boosts the economy and could create as many as a million new jobs. This important legislation isnt simply a tax cut. Its a fundamental transformation of the tax code that will make it easier for the American people to calculate and file their taxes; will reduce taxes on the typical Cincinnati family of four by as much as $2,000 a year; and make American businesses small, medium, and large more competitive in the world marketplace. And so this holiday season, American families have an extra reason to celebrate, because in the coming year, they will have more money to make ends meet, pay off bills, take a vacation, or save for the future. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gibbs.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/gibbs-votes-historic-tax-cuts,Gibbs Votes for Historic Tax Cuts,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Bob Gibbs,G000563,gibbs.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC - After voting to approve the Conference Report for HR 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congressman Bob Gibbs released the following statement: Todays vote is a win for the American people. This is real tax relief for Americans at every income level. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowers rates, simplifies the tax code, encourages economic growth, and helps families. While critics and naysayers are busy defending the status quo of higher taxes and special interest loopholes, House Republicans just delivered on our promise of real tax cuts for middle and working-class families. The typical family of four will get to keep $2,059 more of their own money because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a 58% tax cut. Were preserving and expanding the child tax credit to help working families cover the expenses of raising kids. This bill helps Americans with expensive medical bills and it ends Obamacares individual mandate. Next year, millions of workers will see larger paychecks, families will be able to save more for things like college or a vacation, American businesses will drive real economic growth, and our nation will be more competitive in the global economy. Updated information on HR 1 can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=902DE4AE-49EA-4F8E-8372-C7FD205D3C0D,"Hours Before Vote, Portman Discusses Tax Reform on Fox News",2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"During an interview of Fox News today, Senator Portman, who served as a conferee on the House-Senate conference committee discussed how tax reform will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBCs Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Delaware Gazette, and Cincinnati Enquirer. The tax reform effort is widely supported by Ohio small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and other state and local organizations. Excerpts can be found below and a video can be found here. PORTMAN ON IF VICE PRESIDENT PENCES VOTE WILL BE NEEDED I dont think he will be needed. Im glad hes there and I know hes really excited about this tax cut and tax reform proposal. We have the votes. We saw that on the vote that just occurred, which was the motion to proceed on this legislation. Republicans all stuck together. So did Democrats. But there were enough votes to get it done without the Vice President breaking the tie. PORTMAN ON HOW TAX REFORM WILL HELP THE MIDDLE CLASS I think my colleagues are going to stick together because its exactly what weve been talking about for years. It does provide real middle-class tax cuts, but it also gives the economy an important shot in the arm that you and I have talked about on this program for years, which is to make us competitive againto make America the best place to do business. Thats going to create even more help to middle-class families in Ohio and around the country because youre going to see wages will start to go up. PORTMAN ON DOUBLING THE STANDARD DEDUCTION Many people who take the standard deduction wont have to change anything because they havent taken deductions. About two thirds of the people I represent already take the standard deduction. That doubles to $24,000 for a family instead of $12,000 for a family, which means probably 95 percent of the people I represent are going to take the standard deduction. There will be some opportunity there to clarify what your status is and what deductions youre still taking. Most people wont itemize. The vast majority of people will do the simpler form. Thats part of the simplification of this and its also part of how you get middle class tax cuts because that first $24,000 is essentially a zero bracket. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=B2CFD066-F481-45DB-A283-7AD18DFA98BA,"Before Historic Senate Vote, Portman Details How Tax Reform Will Help Middle Class, Boost Jobs, Increase Wages",2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Portman Rob Portman (R-OH) discussed the finalized House-Senate agreement on tax reform that will be voted on in the Senate this evening. Portman, who served as a conferee on the House-Senate conference committee, discussed how the bill will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here. Mr. President, Iwant to talk tonight about aonce-in-a-generation opportunitywe have in this Senate to help middle-class families andto help grow our economy. AndIm going to talk about thefacts.Im not going to be making stuffup.Im going to talk about the realmiddle-class tax cuts that arein this legislation.Im going to show you chartsthat indicate not just what kindof tax relief is going to bethere for you and your family,but whos going to pay, wherethe burden is.And despite what youre hearingon the floor tonight from someon the other side of the aisle,the burden of taxation actuallyincreases in this tax bill forthe wealthiest Americans.And in terms of defending thestatus quo, which is thesituation now where jobs andinvestment are going overseas, Ithink it is an outrage that thisbody has sat and watched companyafter company go overseasbecause of our tax code.And to say we shouldnt fix it?I dont get that.If we dont lower the rate onbusinesses and workers who arecompeting every day when youhave the highest rate in theindustrialized world and youhave an international systemthat rewards revenues being keptoverseas$2.5 trillion to$3 trillion of earningsoverseas instead of bringingthem backthat status quo isnot acceptable.So we can engage in all kinds ofrhetoric here tonight, but if westick to the facts, I think wemight be able to see why thislegislation is not only going topass tonight, but why so manyAmericanswho are struggling becausethey are living paycheck topaycheckare going to be happywith this legislation. The proofs in the paycheck.People say the proofs in thepudding.The proofs in the paycheck.When people see theirwithholding changing, less moneybeing taken out of theirpaychecks for taxes, when theysee that they have a littlemore take-home pay, that thefamily budget is a littlehealthier, when they see theeconomy begin to take off andwhen they see the end of thisexodus of U.S. companies goingoverseas4,700, think of thatnumber, 4,700 American companieshave left our shores and goneoverseas, being bought byforeign companies in the last 13years that would not have goneif this tax code that werepromoting tonight had been inplace.Thats based on an Ernst andYoung study, check it out.Ernst and Youngits a big accounting firm.4,700 companies.And when they leave our shores,guess what?They take their jobs andinvestments with them.You might wonder why wages havebeen flat in this country forthe past couple of decades.Its because people who aresupporting the status quo anddont want to change this taxcode are leaving workers inAmerica with no opportunities toget ahead.Because not only are wages flatbut expenses are up.Thats called the middle-classsqueeze.It is very real, and it ishappening.So I would just ask folks whenthey are thinking about whatyoure hearing tonight on the floor, remember, one sideis supporting the status quo.And the status quo is notworking.It aint working for people inAmerica and people in my stateof Ohio who tell me, Rob, Imworking hard, Im playing by therules, Im not getting ahead.And the statistics bear thatout.Yes, some people are gettingahead, but its not the guy orthe woman working on the shop floor on the factory inCleveland, Ohio, or Columbus, orToledo, or Dayton, orCincinnati, because their wageshave been pretty darn flat.And again, their expenses areup, especially health care,which is the largest single oneof those expenses.They want some help. Thislegislation gives them that helpin two ways.One, real middle-class tax cutswell talk about in a second. Second, letting them becompetitive instead of competingwith one hand tied behind theirback because they are competingin a global economy, and theyknow that.Give them a chance.Give them a tax code that actually is upto date and competitive and letsthem have the opportunity tobuild a better life.Not just for themselves butfor their kids and grandkids,because thats what they reallycare about. So again, Mr. President, Imhappy to talk about thatopportunity weve got tonight.And it is a rare opportunitybecause we have not reformedthis tax code in anysubstantial way in 31 years.Think about that.I celebrated my 62ndbirthday today.That means we have not reformedthe tax code in 31 yearsthats half of my life.By the way, 31 years ago, RonaldReagan was president.Pete Rose was still playing forthe Cincinnati Reds.Top Gun was at all the boxoffices, and it was a big hit.Thats how long ago that was.And during that time, I willtell you, every other countrythat we compete with, all ofthem have reformed their taxcode except us.We have sat back and had thisdebate.We have had this gridlock,partisan gridlock, here inWashington because we cant getour act together.And by the way, if youre aworker trying to get ahead, youcant do it on your own becausethe tax code has you competingwith that one hand tied behindyour back.Only this place, Washington,Congress, a president, canpropose, develop, and signlegislation that can help toaddress this problem.This is our job.I sure hope well do it. Back in 1986, when that taxreform was passed 31 years ago,it led to two things.One, more economic growth.In the 1980s and 1990s, we didhave economic growth:three percent, 3.5 percent, four percent, even 4.5 percent growth.I mean, think about that.Were now living over the last10 years with growth on averageat about 1.5 percent to two percent.Thats a big, big difference.The second thing it did is it gotwages up.Wages actually increased duringthat period after that taxreform.We need to do it again.Our economy needs a shot in thearm again.Again, not just to improve theeconomy but to improve take-homepay.And thats what this tax reformproposal is designed to do. We have heard on the other sideof the aisle talk about how this has movedtoo quickly.Somehow there hasnt been enoughthought put into this.I will just tell you, I thinkits long overdue.I think we should have done thisyears ago.I also know from being involvedin these issues over the pastcouple of decadeson the HouseWays and Means Committee and nowhere in the Senate FinanceCommitteethat there has been alot of thought put into thisissue.Just since I was elected to the Senate in 2010, there have been70 hearings on this in theFinance Committee.70 hearings on tax reform.Chairman Hatch is in the chambertonight.He will tell you.Two years ago, we had fivebipartisan working groupscovering every part of the taxcode.The bipartisan working groupthat I co-chaired with DemocraticLeader Chuck Schumer focused onthe international side.Do you know what we decided?We decided we have got to have alower business rate because itsgot to be competitive, otherwisewe will continue to loseinvestments and jobs overseas.We decided we have to have aninternational system that iscompetitive and bring back someof that $2.5 trillion to$3 trillion that is stuckoverseas back to this countryfor more jobs and investment.Guess what?It was bipartisan then.And its in the tax bill now. Those are the ideas that arein this tax bill before us, andthey make sense.In fact, for years, there hasbeen a bipartisan agreement thatour tax code is broken, and itsCongress responsibility to fixit.Id like to commend tonightSpeaker Ryan, LeaderMcConnell, Finance ChairmanOrrin Hatch, who is here on the floor, and Ways and Means CommitteeChairman Kevin Brady, who hasbeen a strong and fairnegotiating partner with theSenate.I also want to thank mycolleagues who have spent somany hours in this effort.Senator Toomey you heard alittle while ago talking aboutthe economic benefits as he doesso well.Senator Scott, Thune, Cornyn,Enzi, Murkowski, all in theConference Committee, but manyothers, too.Senator Collins, Johnson, Rubio,and Corker who all helped us get tothis point and improve thelegislation. The bill that passed the Houseearlier today and were going tovote on tonight is the result ofyears and years of research anddebate.It makes good on the promise wehave made to create a tax codethat provides tax relief tohardworking families, but alsopositions America for leadershipin the 21st century globaleconomy.While we have seen someimprovements in the economyrecently, we have seen bettereconomic growth numbers, again, alot of people I represent arenot seeing the benefit of that.Thats why we have got to pass this bill. For years, my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have called for middle-class tax cuts to help ease this burden. This legislation will finally actually deliver that middle-class tax relief. We have the opportunity to provide it tonight. And starting January 1st, less than two weeks from tonight, that tax relief goes into effect. People are going to see how this tax reform helps them as soon as the IRS can adjust withholding in paychecks, which I would hope would happen before the end of February. Again, the proofs in the pudding. The proofs in the paycheck. People are going to see it. People can go online now and see. They can use a tax calculator and see how its going to affect them and their families. But this is going to happen and its going to happen soon if we pass this legislation tonight. Again, the most immediate benefit is for working families and for the middle class. This bill doubles the child tax credit. It also increases the refundability of the child tax credit, so for those families with kids out there, you have the opportunity now to save a little more money to deal with the expenses of raising a child. It doubles the standard deduction from $12,000 per family to about $24,000 per family. This in effect creates a $24,000 zero bracket for families, zero income tax bracket and simplifies the tax code. Probably 90 percent to 95 percent of Americans are going to take that doubling of the standard deduction, I am told, and that will simplify their returns but also give them some tax relief right away. And it lowers tax rates for families across the board, with the largest proportional benefit going to those at the lower end of the income ladder, those who need it the most. In fact, the combination of these tax cuts for lower income Americans means that at least three million Americans who have income tax liability now are going to pay nothing in taxes. They will be off the tax rolls altogether. I have a letter from the Joint Committee on Taxation that affirms that. You can see at our meeting last week of the conference where the Joint Committee affirmed that again. Over three million people are going to pay no income taxes at all who pay income tax now. For those who say there is no benefit there, talk to those three million people. They feel the benefit. In fact, those people are going to be off the tax rolls altogether because of the tax relief were passing tonight. As this chart shows, every income group will receive a tax cut. This one is for the year 2019, so its a year after the tax cuts are put in place, which starts in just a couple of weeks. We have heard a lot from opponents that the top end, who are making a million dollars or more, as we just heard a little while ago, get all the benefits. Its simply not true. This shows that the biggest percentage cut is among folks making between $20,000 and $30,000 a year. Thats the biggest16.3 percent cut. It also shows that the smallest percentage cut is among those making a million dollars or more5.9 percent cut. So, again, yeah, there is tax relief across the board here, but the bigger benefit is among folks at the lower end of the economic scale. In fact, when you look at who pays the income tax, you will see that those at the top are going to pay a slightly bigger share of the tax burden under this bill. Today, those making between $20,000 and $50,000 a year pay 4.3 percent of the income tax. Under this bill, they are going to pay a little less, 4.1 percent of the income taxes. Those who make over $100,000 will go from paying 78.7 percent of the tax burden to 79.1 percent of the tax burden. So if you make over $100,000 a year, youre paying 78.7 percent of the tax burden today, that group is, and thats going to go up. Your share of the burden is going to go up. So the tax code is pretty progressive right now, and it gets even more progressive under this tax legislation. These are not my numbers. These are the numbers from the Joint Committee on Taxation, the nonpartisan group that scores these things. Check out the numbers yourself. Go on the website of the Joint Committee, JCT.gov, check it out. When you dont consider not choosing to buy health care insurance a tax increase, which is how the Joint Committee on Taxation scores ending the individual mandate, every income group of taxpayers gets a tax cut under this plan every year for the next eight years during the time this tax cut is in place. Yes, it does expire, as did the tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, Congress took those up and for 95 percent of Americans we extended that tax relief. I hope well do that again and I expect we will. But during the next eight years, this is real tax relief and its needed. I reject the premise that choosing not to buy health insurance under Affordable Care Acts individual mandate is a tax hike, and I think many Americans do too. Take a look at the Rules Committee website, rules.house.gov, and you will see how a typical family of four at the median income level will save more than $2,000 a year on their taxes as a result of this plan. So the median income family in Ohio, in your state, wherever you are, is going to be saving more than $2,000 a year on their taxes. Some have told me as I walk down the halls here, well, thats not much money. Well, you know what? For families that are living paycheck to paycheck, that is a lot of money and it does help. It can be used to pay for health care, buy gas, buy groceries, maybe add a little more to your retirement. Of course, beyond the middle-class tax cuts that are in this legislation, families and workers are going to benefit from more jobs and higher wages as we talked about earlier, and this is because there will be new investment. There will be more productivity which is a thing that is really lacking in our economy right now. Our productivity is weak. All the economist agree on this, right, left, or center. You have to do something to boost that productivity, because thats going to result in higher wages; more competition for workers is going to result in higher wages. And thats going to happen because this tax code is focused on increasing wages through more investment. Weve talked about how companies are going overseas now and how the status quo isnt working. Its crazy that Congress allows that to happen and fixing it is long overdue. We talked about the $ 2.5 trillion to $3 trillion stuck overseas right now. We want to bring that home. We want to add more jobs and investment in this country. We did a study in the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigationsa bipartisan effortand we studied these companies that go overseas through whats called inversions or by being purchased by a foreign company. What happens? Do they just move their headquarters overseas? No. We found out they also move jobs and investment. This is real. Its happening now. We can fix it. Thats what this bill is intended to do, and I believe you are going to see not just middle-class tax relief to help with the take-home pay and the family budget, but youre going to see this increase, finally, not just in economic growth, but in wages that also makes the family budget a whole lot more healthy. I see Senator Cassidy just came on the floor. Let me address an issue that has been misrepresented on the floor this afternoon. I heard one of my colleagues say that this bill gets rid of the historic tax credit. It does not. Thanks to the efforts of some of us who strongly support it including Senator Cassidy, we actually retain the current 20 percent credit in the Senate-passed bill and in the final legislation. By the way, this historic tax credit has been helpful. Its been instrumental in generating more private funds to restore historic buildings across my state of Ohio including my hometown of Cincinnati, and Cleveland and Columbus and elsewhere. We also preserved important tax credits for urban redevelopment through the new markets tax credit and the private activity bonds, which are still in this legislation, just as they are in current law. In Ohio, again, this these tax incentives have leveraged a lot more private sector dollars, spurred economic growth and job creation, affordable housing and I think have ultimately increased the tax revenue because as people are working and as you get these buildings up and going, economic growth is generated and so is tax revenue. They pay for themselves in my view. I shared some of those success stories in my home state throughout the process, and we maintained those provisions in the final bill. The final result is that we have a good tax reform bill that achieves the things that Republicans and Democrats alike have long supported: tax cuts for the middle class and a more competitive tax code for American workers and companies. Some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle tonight have talked about this being bad for the deficit. I just have to tell you, I respectfully disagree. The most important thing we can do right now to get the deficit down is get this growth back. Economic growth results in more revenue. One point in economic growth alone brings $2.7 trillion more in revenue into the coffers of the federal government. Thats based on the numbers from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Think about that$2.7 trillion more with just one point more economic growth. The budget score we are forced to use for this legislation estimates a very conservative level of economic growth, a weak 1.9 percent over the next 10 years. That was the last 10 years. We dont want to repeat that. We dont have to repeat that. The average economic growth over the past 30 years has been more than 2.5 percent, and over the last two quarters weve had economic growth of 3.1 percent and 3.3 percent. The federal reserve and private forecasts are both above CBOs growth projections for next year, as an example to show you why I think CBOs scores are too small, too weak. That 1.9 percent growth is not only wrong, I believe it is unacceptable. It cant be the new normal. With the strength of our economy right now paired with the pro-growth changes in this tax reform plan, I belief economic growth will surpass this relatively low projection were forced to use. And by increasing economic growth at just 0.4 percent more than this 1.9 percent projection, so growing the economy to about 2.3 percent rather than 1.9 percent on average, theres sufficient revenue to pay for all the tax relief in this plan, plus begin to pay down the debt. Thats what I believe will happen. If you do the right kind of tax reform. It has to be the right kind. It has to be pro-growth and I believe what weve done in the bill is exactly that, theres no question we will have more economic growth and more investment in America. The current tax code is so broken, its pretty easy to do that, honestly, to create a more efficient and effective and productive tax code. I believe a more confident America with rising wages and stronger economic growth is much more likely to address the very real fiscal challenges we face as a country. This tax reform bill isnt just about dollar amounts and bottom lines, though. It is about an investment were making in American families, American workers, American businesses. Were giving families the freedom to spend more of their own money how they see fit, putting faith in American entrepreneurs and workers to compete and win in the global market, and creating a fairer tax system that levels the playing field and creates jobs and investment here in America rather than overseas. Our constituents deserve this. They deserve better than the status quo and they deserve more than just hollow promises. They deserve a brighter future. I believe the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will reopen our economy as the best place in the world to do business and create that brighter future for all Americans. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398551,"Latta Applauds Changes to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Highlights Benefits for Middle-Class Families",2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) applauded the changes made to the House Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in the final compromise bill released by the Conference Committee on Friday. In addition, Latta highlighted the benefits for middle-class families in Ohios 5th Congressional District.Latta had recently joined his colleagues in sending a letter to conferees asking that the final bill not count graduate student tuition waivers or tuition waivers for family members of university employees as income. The legislation released on Friday maintains the current policy of exempting tuition waivers from income and also allows taxpayers to continue to deduct student loan interest. At the same time, the bill protects the medical expense deduction and expands it by reducing the percentage of adjusted gross income that taxpayers must spend on medical expenses to qualify for the deduction from 10% to 7.5%. The bill nearly doubles the standard deduction, which means that 90% of taxpayers will be able to file their taxes on a form the size of a postcard. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also doubles the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000 a provision that will support working families. Starting as soon as next year, a family of four making the median income in Ohios 5th Congressional District would keep $2,415 more annually if this legislation becomes law, said Latta. At the same time, tax filing will be much simpler with nine out of ten taxpayers being able to submit their taxes on a form the size of a postcard. While I agreed with much of the legislation originally passed by the House, Im glad the conferees have improved that legislation by keeping provisions that help college students, those with high medical expenses, and working families. In addition to the benefits that individual families will receive, everyone will benefit from the economic growth and job creation that will be spurred by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Its been 31 years in the making, and tax reform is long overdue. This legislation will mean more Ohioans can keep more of their hard-earned money and receive the tax relief they deserve. In addition to the previous provisions, the legislation also retains the Historic Tax Credit, an important provision to Ohio communities. The bill also maintains the tax treatment of Private Activity Bonds, which are important for a number of economic development projects. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://davidson.house.gov/2017/12/tax-bill-includes-davidson-supported-provisions,Tax Bill Includes Davidson-Supported Provisions,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Warren Davidson applauded overall passage of the tax bill calling it a win for hardworking Ohio families and American companies. H.R. 1 “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” passed the U.S. House of Representatives 227 to 203. “The pro-growth reforms in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act fix the broken elements of our existing tax code. No bill is perfect and thinking that all our problems can be accomplished in one miracle-bill is foolish. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lets hardworking Ohio families keep more of their money and empowers American companies to compete and succeed globally. This bill snaps the status-quo of today and sets the stage for further reform. I look forward to President Trump signing this bill into law.” Congressman Davidson began talking about the need for pro-growth tax reform during his 2016 Election. While applauding final passage of the tax bill, there were certain provisions Representative Davidson advocated for throughout the committee process. Some of these provisions were included in the final bill and some were not. The following is an outline of provisions that Representative Davidson supported and opposed. Individual Some Parts of Tax Reform are Permanent and some are not: Rep. Davidson advocated to make all tax rates permanent. The final tax reform bill includes certain corporate provisions that are permanent while the individual tax rate reduction will expire in 2025 due to a Senate provision. Medical Expense Deduction is included in Tax Reform: The final tax reform bill retains the medical expense deduction with a temporary expansion. The threshold for this deduction has been lowered to what it was before Obamacare – for medical expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of gross adjusted income. After two years, this will revert to the current rate of 10 percent adjusted gross income. Rep. Davidson advocated to include the medical expense reduction within the final tax reform bill. Individual Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT): The final tax reform bill keeps the AMT for individuals; but includes a temporary increase in the exemption amount and the phase-out threshold. The end result is fewer households that will be subject to the AMT. Rep. Davidson advocated for a full repeal of the AMT and expressed concerns about how the individual AMT will interact with his efforts to provide tax relief for pass-through businesses. Full repeal of Death Tax not in final bill: Rep. Davidson advocated for a full repeal of the death tax and even led a letter with 54 of his colleagues to GOP leadership asking for a full repeal. The final tax reform bill doubles the threshold for the death tax exemption, but does not include a full repeal. Eliminating the Individual Mandate Penalty: The “Individual Mandate” provision is one of the most unpopular provisions in Obamacare as it penalizes individuals who do not purchase health insurance. The final tax reform bill eliminates this monetary penalty which is a provision Rep. Davidson advocated for. Higher Education: The final tax reform bill expands the use of 520 accounts to cover homeschooling and tuition for k-12 private schools. Additionally, the tax reform bill retains the current loan interest deduction for law students and tuition waivers paid for graduate school education. Rep. Davidson supports keeping these provisions. Business New Corporate Rate Tax Structure: The final tax reform bill eliminates the multi-bracket corporate income tax structure and instead creates a single rate of 21 percent. This new rate is effective for tax year 2018. Rep. Davidson advocated for a 20 percent tax rate as he believes it will make America more competitive globally. Support for Full Business Expensing: The final tax reform bill allows for full expensing of capital investments. The full expensing provision in the tax reform bill expires after five years and then will gradually phase out over the remaining five years. Rep. Davidson advocated for this provision. Opposition to Mandatory “First in First Out” Provision: This was a Senate provision that would have increased taxes on investment by requiring the selling of stocks on a first-in, first-out basis. Rep. Davidson opposed this provision and is glad to see it is not in the final tax reform bill. ?International Base Erosion Provisions: Rep. Davidson wanted to ensure that the base erosion provision dealt with the “Bermuda loophole.” This loophole is a provision which allows foreign insurers to move to offshore tax havens, thus avoiding U.S. tax and putting domestic insurers at a disadvantage. The final bill does address the Bermuda loophole. Miscellaneous Historic Tax Credit (HTC) and New Market Tax Credit (NMTC): The final tax reform bill preserves the existing law for New Market Tax Credits. Additionally, HTC is retained but with small changes. For example, the ability to claim the HTC is spread out over five years. (Currently, you can claim full value of the credit in the first year). The current bill also repeals the 10 percent building rehabilitation credit for non-historic buildings that were in operation pre-1936. Rep. Davidson supported the NMTC and HTC. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://turner.house.gov/2017/12/turner-and-davis-save-higher-education-benefits-in-tax-reform,TURNER and Davis Save Higher Education Benefits in Tax Reform,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"[[{""fid"":""560"",""view_mode"":""full"",""fields"":{""format"":""full"",""field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]"":false,""field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]"":false},""link_text"":null,""type"":""media"",""field_deltas"":{""2"":{""format"":""full"",""field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]"":false,""field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]"":false}},""attributes"":{""class"":""media-element file-full"",""data-delta"":""2""}}]] Congressmen Mike Turner (OH-10) and Rodney Davis (IL-13) today won their fight to preserve education tax benefits in the final tax reform bill. Both the graduate tuition waiver (Section 117(d)) and employer tuition assistance benefits (Section 127) were maintained in the tax reform conference report released today. The House is expected to vote on the report next week. “This tax package is an incredible step forward for our country to achieve economic growth,” said Congressman Turner. “Students pursuing a higher education are working to better themselves. More highly educated Americans means a better workforce, and a better workforce means a stronger economy. By including the provisions Rodney and I fought for, this tax package encourages people to pursue the American dream and helps grow the U.S.” “No bill is perfect, but we fought to make it better and we did,” said Congressman Davis. “This is the legislative process at work. I appreciate Chairman Brady and my other colleagues for coming together to preserve these provisions that will help graduate assistants and mid-level university employees trying to send their kid to college. Maintaining the employer tuition assistance provision helps those looking to further their education, but I also hope that one day we can use it to help address the one trillion-dollar existing student debt crisis that is facing our county. The changes in this bill make it even stronger for the middle class and those living paycheck to paycheck. I’m looking forward to voting ‘yea’ next week to deliver the first real tax relief for hardworking Americans in more than three decades.” “This is a historic moment for the American people,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (TX-8). “Our legislation to finally reform America’s broken tax code will deliver more jobs, bigger paychecks, and fairer taxes to hardworking families and job creators throughout the country. I’m grateful to Congressmen Davis and Turner for their leadership on preserving graduate student tuition assistance and tuition waivers, and for their work in support of making pro-growth, pro-family tax reform a reality for the American people.” Last week, Congressmen Turner and Davis sent a letter with 24 of their colleagues to Chairman Brady and Chairman Orrin Hatch (UT) of the Senate Committee on Finance to include two provisions in the final tax reform bill to help students pursuing a higher education. Both provisions ended up included in the final tax reform package. Congressmen Turner and Davis previously had a colloquy with Chairman Brady on the House floor about this issue. The first provision the Congressmen secured in the final tax reform bill allows taxpayers to exclude qualified tuition reductions from income. If tuition reductions were not maintained, university employees and their spouses and dependents, as well as graduate students, would have faced an unnecessary burden in pursuing a higher education. The second provision included due to the Congressmen’s work is business-provided incentives for employees seeking a higher education. Tax-free qualified educational assistance increases the quality of the American workforce.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://turner.house.gov/2017/12/turner-on-america-first,TURNER on America First,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Chairman Mike Turner (OH-10) of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces released the following statement on President Donald Trump’s America First National Security Agenda: “This week, Congress will have the opportunity to ensure national security by voting to fully fund national defense at the levels authorized by the FY18 NDAA. Expecting our military to successfully operate on a system of fictional and unreliable budgeting is incredibly irresponsible. A vote against funding what we have already promised our troops would be playing politics with their lives. I encourage both the House and Senate to take swift action to rebuild our readiness.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-and-davis-save-higher-education-benefits-in-tax-reform,TURNER and Davis Save Higher Education Benefits in Tax Reform,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressmen Mike Turner (OH-10) and Rodney Davis (IL-13) today won their fight to preserve education tax benefits in the final tax reform bill. Both the graduate tuition waiver (Section 117(d)) and employer tuition assistance benefits (Section 127) were maintained in the tax reform conference report released today. The House is expected to vote on the report next week. This tax package is an incredible step forward for our country to achieve economic growth, said Congressman Turner. Students pursuing a higher education are working to better themselves. More highly educated Americans means a better workforce, and a better workforce means a stronger economy. By including the provisions Rodney and I fought for, this tax package encourages people to pursue the American dream and helps grow the U.S. No bill is perfect, but we fought to make it better and we did,said Congressman Davis. This is the legislative process at work. I appreciate Chairman Brady and my other colleagues for coming together to preserve these provisions that will help graduate assistants and mid-level university employees trying to send their kid to college. Maintaining the employer tuition assistance provision helps those looking to further their education, but I also hope that one day we can use it to help address the one trillion-dollar existing student debt crisis that is facing our county. The changes in this bill make it even stronger for the middle class and those living paycheck to paycheck. Im looking forward to voting yea next week to deliver the first real tax relief for hardworking Americans in more than three decades. This is a historic moment for the American people, said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (TX-8). Our legislation to finally reform Americas broken tax code will deliver more jobs, bigger paychecks, and fairer taxes to hardworking families and job creators throughout the country. Im grateful to Congressmen Davis and Turner for their leadership on preserving graduate student tuition assistance and tuition waivers, and for their work in support of making pro-growth, pro-family tax reform a reality for the American people. Last week, Congressmen Turner and Davis sent a letter with 24 of their colleagues to Chairman Brady and Chairman Orrin Hatch (UT) of the Senate Committee on Finance to include two provisions in the final tax reform bill to help students pursuing a higher education. Both provisions ended up included in the final tax reform package. Congressmen Turner and Davis previously had a colloquy with Chairman Brady on the House floor about this issue. The first provision the Congressmen secured in the final tax reform bill allows taxpayers to exclude qualified tuition reductions from income. If tuition reductions were not maintained, university employees and their spouses and dependents, as well as graduate students, would have faced an unnecessary burden in pursuing a higher education. The second provision included due to the Congressmens work is business-provided incentives for employees seeking a higher education. Tax-free qualified educational assistance increases the quality of the American workforce. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-on-america-first,TURNER on America First,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Chairman Mike Turner (OH-10) of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces released the following statement on President Donald Trumps America First National Security Agenda: This week, Congress will have the opportunity to ensure national security by voting to fully fund national defense at the levels authorized by the FY18 NDAA. Expecting our military to successfully operate on a system of fictional and unreliable budgeting is incredibly irresponsible. A vote against funding what we have already promised our troops would be playing politics with their lives. I encourage both the House and Senate to take swift action to rebuild our readiness. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5233FC79-882F-46C9-B5CB-C5CF6922EC99,"ICYMI Lima News Op-Ed from Senator Portman: ""Fighting to Pass Critical Legislation for Lima Region""",2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In a Lima News op-ed, Senator Portman highlights two pieces of legislation, the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). As a conferee in the House-Senate tax reform conference committee, Senator Portman played an important role in the tax reform debate and the negotiations over the now-completed final tax bill between the House and the Senate. On Friday, the conferee committee released the conference report for the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, which will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers, with the goal of getting it to the presidents desk for his signature before Christmas. Recently, President Trump signed into law the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act conference report, which authorizes funding to upgrade Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles. Critical work is done on both systems at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima, where Portman recently hosted an employee town hall as part of his Ohio Defense Tour. The NDAA authorizes more than $1.6 billion for upgrading Abrams tanks to increase the rate of production of the newest upgraded Abrams tanks in Lima and ensure that our forward deployed tanks have the most cutting-edge survivability enhancements. The bill also authorizes $622 million in funding to complete the fourth Stryker brigade with upgraded survivability and mobility improvements as well as a second brigade of Stryker vehicles with an upgraded weapons system. These important resources were included by Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) in the NDAA following a letter sent by Senators Portman and Gary Peters (D-MI), and builds on last years NDAA which included $652 million to support upgrades to the Abrams tank and $579 million for the Stryker vehicle. Excerpts of the op-ed can be found below and the full op-ed can be found at thislink. Fighting to Pass Critical Legislation for Lima Region By Rob Portman Lima News December 16, 2017 As a U.S. senator, I enjoy traveling around Ohio to meet with the people that make up our great state. In Lima, I have had the chance to meet with the doctors and nurses at St. Ritas Medical Center to see the compassionate love they give babies born to opioid-addicted mothers. Ive met with small business job creators at the Lima Area Chamber of Commerce, visited with the best tank builders in the world at the Lima Tank Plant, and talked with customers while enjoying a Kewpee burger and pie. The folks I meet in Lima are some of the best. My job in the Senate is to deliver results for themand the people of Lima will benefit from two critical pieces of legislation we are finalizing this year. President Trump recently signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law, and Congress is working to get a final tax reform bill passed and to the presidents desk before Christmas. The defense authorization bill is a big win for Limaand the hardworking, patriotic employees at the Lima Tank Plant, also known as the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC). I recently had the pleasure of touring JSMC again and meeting with the skilled employees who make the best armored vehicles in the world, and Im pleased that the additional resources I fought for were included in the final bill. The NDAA authorizes more than $1.6 billion in funding to increase the rate of production of the newest upgraded Abrams tanks and ensure that our forward deployed tanks have the most cutting-edge enhancements. The bill also authorizes $622 million in funding to upgrade Strykers made in Lima with survivability, mobility, and weapons system improvements. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=59E910DD-64D2-4937-87E7-93B7279C8B01,"ICYMI Cincinnati Enquirer Op-Ed from Senator Portman: ""Preserving Key Tax Incentives a Big Win for Cincinnati""",2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Portman, who praised the House-Senate conference committee report on the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, worked tirelessly to develop and help improve the conference report so it can pass the House and Senate and be sent to the presidents desk for his signature. The once-in-a-generation legislation will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers, and this week the House and Senate will send a final bill to the presidents desk before Christmas. As Portman says in the piece, Key among the tax incentives that have proven successful for Ohio have been the Historic Tax Credit, the New Markets Tax Credit, and Private Activity Bonds all of which have played a role in spurring development and revitalizing neighborhoods in Cincinnati. I fought hard to retain these important tax incentives for redevelopment and urban renewal, and Im proud to say the final tax agreement preserves them. Excerpts of the op-ed can be found below and the full op-ed can be found at thislink. Preserving Key Tax Incentives a Big Win for Cincinnati By Rob Portman Cincinnati Enquirer December 18, 2017 As a member of the tax-writing committee and the House-Senate tax conference that negotiated the final bill, I worked throughout the process to develop and improve the bill on behalf of Ohio. Key among the tax incentives that have proven successful for Ohio have been the Historic Tax Credit, the New Markets Tax Credit, and Private Activity Bonds all of which have played a role in spurring development and revitalizing neighborhoods in Cincinnati. I fought hard to retain these important tax incentives for redevelopment and urban renewal, and Im proud to say the final tax agreement preserves them. I have long been a strong supporter of the Historic Tax Credit and worked with my colleagues to restore the current-law 20 percent credit in both the Senate-passed bill and the final legislation Likewise, the city has been a major beneficiary of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC), which helps economically distressed communities attract private capital for community redevelopment purposes. It has been instrumental in the transformation of much of Cincinnatis urban core I was also pleased to help preserve Private Activity Bonds, which are an essential source of funding for important infrastructure and community redevelopment projects across Ohio. Of note, these bonds have been critical in our efforts to provide more affordable housing in Cincinnati and around the state. Taken together, these tax incentives have leveraged more private sector investment for Cincinnati, spurred economic growth and job creation, and ultimately generated more tax revenue over time ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F07B753D-95C8-4B2C-A88D-6771203551E2,Portman Delivers Commencement Address at Ohio State University,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"COLUMBUS, OH Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) delivered the commencement address at Ohio State Universitys graduation ceremony. Portman has been working to help expand access to college, make it more affordable for students, parents and families, and help new graduates get good jobs so that they can achieve financial independence and become debt-free. Portman also fought to preserve key tax incentives for undergraduate and graduate students in the final tax reform legislation that was finalized in the House-Senate Conference last week. Photos from his speech can be found here. Transcript of his speech can be found below and a video can be found here. Dr. Drake, thank you very much for that kind introduction. We all appreciate your leadership of this remarkable university and I look forward to continuing to partner with you, as you said, to further the mission of the University and also to ensure that the Universitys growing role as a global leader in research and education continues to grow. Its really amazing. I also want to thank the faculty-student staff committeefor inviting me to speak today and I want to thank the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman Alex Shumate, my friend and former colleague. And then most importantly, I want to say congratulations to the 2017 graduating class of The Ohio State University. Way to go! What a day. I know you probably know this, but you are record breakers. This is the largest fall graduation in the history of Ohio State. Youre a record-breaking class not just because of your size, but also in so many other ways with your many accomplishments. I have gotten to know some of you over the past few years, and today I had the chance to meet others. Its an impressive group. Many of you are first in your family to attend college. From age 17 to 64, and from 44 states and 66 countries, you are a diverse, talented, focused and restless to make your mark. And you know what? Youll have some help doing that, because with your graduation today, your family just got a lot bigger. You are joining more than 550,000 Ohio State graduates worldwide and more than 285,000 Ohio State graduates living in the state of Ohio. Theyre there to help you. My graduation gift to you today is that Ill be brief. Even though this is your big day, for starterslets celebrate somebody else. For many of you, the support and encouragement from your family and your friends, from the professors and administrators, have played a major part in your ability, first to be able to attend this great university, but also your success in reaching this amazing milestone in your life. For some of you, they were your strength on the days when you didnt think you could make it. Maybe they believed in you when you didnt believe in yourself. Maybe they encouraged you to applymaybe they helped you to stay in. Maybe they join you today in celebrating the end of tuition checks! But the success we celebrate today is not just your successits their success, too. So, to the class of 2017, lets give everyone here supporting you a round of applause. To the moms and dads who are in the audience today, about six months ago, Jane and I sat in the audience and watched our last child graduate. Enjoy it. Frankly, I wish I had taken more time to let that sink in because it is the culmination of so much love, and support, and work, and sacrifice. Its an honor for me to be here today to join a distinguished list of Ohio State commencement speakers. From George W. Bush to Barack Obama, and plenty of others, this institution has welcomed a wide variety of views and, in general, the University has encouraged spiritedbut respectfulpublic discourse. That tolerance and respect for other points of view is part of what makes America extraordinaryand what should be the hallmark of any great university. As President Drake said, before running for the Senate I co-taught some courses at the Glenn College, and there I had the chance to get to know some of the secrets of Ohio State. I learned that when some students said they were up all night at The Library, they were actually talking about a bar on High Street. But I also learned that going to the Thompson Library is important because thats where you need to go before your finals to rub the statue for good luck. I learned that for some students, including some of my students, their finals week diet consisted entirely of Buckeye Donuts and coffee. I learned that TBDBITL isnt an acronym for some government agency in Washington, although it sounds like it, but a source of pride for all Buckeyes as The Best Damn Band In The Land marches Across the Field to perform Script Ohio in front of more than 100,000 fans. By the way, the orchestra was awesome this morning and the band was awesome. The last time I got to see the band march was at the Penn State game, where I learned something else: never give up on Ohio State! I know youll have your own special memories and you will cherish them from your time at Ohio State. I hope graduation is one of those because its an incredible accomplishment. To be honest, I must say I dont remember who spoke at my college graduation. I doubt you will either. But let me share a few thoughts for you just to think about. First, hard work was mentioned earlier, dont make the mistake of underestimating the value of hard work. I know all of you are already pretty hardworking, otherwise you wouldnt be graduating from this prestigious university. But its easy sometimes to fall into the trap of believing that getting ahead is somehow out of your control, or a matter of luck. I have found in my life that the harder I work, the luckier I get. Hard work is the ingredient to success over which you actually have the most control. Circumstances and conditions will change, but the role you play in your own success never changes. You alone have the power to decide your own potential. So take pride in the work you do regardless of what it is, and as you climb your ladder of success there will be some tough jobs youre asked to take on. Take pride in that, and work hard. Which brings me to my next point. Follow your dreamnot someone elses dream for you. You will be more inclined to pour all of your passion and energy into the things you love. Thats a good reason to do it. That could mean continuing in the field you are getting your diploma in today. Probably your family would like that since this is a lot of sacrifice to get this degree. But you know what? For some of you it could mean changing the direction your life is heading. Whatever the passion is that gets you out of bed in the morning is the one worth pursuing, even if it is going to involvewhich it likely willtaking some risks. The truth is that this journey is now yours alone, and the choices you make should be in pursuit of your dreams, your goals. Your parents, professors, and friends have helped you get this farand they can continue to support you from the sidelinesbut what you do next is up to you. Dont let the expectations from others overshadow your dreams and your goals. And, by the way, for those wondering do I really have a passion? Dont worry about it. Its OK to be unsure about your exact direction in life at this point. Trust meI didnt plan on being a United States Senator when I was 22 years old. Nor did my professors by the wayespecially the microeconomics professor who gave me a C. In fact, I graduated with a degree in cultural anthropology, which I think has helped me understand the unique culture and strange rituals in Washington D.C, but beyond that, frankly, the degree doesnt overlap too much with public policy or government service. Shortly after graduation, I worked in government and I recognized that was my passion: public service, and ever since then I have looked for ways to contribute through government and public policy. You dont need to have your life mapped out right nowbut try different things and follow what you think youll like, give it your most every day, be willing to take a chance, and I believe you will find your passionor it will find you. My final piece of advice for you is really pretty simple: be kind and true. This is an old family saying that came from my grandfather, and my namesake. I grew up with him telling me that all the timeand my kids have grown up with me telling it to them. They roll their eyes when I end my text with BEKAT or be ever kind and true, but I hope it sinks in, because nothing is more important. All of your relationships, whether in your personal life or in your professional life, are going to be based on trust, and trust comes from a sense of someones honesty and good will. Thats as true in a family as it is in a businessas true on the shop floor as it is on the Senate floor. It sounds simple, and it is, but we all need to be reminded of it once in a while. You will find that it will work for you, too. Just as youll never regret doing your best or following your dreams, youll never regret practicing kindness and honesty in pursuit of your goals. I love that graduations are called commencements. Look at today as commencing a new exciting phase in your life. Your families, your university, and all of us in Ohio are proud of you. Proud for what you have achieved today, and we cant wait to see what youll do next. Godspeed, Ohio State Class of 2017! ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399424,Congressman Stivers says GOP tax overhaul will make US more competitive,2017-12-17,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"In Congress, Republicans are optimistic about reaching an agreement on tax reform in both the House and the Senate. share: f t WASHINGTON (WCMH) In Congress, Republicans are optimistic about reaching an agreement on tax reform in both the House and the Senate.The tax bill is in a joint conference committee right now, and central Ohio Congressman Steve Stivers is one of the GOP members claiming the bill is good for the middle class. I think it is a tax package that will do three things, Stivers said. It will make America more competitive, it will bring jobs back to the United States, it will put money in the pockets of hard-working tax payers. Stivers thinks that lowering the corporate tax rate and allowing businesses to expense everything they do will spur job creation and increase wages for workers, something he says most Americans havent seen in 10 years. However, Democrats say the tax plan will hurt the middle class. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty says the bill will limit deductions for property taxes, mortgages and payments on student loan interest. Stivers rejects claims from Democrats that middle class families will be worse off if the bill passes because of the elimination of local and state tax credits and the plan to tax tuition waivers for graduate students. We do eliminate some deductions, but I think we will actually fix a lot of the stuff with grad students at Ohio State on the tuition waivers, Stivers said. We will fix a lot of the individual issues.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399425,Ohio lawmakers idea leads to resting place for unidentified war dead,2017-12-17,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON- After reading news stories about the Dover Air Force Base mortuary sending cremated veterans remains to a Maryland landfill in 2011, U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers was horrified. share: f t WASHINGTON- After reading news stories about the Dover Air Force Base mortuary sending cremated veterans remains to a Maryland landfill in 2011, U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers was horrified.Then he decided to do something to make sure it would never happen again. Stivers, an Upper Arlington Republican who has served more than 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard, began pushing for a resting place to inter the partial, unidentified remains of those who died while serving in the U.S. armed services. It took six years, but the results of his efforts the Tomb of Remembrance was dedicated Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery. No remains were interred yet, but Stivers took comfort in knowing that cremated remains would have a dedicated resting place. It felt great to know that there is now a very honorable place for these remains to go, he said. Stivers and his staff came up with a idea for the tomb after reading the stories about the Air Force dumping incinerated partial remains of unidentified soldiers in a Virginia landfill. He said he wanted a place that could accept new remains long after he left Congress. Stivers introduced a bill in May 2012, but more importantly he got the superintendent of Arlington Cemetery interested. The bill passed the House but was still in the Senate when the superintendent decided to move forward without congressional help. It wasnt about passing a bill, Stivers said. It was about making it happen. There were more practical issues at play as well. Arlington National Cemetery is quickly running out of space. Storing cremated remains of unknown service members together, Stivers said, made more sense than burying each set of co-mingled fragments in a separate grave. Tucked in a corner of the cemetery, not far from the columbarium a wall holding cremated remains of other veterans the tomb is simple and reminiscent of a cairn, or pile of rocks known as a traditional type of tomb. Underneath the cairn, a humidity-controlled vault will hold the cremated remains. Above it, those visiting can sit on a bench with a full view of the site and the graves that lie beyond it. During a brief 10 to 15 minute ceremony, military representatives blessed the tomb with Hebrew, Catholic and Protestant prayers. They played taps. And one cemetery representative pulled Stivers aside and told him that his idea would endure for 100 or possibly 200 years to come. Stivers was overwhelmed. It feels like I made a difference, he said, and that feels great.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399399,Stivers Statement on the Conference Report of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Stivers Statement on the Conference Report of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act f t # e Washington, December 15, 2017 The following can be attributed to Congressman Steve Stivers (R-OH) regarding the Conference Report of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: During the Conference process, I have fought for what I know is important to the families in the 15th District, like the graduate student tuition waiver for students at Ohio University and Ohio State, expanding the child tax credit for working parents, and continuing the historic tax credit for buildings on the national register, and the low income housing tax credit for those who want to invest in our community. Im glad that they were all included in the final passage. Were one step closer to a bill that will grow our economy and put money in the pockets of hardworking taxpayers. ### f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/renacci-report?ContentRecord_id=33685FB0-634C-45EF-A560-6DCEEBE1487F,12.15.17: Week in Review,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"Good Afternoon, Our final push for pro-growth tax reform was one of the focal points this week in Washington. Fixing our broken tax code, one that hasnt been reformed in over 30 years, is vital to the success of our economy and the middle class. I held a tele town hall on Wednesday discussing the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act in length and answered any questions Ohioans had regarding this legislation. If you participated, I hope you found that conversation beneficial in dissecting this bill. You can watch my weekly highlights here. Media Mashup I spoke with Varney & Co. on Fox Business about our final push to fix our broken tax code. You can view the clip here. Last weekend, I was in-studio with Alex Witt on MSNBC to discuss the future of the tax reform process. Watch the segment here. Washington Wrap Up My staff met with representatives from Johnson C. Smith Universitys foster care initiative regarding my Preparing Homeless Youth for Education and Employment Act. JCSU is dedicated to helping youth aging out of the foster system be successful in higher education. They discussed the barriers to academic success for homeless and foster youth, how my bill aims to address them, and the growing number of members sponsoring this bipartisan legislation. You can read an op-ed I wrote about the bill here. District Doings My district and DC office have been working hard throughout the year making sure my office provides exceptional services for its constituents and that your opinions get heard on issues in Washington. To date, my office has sent 33,877 messages this year alone to constituents regarding their thoughts on issues. I am always appreciative of the input I receive and am thankful to represent such a caring and passionate district of our great nation. Working Women Wednesday Each Wednesday, I like to shed a light on fantastic women and their career accomplishments in our 16th District. This week, my spotlight was Stefani Schaefer, anchor of Fox 8 News in the Morning. You can view her spotlight here. As I continue to feature the superb women of our district and their accomplishments, I invite you to nominate someone you know to be featured. Please send all nominations to RenacciWWW@gmail.com. Thank you. As always, thanks for allowing me to represent the 16th district in our nations capital. God Bless,",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3C59F04F-0B0B-4687-8ADB-031D08F88A31,"Portman, Brown Work to Ensure Ohio & Erie Canalway Can Continue Supporting Northeast Ohio Jobs",2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area Supports 4,200 Jobs, Generates $408 Million Each Year WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) this week introduced legislation to ensure that the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area, which spans more than 110 miles between New Philadelphia and Cleveland, can continue to draw investment, and support local jobs, tourism and economic development in northeast Ohio. This legislation will provide greater funding certainty for the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area, which will help ensure that this site is protected and continues to attract jobs and investment, said Portman. The canal holds great significance to the state of Ohio, from helping our early towns and communities prosper to linking our state to the rest of the nation. I am proud to be one of the 2.5 million visitors who enjoy the canals towpath trail each year, and I look forward to working with my colleague Senator Brown on getting this legislation signed into law. Ohioans take great pride in our states historic role in building the Erie Canal and connecting our state to the rest of the country, said Brown. From Tuscarawas County to Cuyahoga County, the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area draws millions of dollars to our state each year, supporting thousands of jobs. We owe it to all Ohioans and visitors to continue to support this treasure. The Senators bill makes a legislative fix to make sure the Canalway doesnt face funding uncertainty each year. In 2015, Congress reauthorized the Canalway through 2021, but failed to simultaneously lift its funding cap to reflect its extended authorization, leaving the Canalways work to enrich the communities it spans in jeopardy each year. The Senators want to permanently lift this cap, so it can continue to receive its federal funding, which helps it raise additional funds from the State of Ohio, private organizations and foundations. The Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition supports Portman and Browns efforts. On behalf of all of our partners along the Ohio and Erie Canalway National Heritage Area, we are grateful to Senator Brown and Senator Portman for their continued strong support and commitment for the Ohio and Erie Canalway, Towpath Trail and Connector Trail Trails, said Daniel Rice, Co-Executive Director, and President and CEO of the Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition. Working together, we are fulfilling the legacy of Congressman Ralph Regula and creating a legacy for future generations. Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area spans the first 110 miles of the canal. The annual economic impact on Ohio is more than $408 million. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A33301F5-CE32-445B-910A-910EBF8052C3,"On Fox News, Portman Discusses Outlook for Tax Reform, How Tax Cuts Will Boost Middle Class, Jobs & Wages",2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"During an interview on Fox News today, Senator Portman, a conferee on the House-Senate conference committee that is negotiating the final tax reform bill, discussed how tax reform will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBCs Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Delaware Gazette, and Cincinnati Enquirer. The tax reform effort is widely supported by Ohio small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and other state and local organizations. Excerpts can be found below and a video can be found here. PORTMAN ON THE OUTLOOK FOR TAX REFORM: I feel good about it.I think it will be out tonightor tomorrow, and then we will have avote Tuesday or Wednesday.I think the votes were therelast time in the Senate, andthey will be there this time because the bill, if anything, has improved after theHouse-Senate conference.You will see substantial middle-class tax relief, which is a lotof people are looking for, and in terms of the child tax credit for folks who are on the lower end of the economic ladder.I think it will be a verypopular bill and among ourRepublican colleagues I think we willget the votes. PORTMAN ON SENATOR MARCO RUBIO: Marco has a passion for making sure that the child tax credit really works for families whoare maybe not paying income tax butpaying payroll taxes, and that'swhat he is insistent on therefundability.I respect that.He is looking out for the verypeople were all trying to help.I think in the end, the bill will beimproved, and we will get thesupport of our Republicancolleagues.I hope some Democrats will takea look at it.After all it is tax cuts for middle class families and it is helping folks at thebottom of the economic ladder,as Marco has insisted.It also makes our businessesand our workers competitive again.We cant have the current situation where jobs and investment are going overseas. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A6D7588D-8982-4828-B187-1A7292670C1B,ICYMI The Columbus Dispatch Op-Ed from Senator Portman: Helping Ohioans Live Up to God-Given Potential,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In a Columbus Dispatch op-ed Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) highlights his effortsto combat the heroin and prescription drug crisis gripping Ohio.Portman worked to secure $1 billion in new funding for state grants to fight opioid abuse in the CURES law and $181 million annually in discretionary spending for new programs through his bipartisanComprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act(CARA) signed-into-law last year. As the author of the CARA legislation, Senator Portman has helped lead the national effort to combat this epidemic that is devastating communities across Ohio and our country.The legislation ensures that federal resources are focused on evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery programs that have proven effective in local communities so that it can make a difference in peoples lives. Portman is also working on a series of bipartisan bills to help combat the opioid epidemic, including his bipartisanSynthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Actlegislation to help stop dangerous synthetic drugs from being shipped into our country, his Prescription Drug Monitoring Act to help stop overprescribing,his Medicaid CARE Act to lift the cap on Medicaid funding for mental health and substance abuse facilities,and the CRIB Act, which will help newborns born dependent on drugs recover. Excerpts of the op-ed can be found below and the full op-ed can be found at thislink. Helping Ohioans Live up to God-given Potential By Rob Portman The Columbus Dispatch December 15, 2017 There are an estimated 200,000 Ohioans suffering from opioid addictionthat is approximately four times the population of Guernsey County. Approximately 11 Ohioans a day die from unintentional drug overdoses. This is a national epidemic, and sadly, Ohio is at the center of it. Addiction affects Ohioans regardless of age, area code, or economic status. While we have made some progress, we must continue assisting those battling addiction as well as those harmed by its effects. One of the most vulnerable groups affected by this epidemic are pregnant and postpartum women battling addictionand children born dependent on these drugs. I recently visited the Ohio Health Grant Medical Center in Columbus, where they treat babies who are born dependent on opioids. This is a tragic and all too common occurrence in Ohioexpectant mothers battling addiction give birth to children who are dependent on these drugs before taking their first breath. Last year, President Obama signed the Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act (CARA), a bipartisan bill I authored, into law. CARA also provides funding and resources for pregnant and postpartum women as well as vulnerable babies affected by addiction, and it helps fund critical programs like the one I saw at the Ohio Health Grant Medical Center. The opioid epidemic in Ohio is a complex problem that requires comprehensive solutions. Addiction affects every aspect of our communities. Overcoming this crisis will take strength from those in recovery and support from those in the community. I will continue working to help stop the devastation created by opioid addiction and restore peoples ability to achieve their purpose in life. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D7CE79DD-6E19-4B19-A644-67DBE7CF9D85,How Senator Portman Worked to Improve the Tax Reform Bill,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Portman praised the House-Senate conference agreement on theTax Cuts & Jobs Act, landmark tax reforms focused on helping middle-class families and creating more jobs with higher wages. After the final agreement was released, Portman said: Today marks another important milestone in our efforts to provide tax relief for middle-class families and reform our business tax code to create more jobs and increase wages for American workers. I look forward to both the House and Senate passing this legislation next week and the president signing these historic tax cuts before Christmas. Portman worked throughout the process to develop and help improve the bill, including adding several amendments during Senate consideration by the Senate Finance Committee. Heres a quick rundown on how Portman worked to improve the tax bill both during Senate deliberations and the final conference agreement: Pushing for Middle-Class Tax Cuts. Throughout this debate, Portman has been consistently focused on ensuring that the middle class get a significant tax cut, and that the progressivity of the code is at least maintained if not made more progressive. In particular, he focused on lowering tax rates and expanding the child tax credit. Expanding Tax Relief for Small Businesses. Reforms to the business tax code are an essential component of this final agreement, especially lowering rates for small businesses, which Portman played a key role in developing. These pro-growth reforms will grow our economy, create more jobs, and make America more competitive with our foreign counterparts. According to theTax Foundation, the Senate bill would help create nearly onemillion new American jobs, including more than 35,000 in Ohio. The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) endorsed the bill. Leveling the Playing Field for American Companies & Workers. Portmans bipartisan work on international tax reform is a key component of this tax reform bill. In 2015, he chaired a bipartisan working group on international tax reform with Senator Chuck Schumer, now Minority Leader. Together they developed a bipartisan framework to reform the international tax code, transition from a worldwide to a territorial tax system, and give American companies a level playing field with their foreign competitors. The gist of that framework is now part of both the Senate-passed bill and the final agreement. Details about this 2015 effort can be found here. Preserving Private Activity Bonds (PABs). Both in the Senate-passed bill and the final agreement, Portman helped preserve private activity bonds, which are an essential source of funding for important infrastructure and community redevelopment projects across Ohio. The House bill eliminated PABs. Preserving the Historic Tax Credit (HTC). Portman is a strong supporter of the HTC and worked with Senator Cassidy to restore the current-law 20 percent credit level in both the Senate-passed bill and the final agreement after the House eliminated it entirely and an early draft of the Senate bill reduced it to 10 percent. The HTC encourages private investment in the rehabilitation of historic buildings. It has been used to preserve numerous historic Ohio buildings, including Cincinnatis recently rehabilitated iconic Music Hall. Preserving the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC). While the House eliminated the New Markets Tax Credit, Portman led the effort to preserve it in the Senate bill and the final agreement. The NMTC helps economically distressed communities attract private capital for community redevelopment purposes, and Cincinnati has been a significant beneficiary. Earlier this year, Portman visited the Nehemiah Manufacturing Company, which is using the NMTC to expand and provide meaningful employment opportunities to ex-offenders re-entering society. Preserving the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Portman led the effort to preserve the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides employers with a tax credit for hiring and retaining veterans, ex-felons, disabled individuals, summer youth employees, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Supplemental Security Income recipients. A 2015 Portman amendment added a $2,400 credit for first year wages paid to the long-term unemployed. The House bill eliminated the tax credit. Helping Families Combat Unfair Tax on Student Loans. The final agreement includes Portmans bipartisanStop Taxing Death and Disability Act,legislation to eliminate a tax penalty levied on student loans forgiven for families after their child develops a permanent disability or dies. Promoting the Craft Beverage Industry in Ohio. The Senate-passed bill and the final agreement includes the bipartisanCraft Beverage Modernization & Tax Reform Act, legislation cosponsored by Portman thatwould provide excise tax relief to thegrowing craft beverage industry, helping these entrepreneurs reinvest more in their businesses and our communities. Ohio is number four in the country in craft beer production, and supports 15,000 jobs in the state. Preserving Worker Retirement Security. The Senate-passed bill and the final agreement includes aPortman amendmentto protect smallstartup businesses ability to utilize nonqualified deferred compensation programs for millions of employees and retirees; remove a provision that would have subjected 457 plan participants like Ohio police and firefighters to a harmful 10 percent early distribution tax; and preserve the ability of all 401(k) participants to make catch-up contributions after age 50.Portman also worked with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) to preserve additional catch-up contributions available to 457 and 403(b) plans, including clergy in church pension plans. These amendments preserved retirement security incentives with a proven track record of success. Easing the Burden of High Medical Expenses. The Senate-passed bill and the final agreement includes changes from Portmans Seniors Tax Hike Prevention Act which would allow seniors to deduct a greater share of their medical costs. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, all taxpayers at any age may take advantage of this expanded deduction. Preserving Key Higher Education Tax Incentives. Along with his colleagues in the Senate, Portman worked to preserve key tax incentives for undergraduate and graduate students, helping Ohio students struggling with the high cost of college. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E23E6B17-15E9-4383-BDA3-71939CC08D7E,Portman Praises Final House-Senate Conference Agreement on Tax Cuts & Jobs Act,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement after the House and Senate conference committee released the conference report for the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, which will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers: Today marks another important milestone in our efforts to provide tax relief for middle-class families and reform our business tax code to create more jobs and increase wages for American workers, said Portman. I was proud to play a significant role in this conference, working alongside my colleagues in the House and Senate to craft this bill and improve it on behalf of middle-class families.Through this tax reform plan, Congress is helping create a better economy and a better future for all Americans. I look forward to both the House and Senate passing this legislation next week and the president signing these historic tax cuts before Christmas. NOTE: The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act is focused on helping middle-class families. More information on Senator Portmans work to improve the Senate-passed Tax Cuts & Jobs Act can be found here. Statements of support from Ohio small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and other state and local organizations can be found here. A brief summary of the conference report can be found here and the full text of the conference report can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F62614C0-DEBF-4C95-9808-F9CDC669B849,Portman Statement on Final Tax Agreement Preserving Key Tax Incentives for Undergraduate & Graduate Students,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement regarding the House-Senate conference report on the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act and its support for college students: I fought alongside my colleagues in the Senate to preserve key tax incentives for undergraduate and graduate students in the final tax reform legislation. This was a hard-fought victory for Ohio students struggling with the cost of college. Im also pleased that the final bill includes my Stop Taxing Death and Disability Act, which will eliminate a tax penalty levied on student loans forgiven for families after the death of their child and Americans who develop permanent disabilities. I am pleased to continue my support for this important legislation that will not only help middle-class families, but also assist undergraduate and graduate students as they work finish their education and enter the workforce. The final House-Senate agreement preserves key tax incentives that support undergraduate and graduate students, incentives that were preserved in the Senate-passed bill but repealed in the original House bill. Chief among these tax incentives, the final agreement: Preserves the deduction for interest paid on student loans; Preserves the deduction for tuition and related higher education expenses up to $4,000; Preserves the exclusion forinterest earned fromU.S. savings bonds if used to cover for higher education expenses; Preserves the exclusion for tuition reductions (i.e., if a graduate student is teaching a class in addition to pursuing their degree, the college may absorb their costs of tuition as a form of compensation for their service); and Preserves the exclusion for employer-provided education assistance payments of up to $5,250. Of note, the final conference report also includes PortmansStop Taxing Death & Disability Act, which exempts families from paying tax on the forgiveness of a student loan that automatically occurs if when the student dies or becomes permanently disabled. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBCs Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Delaware Gazette, and Cincinnati Enquirer. The tax reform effort is widely supported by students, small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and other state and local organizations. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/rob-s-rundown?ID=088C9052-C930-4561-A910-6D6F71558E21,"Robs Rundown: Week of December 11 15, 2017",2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"As a conferee in the House-Senate tax reform conference committee, Senator Portman continued to be a leading player in the negotiations of the final tax reform bill between the House and the Senate, with the goal of getting it to the presidents desk for his signature before Christmas. Portman is working to fix our broken tax code to provide tax relief to help boost the middle class and create more jobs and boost wages for American workers. Also this week, the National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law by President Trump. The legislation included Portmans provisions to support Ohios men and women in uniform, strengthen Ohio military installations such as the Wright-Patterson Air Force base, counter foreign propaganda and disinformation from countries like Russia, and support and defend allies like Ukraine. For a detailed look at his week, please see the following: Tuesday, December 12 Portman, Murphy Announce Measure to Counter Foreign Propaganda in NDAA Conference Report Signed Into Law U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) announced that the president signed into law the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report, which includes their language to improve the ability of the United States to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation from our enemies. The language builds on their Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, legislation signed-into-law last year, by helping them to promote more seamless coordination between the Department of Defense and the State Department in countering foreign propaganda and disinformation. Last year, the United States took a critical step towards confronting the extensive, and destabilizing, foreign propaganda and disinformation operations being waged against us by our foreign adversaries by passing the bipartisan Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, and today marks another step forward, said Senator Portman. By better coordinating and synchronizing our governments response to foreign propaganda and disinformation, the United States will be more successful in ensuring that our ideas win. I am pleased the president signed this legislation into law to build on our previous efforts and encourage proper coordination between government agencies so that the disinformation and propaganda used against us, our allies, and our interests will fail. For more information about the bill, please go here. President Signs Into Law Portman, Brown Amendments to Support Jobs & Research at Wright-Patts Air Force Research Lab Portman and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the NDAA includes several bipartisan amendments they offered that will support jobs and the important research mission at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's Air Force Research Lab. I have seen firsthand the innovative research and development conducted at the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patt that is critical to our national security and to maintaining our militarys technological edge, said Portman. I am pleased the president signed this legislation into law that will further support Wright-Patts mission, and I will continue to work with Senator Brown to support Wright-Patt and ensure that its highly-skilled workforce has the tools and resources it needs to carry out its missions. For more information about the bill, please go here. Following Portman Request, President Authorizes $15 Million for New Toledo Air Base Hangars Portman also announced that the NDAA authorizes $15 million to support the construction of upgraded fighter aircraft hangars for the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo, Ohio. Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) included this funding after Portman sent a letter earlier this year urging them to do so. The 180th Fighter Wing, which Portman visited earlier this year as part of his Ohio Defense Tour, carries out the critical Aerospace Control Alert (ACA) mission to protect Americas airspace. This is a huge win for the Airmen of the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo who are carrying out one of our nations most important homeland defense missions: protecting our skies through the Aerospace Control Alert, said Portman. Defending the homeland remains the number one national security mission for our military, so it is critical that the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo has the best equipment available. The current ACA hangars are outdated and dont provide the protection needed for the aircraft and the airmen maintaining them. Now that the president has authorized funding to replace these outdated hangers, the men and women serving our country in Toledo will be able to better perform their critical national security mission. I look forward to returning to the 180th soon to see these hangars fully operational. For more information about the bill, please go here. Portman Announces President Signs Into Law Funding to Modernize Stryker Vehicles, Increase Production of Abrams Tanks as Part of NDAA Portman announced that the NDAA authorizes funding to upgrade Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles. Critical work is done on both systems at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima, where Portman recently hosted an employee town hall as part of his Ohio Defense Tour. The NDAA includes more than $1.6 billion for upgrading Abrams tanks to increase the rate of production of the newest upgraded Abrams tanks in Lima and ensure that our forward deployed tanks have the most cutting-edge survivability enhancements. The bill also includes authorization of $622 million in funding to complete the fourth Stryker brigade with upgraded survivability and mobility improvements as well as a second brigade of Stryker vehicles with an upgraded weapons system. The funding authorization was included by Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) in the NDAA following a letter sent by Senators Portman and Gary Peters (D-MI), and builds on last years NDAA which included $652 million to support upgrades to the Abrams tank and $579 million for the Stryker vehicle. In this heightened global security environment, we need to ensure our soldiers have the proper resources and tools necessary to carry out their critical missions, said Portman. The Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima is now producing the latest-generation Abrams tank and Stryker vehicles, the Armys most versatile and deployable combat vehicle. The additional funding provided in the NDAA would allow JSMC to increase the rate of production of the newest Abrams tank and make needed upgrades to Stryker vehicles. The work done at JSMC boosts Limas economy and provides critical national security assets that strengthen our military resolve. I am pleased that the president signed this bill into law to support the skilled JSMC employees I met with in August. I believe it will make a difference for our military and allow JSMC to continue assisting our men and women in uniform. For more information about the bill, please go here. Portman Announces Ukraine Security Assistance Amendment Signed Into Law as Part of NDAA Portman a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and founder and co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, announced that his amendment boosting security assistance for Ukraine has been signed into law as part of the NDAA. As amended by Portmans provisions, which he introduced with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), the FY 2018 NDAA authorizes $350 million in security assistance, including lethal and non-lethal equipment, training, and technical assistance. For the first time, the amendment authorizes assistance to bolster Ukraines naval capabilities, which were severely degraded following Russias seizure of Crimea. The amendment also conditions U.S. aid on progress towards key reforms including instituting civilian control of the military, cooperation and coordination with Ukrainian parliamentary efforts to exercise oversight of the Ministry of Defense and military forces, and improvements in sustainment capabilities, inventory management, and security of sensitive foreign technologies. This years Ukraine security assistance package maintains the framework that Portmans previous amendments to the FY 2016 and FY 2017 NDAAs helped build. There is longstanding bipartisan agreement on the policy tools that the United States should utilize as part of its comprehensive strategy to support Ukraine, deter future aggression against our allies and interests, and uphold the fundamental principles of the U.S.-led international system that Russias actions ultimately threaten. Now, the United States Senate is taking a critical step forward in its support for Ukraine, said Senator Portman. As Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine persists, and as it continues to utilize hybrid warfare techniques such as propaganda and disinformation, it is critical that the U.S. and NATO provide the sustained economic, political, and military support necessary to allow Ukraine to secure its democratic future. An independent Ukraine is critical not just to Eastern Europe, but it also impacts broader U.S. interests in the region and beyond. I am pleased the president signed this measure into law. I now urge the administration to quickly get Ukraine the assistance they need. For more information about the bill, please go here. A summary of Portmans provisions that were signed into law in the NDAA can be found here. Wednesday. December 13 Portman Discusses How Tax Reform Will Help the Middle Class at House-Senate Conference Committee Negotiations Portman delivered remarks during Wednesdays conference committee meeting detailing how tax reform will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBCs Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Delaware Gazette, and Cincinnati Enquirer. The tax reform effort is widely supported by Ohio small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and other state and local organizations. Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here. Also at the hearing Portman discussed with Joint Committee on Taxation Chief of Staff Tom Barthold how tax reform will help provide tax relief to every tax bracket and will give three million Americanswho currently have tax liability and are working hardno tax liability at all. Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here. Thursday, December 14 Bipartisan Senators Say New House Bill Wont Help Trafficking Survivors Get Justice, Echo Concerns Expressed by Victims Advocacy Groups Senators Portman, Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John McCain (R-AZ), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) today issued the following joint statement on a new House trafficking proposal rushed through the House Judiciary Committee yesterday: Here in the Senate, weve taken a thoughtful, deliberative approach to our efforts to help combat online sex trafficking, meeting with key stakeholders for months before ever introducing legislation. Our work together culminated in the Senate Commerce Committees unanimous support for the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act bipartisan legislation now cosponsored by 53 senators. We are pleased that this legislation has the strong support of major stakeholders in this debate, including victims and advocates, law enforcement, the civil rights community, faith-based groups, and the larger tech community. We are confident the full Senate will pass this proposal very soon in an overwhelming, bipartisan fashion. It is disappointing that the House Judiciary Committee rushed through a new proposal after House members expressed concerns that it had not been fully vetted and was opposed by all of the leading organizations dedicated to supporting trafficking victims. Any legislative effort must ensure that trafficking survivors get the justice they deserve. Unfortunately, this rushed House proposal raises the legal standard and ensures that bad actors like Backpage continue to have blanket immunity.Dont take our word for it; the victims advocacy groups have told us with a clear voice that the House Judiciary bill is harmful to our efforts to protect trafficking survivors. Were in this fight to help trafficking survivors whove long been denied justice and ensure that state and local prosecutors have the tools they need to hold accountable bad actors that knowingly facilitate online sex trafficking. As this process moves forward, we will continue the dialogue with all stakeholders, but were not going to enact a hollow proposal masquerading as a serious solution. Portman, Cantwell Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help People Receive Care in their Homes, Reduce Health Costs Senators Portman and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) have introduced the Ensuring Medicaid Provides Opportunities for Widespread Equity, Resources, and Care Act or EMPOWER Care Act to help Medicaid beneficiaries receive long-term services and support in their community or home and help save taxpayer dollars in the process. The bill would renew and expand the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration Program, which promotes community-based care and services and is as a sterling example of an initiative that improves patient outcomes while saving money for state and federal taxpayers. The program extended in Portman and Cantwells legislation provides states with funding and flexibility to help Medicaid beneficiaries, particularly elderly and disabled individuals, transition from institutional to home and community-based long-term care settings. Im proud to continue my support for the Money Follows the Person program, by introducing the EMPOWER Care Act. Money Follows the Person has provided over 10,000 Ohioans with the opportunity receive the care that they need in their homes and communities, and I will continue to fight to ensure that all Ohioans can continue to have a choice in where they seek long-term care support, said Senator Portman. For more information, go here. On Fox Business, Portman Discusses Tax Reform Negotiations, How Tax Cuts Will Boost Middle Class, Jobs & Wages During an interview on Fox Business, Senator Portman, a conferee on the House-Senate conference committee that is negotiating the final tax reform bill, discussed how tax reform will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Excerpts can be found here and a video can be found here. Friday, December 15 Portman, Brown Work to Ensure Ohio & Erie Canalway Can Continue Supporting Northeast Ohio Jobs U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) this week introduced legislation to ensure that the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area, which spans more than 110 miles between New Philadelphia and Cleveland, can continue to draw investment, and support local jobs, tourism and economic development in northeast Ohio. This legislation will provide greater funding certainty for the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area, which will help ensure that this site is protected and continues to attract jobs and investment, said Portman. The canal holds great significance to the state of Ohio, from helping our early towns and communities prosper to linking our state to the rest of the nation. I am proud to be one of the 2.5 million visitors who enjoy the canals towpath trail each year, and I look forward to working with my colleague Senator Brown on getting this legislation signed into law. Ohioans take great pride in our states historic role in building the Erie Canal and connecting our state to the rest of the country, said Brown. From Tuscarawas County to Cuyahoga County, the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area draws millions of dollars to our state each year, supporting thousands of jobs. We owe it to all Ohioans and visitors to continue to support this treasure. The Senators bill makes a legislative fix to make sure the Canalway doesnt face funding uncertainty each year. In 2015, Congress reauthorized the Canalway through 2021, but failed to simultaneously lift its funding cap to reflect its extended authorization, leaving the Canalways work to enrich the communities it spans in jeopardy each year. The Senators want to permanently lift this cap, so it can continue to receive its federal funding, which helps it raise additional funds from the State of Ohio, private organizations and foundations. The Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition supports Portman and Browns efforts. On behalf of all of our partners along the Ohio and Erie Canalway National Heritage Area, we are grateful to Senator Brown and Senator Portman for their continued strong support and commitment for the Ohio and Erie Canalway, Towpath Trail and Connector Trail Trails, said Daniel Rice, Co-Executive Director, and President and CEO of the Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition. Working together, we are fulfilling the legacy of Congressman Ralph Regula and creating a legacy for future generations. Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area spans the first 110 miles of the canal. The annual economic impact on Ohio is more than $408 million. On Fox News, Portman Discusses Outlook for Tax Reform, How Tax Cuts Will Boost Middle Class, Jobs & Wages During an interview on Fox News today, Senator Portman, a conferee on the House-Senate conference committee that is negotiating the final tax reform bill, discussed how tax reform will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Excerpts can be found here and a video can be foundhere. Portman Praises Final House-Senate Conference Agreement on Tax Cuts & Jobs Act U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement after the House and Senate conference committee released the conference report for the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, which will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers: Today marks another important milestone in our efforts to provide tax relief for middle-class families and reform our business tax code to create more jobs and increase wages for American workers, said Portman. I was proud to play a significant role in this conference, working alongside my colleagues in the House and Senate to craft this bill and improve it on behalf of middle-class families.Through this tax reform plan, Congress is helping create a better economy and a better future for all Americans. I look forward to both the House and Senate passing this legislation next week and the president signing these historic tax cuts before Christmas. NOTE: The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act is focused on helping middle-class families. More information on Senator Portmans work to improve the Senate-passed Tax Cuts & Jobs Act can be found here. Statements of support from Ohio small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and other state and local organizations can be found here. A brief summary of the conference report can be found here and the full text of the conference report can be found here. Portman Statement on Final Tax Agreement Preserving Key Tax Incentives for Undergraduate & Graduate Students U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement regarding the House-Senate conference report on theTax Cuts & Jobs Actand its support for college students: I fought alongside my colleagues in the Senate to preserve key tax incentives for undergraduate and graduate students in the final tax reform legislation. This was a hard-fought victory for Ohio students struggling with the cost of college. Im also pleased that the final bill includes my Stop Taxing Death and Disability Act, which willeliminate a tax penalty levied on student loans forgiven for families after the death of their child and Americans who develop permanent disabilities.I am pleased to continue my support for this important legislation that will not only help middle-class families, but also assist undergraduate and graduate students as they work finish their education and enter the workforce. The final House-Senate agreement preserves key tax incentives that support undergraduate and graduate students, incentives that were preserved in the Senate-passed bill but repealed in the original House bill. Chief among these tax incentives, the final agreement: Preserves the deduction for interest paid on student loans; Preserves the deduction for tuition and related higher education expenses up to $4,000; Preserves the exclusion forinterest earned fromU.S. savings bonds if used to cover for higher education expenses; Preserves the exclusion for tuition reductions (i.e., if a graduate student is teaching a class in addition to pursuing their degree, the college may absorb their costs of tuition as a form of compensation for their service); and Preserves the exclusion for employer-provided education assistance payments of up to $5,250. Of note, the final conference report also includes PortmansStop Taxing Death & Disability Act, which exempts families from paying tax on the forgiveness of a student loan that automatically occurs if when the student dies or becomes permanently disabled. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398549,Latta Statement on FCCs Vote on the Restoring Internet Freedom Order,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 to approve the Restoring Internet Freedom Order.“I firmly believe in and support net neutrality principles such as no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization that are important elements of a free and open Internet. At the same time, it is not necessary to use Depression-era regulations and a heavy-handed government approach to achieve them. Today’s decision by the FCC will simply restore the light-touch rules that governed the Internet for decades and helped usher in massive investment and innovation in the technology sector. It’s now important that Congress pursue legislation that will provide certainty on this issue and ensure a dynamic Internet for years to come.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398550,Latta Votes for Two Bills to Stop Funding of Iranian-Supported Terrorism,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) joined his colleagues in passing two pieces of financial legislation that would deter Iranian-supported terrorism. The bills, H.R. 1638, the Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act, and H.R. 4324, the Strengthening Oversight of Iran’s Access to Finance Act, would provide more transparency and make funding sources for the Iranian regime public. Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terror. “Iran is the largest state sponsor of terror, and the Iranian regime has a destabilizing effect on the Middle East,” said Latta. “It’s essential we make clear that financially supporting the bad behavior of the Iranian government will not be tolerated. While the Trump Administration reviews the Iran deal, these two pieces of bipartisan legislation will hold the ayatollahs accountable and protect U.S. financial institutions by shining a light on the regime’s financial backing.” The Iranian Leadership Transparency Act publicizes the assets associated with Iran’s government and military leadership. Under the bill, the Department of Treasury would submit a report to Congress on assets under control, how the assets were acquired, and how they are used by top Iranian political and military leaders. Making this information public will help provide information for legitimate businesses that would prefer not to do business with Iran. The bill would also highlight corruption of Iranian leaders who steal from the Iranian citizens. The Strengthening Oversight of Iran’s Access to Finance Act would combat the well-documented problem of Iran using civilian planes for military purposes. Iran Air has been known to use commercial planes to transport rockets, missiles, and other military cargo on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s Defense Ministry. While the Department of Treasury had sanctioned the carrier in 2011, the Obama Administration lifted sanctions on Iran Air as part of the Iran nuclear deal. Iran Air has transported weapons to Syria, a site of civil conflict that has claimed 400,000 lives. The bill would inform Congress on financial institutions that provide funding for the export or re-export of aircraft to Iran and require Treasury to certify whether or not this financing supports Iranian terrorism or military efforts. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399384,Stivers Joins Arlington National Cemetery for the Dedication of the Tomb of Remembrance,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, Congressman Steve Stivers (R-OH) joined Arlington National Cemetery for the official dedication of the Tomb of Remembrance. The Tomb of Remembrance is a final resting place where the cremated remains of service members that may be comingled, unidentified, or unclaimed are protected with respect. share: f t WASHINGTON, DC – This week, Congressman Steve Stivers (R-OH) joined Arlington National Cemetery for the official dedication of the Tomb of Remembrance. The Tomb of Remembrance is a final resting place where the cremated remains of service members that may be comingled, unidentified, or unclaimed are protected with respect. In 2011, the Washington Post reported that the Dover Air Force Base mortuary had sent fragments of remains from 274 military personnel to the Prince George Landfill. This report prompted Stivers to introduce legislation to establish the Tomb of Remembrance, which Arlington National Cemetery ultimately moved forward on after the bill was passed by the House of Representatives on September 19, 2012. “When I first read the report in 2011, I was absolutely horrified. All fragments of fallen service members – even the smallest – deserve a dignified burial site,” Stivers said. “The Tomb of Remembrance will ensure this injustice will never happen again. I am proud to have worked with Arlington National Cemetery on this project to honor the service and sacrifice of fallen soldiers.” Located near the intersection of Patton Drive and York Drive in Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb of Remembrance is made entirely of granite and features a cairn with a bench and Memorial Wall circling it. The inscription on the Tomb reads: Here We Remember Those Who, “Have Laid, So Costly a Sacrifice upon the Altar of Freedom.” Abraham Lincoln. Specifically, the Tomb of Remembrance is for portions of cremated unidentifiable or unclaimed remains of deceased active duty members of the Armed Forces as an alternative to retirement at sea.  Additionally, the Tomb may be used for comingled, unidentifiable, or unclaimed cremated remains received from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner (AFMAO). The Tomb may also be used for comingled unidentified cremated remains from an incident where every person involved has previously individually identified remains, provided they are received from AFMAO. When the Cemetery receives remains for the Tomb, the placement receives a simple, dignified committal service attended by a cemetery representative, military chaplain, and cemetery caretaker. Visitors can pay respects at the Tomb any time the cemetery is open. A career soldier, Stivers has served over 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard and holds the rank of Brigadier General. He served the United States overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar and Djibouti where he led 400 soldiers and contractors and is proud that each and every one returned home safely to the United States.  Stivers received the Bronze Star for his leadership throughout the deployment. For more information about the Tomb of Remembrance, click here. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399423,"Partial, unidentified remains of US troops now have spot in Arlington cemetery",2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON On a blisteringly cold day just 3 miles from the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Steve Stivers witnessed six years of work become a reality. share: f t WASHINGTON On a blisteringly cold day just 3 miles from the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Steve Stivers witnessed six years of work become a reality.Stivers, an Upper Arlington Republican who has served more than 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard, watched as Arlington National Cemetery officials dedicated the Place of Remembrance, a resting place to inter the partial, unidentified remains of those who died while serving in the U.S. armed services. No remains have been interred yet. But Stivers, who began pushing for the tomb in 2011 after reading news stories about the Dover Air Force Base mortuary sending cremated veterans remains to a Maryland landfill, took comfort in knowing that future cremated remains would have a place of rest. It felt great to know that there is now a very honorable place for these remains to go, he said. Stivers was horrified about stories that unidentified cremated remains had been sent to a landfill. He and his staff came up with a remedy: a tomb to hold such remains a place that could accept new remains long after Stivers left Congress. He first introduced a bill in May 2012; in September, another attempt passed the House. Even as it worked its way through the Senate, the cemeterys superintendent and Stivers kept talking. Finally, the superintendent decided to proceed regardless of whether the Senate had acted. It wasnt about passing a bill, Stivers said. It was about making it happen. More practical issues were at play as well. Arlington National Cemetery is quickly running out of space. Storing cremated remains of unknown service members together, Stivers said, made more sense than burying each set of commingled fragments in a separate grave. Tucked in a corner of the cemetery, not far from the columbarium a wall holding cremated remains of other veterans the tomb is simple and reminiscent of a cairn, a pile of rocks like those often serving as a tomb. Underneath the cairn, a humidity-controlled vault will hold the cremated remains. Above it, those visiting can sit on a bench with a full view of the site and the graves that lie beyond it. During a 15-minute ceremony Wednesday, military representatives blessed the tomb with Hebrew, Catholic and Protestant prayers. They played taps. And one cemetery representative pulled Stivers aside and told him that the place of remembrance he proposed would be accepting remains for 100 or possibly 200 years to come. Stivers was overwhelmed. It feels like I made a difference, and that feels great.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://davidson.house.gov/2017/12/davidson-gives-changing-world-good-speech-house-floor,Davidson Gives 'Changing the World for Good Speech' on House Floor,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - Congressman Warren Davidson spoke on the House floor in support of H.R. 1638, the Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 which was sponsored by Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME). This bill supports publicizing the finances of Iran’s leaders. You can read more about the bill here. [[{""fid"":""470"",""view_mode"":""full"",""fields"":{""format"":""full"",""field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]"":false,""field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]"":false},""link_text"":null,""type"":""media"",""field_deltas"":{""1"":{""format"":""full"",""field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]"":false,""field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]"":false}},""attributes"":{""class"":""media-element file-full"",""data-delta"":""1""}}]] ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=9B4F5D9F-2710-4498-8754-6F21CD6ACF4C,"On Fox Business, Portman Discusses Tax Reform Negotiations, How Tax Cuts Will Boost Middle Class, Jobs & Wages",2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"During an interview on Fox Business, Senator Portman, a conferee on the House-Senate conference committee that is negotiating the final tax reform bill, discussed how tax reform will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBC’s Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Delaware Gazette, and Cincinnati Enquirer. The tax reform effort is widely supported by Ohio small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and other state and local organizations. Excerpts can be found below and a video can be found here. PORTMAN ON PROVIDING MIDDLE CLASS TAX RELIEF: “I encourage people to go look for themselves on the Joint Committee on Taxation website, JCT.gov, and they will see where their situation leaves them, and what you’ll see is that middle-class families do get tax relief. We had a meeting on this yesterday and I spoke to the nonpartisan Joint Tax Committee folks about it. I said ‘here I have a chart that says one thing and yet you hear things from the Democratic talking points,’ which is true. He was able to say that for each group of taxpayers—from people that make $20,000 to $30,000, $80,000 to $90,000—each group of taxpayers gets tax relief. In the aggregate and on the average, there is significant tax relief. And that's just a reality. We've changed the tax code to provide that relief. PORTMAN ON HOW BUSINESS TAX REFORM HELPS THE MIDDLE CLASS: “I think equally important—and perhaps for most working families in Ohio, more important—the changes we do on the business side make American workers more competitive and get more investment and productivity into the economy. That's going to increase wages. That's going to increase take-home pay. That's going to help the family budget, too. So both the direct tax cuts to the middle class, which are there, and it's a reality that they're there and no amount of talking points from the other side changes that, but second, the business reforms are really going to help to generate higher wages, more jobs.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=9D3B283C-1AA3-40CF-93D5-2E8A2DAFB935,"Portman, Cantwell Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help People Receive Care in their Homes, Reduce Health Costs",2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bill extends, expands “rebalancing” program that boosts quality of life and reduces costs for Medicaid patients needing long-term care WASHINGTON, D.C.  –U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) have introduced the Ensuring Medicaid Provides Opportunities for Widespread Equity, Resources, and Care Act – or EMPOWER Care Act – to help Medicaid beneficiaries receive long-term services and support in their community or home and help save taxpayer dollars in the process. The bill would renew and expand the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration Program, which promotes community-based care and services and is as a sterling example of an initiative that improves patient outcomes while saving money for state and federal taxpayers. The program extended in Portman and Cantwell’s legislation provides states with funding and flexibility to help Medicaid beneficiaries, particularly elderly and disabled individuals, transition from institutional to home and community-based long-term care settings. “I’m proud to continue my support for the Money Follows the Person program, by introducing the EMPOWER Care Act.  Money Follows the Person has provided over 10,000 Ohioans with the opportunity receive the care that they need in their homes and communities, and I will continue to fight to ensure that all Ohioans can continue to have a choice in where they seek long-term care support,” said Senator Portman. “Helping people access long-term care while staying in their own homes is a win-win: patients prefer it, and it saves money,” said Senator Cantwell. “The EMPOWER Care Act will build on Washington state’s leadership in promoting home-and community based care by giving states tools and resources to improve quality of life and reduce health care costs in their Medicaid programs.” As of September 2016, 43 states and the District of Columbia have participated in the MFP Demonstration Program.  Between 2005 and 2013, the program has saved nearly $1 billion for Medicare and Medicaid and helped over 63,000 individuals receive care at home or in a community-based setting, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  “People with disabilities and older adults simply want the same thing we all want - to live independently and age with dignity. However, far too many people end up in costly nursing homes when they could remain at home if they had access to community-based services,” said Joe Caldwell, National Council on Aging Director of Long-term Supports and Services. “The Money Follows the Person program is an integral support states need to help transition more individuals back home. It has improved the lives of over 75,000 individuals with disabilities and older adults and saved the federal government and states nearly a billion dollars. We applaud the bi-partisan leadership of Senators Portman and Cantwell to extend and improve the program.” HOME Choice, Ohio’s iteration of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program, was one of the first MFP programs in the country.  According to the Ohio Department of Medicaid, it ranks first nationally in transitioning individuals with mental illness into home-based settings and second in overall transitions completed. Ohio continues to pave the way in long-term care delivery and an extension of the Money Follows the Person program will continue to allow for Ohio to continue to lead the way in optimizing care for those in need. “The Money Follows the Person program has been an outstanding success in transitioning older adults and people with disabilities out of nursing homes and back into their homes and communities. Through Money Follows the Person, Ohio has been able to further its commitment to rebalancing long term services and supports towards more home and community-based care. Providing the necessary supports upfront and during those critical first months not only saves money, but it also allows people to live where they prefer,” said Larke Recchie, CEO of Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Senator Portman continues to be a leader in ensuring that all Americans can receive long-term care in their homes and communities.  As a champion for programs like the Independence at Home model and the Money Follows the Person program, Senator Portman believes that outcomes and quality can be improved by delivering care in these settings in cost-effective manners. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D7A5EFE0-1E6F-4658-85B3-386DA1809F42,"Portman: Every Income Level Gets Tax Relief, Three Million More People Will Have No Tax Liability",2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), who was appointed to serve on a House-Senate conference committee that is negotiating the final tax reform bill, discussed with Joint Committee on Taxation Chief of Staff Tom Barthold how tax reform will help provide tax relief to every tax bracket and will give three million Americans—who currently have tax liability and are working hard—no tax liability at all. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBC’s Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Delaware Gazette, and Cincinnati Enquirer. The tax reform effort is widely supported by Ohio small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and other state and local organizations. Transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here. Portman: “My colleague and friend from Michigan was asking about the effects of the tax cuts for the middle class. So, Mr. Barthold, she asked about 2019, let’s go to your form, let’s go to your Joint Committee on Taxation distributional table that anybody can find on JCT.gov. Let’s go to jcx-60-17 and that’s for 2019, the same year that was just asked about. I’m looking at 10 different groups of taxpayers—cohorts of taxpayers. Less than $10,000 all the way up to $1 million or over. So for instance, $30,000 to $40,000, $75,000 to $100,000 and so on. I’m looking at this form and I’m wondering how could what we just heard be true because this shows that there is tax relief in each of those groups, right?” Barthold: “That’s correct, sir. Aggregate tax reduction in every income category.” Portman: “Every single one. On average, in every single one of these groups, you’re seeing tax relief and it is, you know, 9.7 percent decrease in taxes for folks making between $30,000 and $40,000, people between $100,000 and $200,000 at 6.8 percent. It tends to be a higher number toward the lower brackets, but that’s on your website, that’s the information, so that means there is tax relief for these individuals that we represent, is that correct?” Barthold: “In aggregate, yes, and on average.” Portman: “And for the majority of those people, correct?” Barthold: “Yes.”  Portman: “Okay. I just wanted to clear that up. In terms of people who, because of the doubling of the standard deduction—which is as you say is like a zero tax bracket of $24,000 per family by doubling it—aren’t there a lot of people that fall off the tax rules altogether? In other words, there are people who aren’t even going to have any tax liability who have it now. I sent you a letter on this back in October and you said that 3.1 million taxpayers would no longer have tax liability who have tax liability now. Most of these people are folks who are working who have tax liability. Under this bill they’re not going to have any tax liability. Think about that. This is three million Americans who are currently having to pay Uncle Sam, and are working hard—most of these people are folks who are working, who have tax liability despite the Earned Income Tax Credit and other things—under this bill they’re not going to have any tax liability. That was based on a doubling of the standard deduction but it was only with the child credit up to $1,500. So I would think with a child credit up to $2,000, which we have now, doubling the child tax credit, I would guess even more people are not going to have tax liability, is that your sense?” Barthold: “That’s correct, Senator Portman. Also another factor there is that when you and I spoke about this in October, you did not have a 10 percent bracket which increases (inaudible)”  Portman: “So more than three million people are not going to have any tax liability at all. I just think we need to stick to the facts here.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=FCABBB2D-3EF8-4710-92D7-6EE657B8AB57,"Bipartisan Senators Say New House Bill Won't Help Trafficking Survivors Get Justice, Echo Concerns Expressed by Victims Advocacy Groups",2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senate’s Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act Helps Protect Women & Children from Online Sex Trafficking, Has the Support of All Key Stakeholders WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John McCain (R-AZ), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) today issued the following joint statement on a new House trafficking proposal rushed through the House Judiciary Committee yesterday: “Here in the Senate, we’ve taken a thoughtful, deliberative approach to our efforts to help combat online sex trafficking, meeting with key stakeholders for months before ever introducing legislation.  Our work together culminated in the Senate Commerce Committee’s unanimous support for the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act – bipartisan legislation now cosponsored by 53 senators.  We are pleased that this legislation has the strong support of major stakeholders in this debate, including victims and advocates, law enforcement, the civil rights community, faith-based groups, and the larger tech community.  We are confident the full Senate will pass this proposal very soon in an overwhelming, bipartisan fashion. “It is disappointing that the House Judiciary Committee rushed through a new proposal after House members expressed concerns that it had not been fully vetted and was opposed by all of the leading organizations dedicated to supporting trafficking victims.  Any legislative effort must ensure that trafficking survivors get the justice they deserve.  Unfortunately, this rushed House proposal raises the legal standard and ensures that bad actors like Backpage continue to have blanket immunity. Don’t take our word for it; the victims advocacy groups have told us with a clear voice that the House Judiciary bill is harmful to our efforts to protect trafficking survivors.  “We’re in this fight to help trafficking survivors who’ve long been denied justice and ensure that state and local prosecutors have the tools they need to hold accountable bad actors that knowingly facilitate online sex trafficking.  As this process moves forward, we will continue the dialogue with all stakeholders, but we’re not going to enact a hollow proposal masquerading as a serious solution.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://chabot.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398772,"Chabot, Lowenthal Introduce House Resolution to Reaffirm Commitment to Human Rights in Cambodia",2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steven Chabot,C000266,chabot.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Cambodia, yesterday introduced H.Res. 661 to reaffirm the commitment of the United States to promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Cambodia. “The Cambodian people deserve to elect their own leaders, but Prime Minister Hun Sen continues to ignore the rule of law in a naked attempt to retain his grip on power,” Chabot said. “His open crackdown this fall on his opposition in preparation for next year’s election ought to prevent any illusion that the election will be free or fair. As the Cambodian people look for a way forward, today’s resolution sends a clear message to Hun Sen that the world is watching and that we will not sit idly by as he stifles the rights of his people.” “The Cambodian government of Hun Sen must respect the rule of law, human rights, and democracy if Cambodia ever hopes to become a respected member of the international community,” Lowenthal said. “As a global leader, it is our duty to use every political and diplomatic tool at our disposal to ensure that the Hun Sen government respects the constitutional rights of the Cambodian people, including their right to free and fair elections. We stand ready to support the people of Cambodia in ensuring free and fair elections but first the government must immediately end its political crackdowns."" On September 18, Chabot and Lowenthal sent a letter to Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson to condemn the crackdown on democratic institutions in Cambodia. H.Res. 661 is cosponsored by Representatives Eliot Engel (NY-16), Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48), Ed Royce (CA-39), Brad Sherman (CA-30), Niki Tsongas (MA-3), and Ted Yoho (FL-3). ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/videos?ContentRecord_id=20F6346B-8070-4861-91E0-83AC1CB5D5A9,Rep. Renacci discusses final steps of tax reform on Fox Business,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"array 1 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_CFPAGE LINE 42 RAW_TRACE at cffloor2dschedule2ecfm1427030490.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\footer\floor-schedule.cfm:42) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\footer\floor-schedule.cfm TYPE CFML 2 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 168 RAW_TRACE at cflay2eroot2ecfm46086300.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\lay.root.cfm:168) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\lay.root.cfm TYPE CFML 3 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 44 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2elayouts2eapply2ecfm1968182580.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.apply.cfm:44) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.apply.cfm TYPE CFML 4 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 55 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2elayouts2eroot2ecfm806605951.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.root.cfm:55) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.root.cfm TYPE CFML 5 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 304 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor3(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:304) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 6 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 276 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor8(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:276) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 7 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 192 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor14(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:192) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 8 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 35 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor15(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:35) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 9 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 1 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:1) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 10 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 124 RAW_TRACE at cfmyopenbox2ecfm795925253.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\[myopenbox]\myopenbox.cfm:124) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\[myopenbox]\myopenbox.cfm TYPE CFML 11 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 198 RAW_TRACE at cfindex2ecfm1379643951.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\index.cfm:198) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\index.cfm TYPE CFML",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/2017/12/turner-and-tsongas-hold-hearing-on-dod-sexual-assault-conviction,TURNER and Tsongas Hold Hearing on DoD Sexual Assault Conviction Reporting,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"[[{""fid"":""558"",""view_mode"":""full"",""fields"":{""format"":""full"",""field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]"":false,""field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]"":false},""link_text"":null,""type"":""media"",""field_deltas"":{""1"":{""format"":""full"",""field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]"":false,""field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]"":false}},""attributes"":{""class"":""media-element file-full"",""data-delta"":""1""}}]] Co-Chairs Mike Turner (OH-10) and Niki Tsongas (MA-3) of the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus held a briefing yesterday on the Department of Defense’s (DoD) reporting of sexual assault convictions. Afterwards, they released the following joint statement: “After the shooting in Sutherland Springs, we learned that the Air Force failed to report a military conviction that could have prevented the shooter from obtaining the firearms he used to kill 26 people. This tragic incident led those of us in Congress to question the DoD’s processes for reporting military convictions to civilian authorities in a variety of contexts; for the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus, it meant we should take a deeper look at whether other gaps in DoD’s reporting processes exist, specifically as they relate to sexual offense reporting. Yesterday, we heard that roughly half of military justice cases across the services are related to sexual assault, which makes it all the more important that military sex offense convictions be properly reported to outside authorities. We are concerned over the lack of an integrated DoD-wide data system for tracking and maintaining accountability over such cases. We will continue to work with DoD to find a legislative solution to close any gaps in communication and reporting in order to prevent future tragedies like the one in Texas.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-and-tsongas-hold-hearing-on-dod-sexual-assault-conviction,TURNER and Tsongas Hold Hearing on DoD Sexual Assault Conviction Reporting,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Co-Chairs Mike Turner (OH-10) and Niki Tsongas (MA-3) of the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus held a briefing yesterday on the Department of Defense’s (DoD) reporting of sexual assault convictions. Afterwards, they released the following joint statement: “After the shooting in Sutherland Springs, we learned that the Air Force failed to report a military conviction that could have prevented the shooter from obtaining the firearms he used to kill 26 people. This tragic incident led those of us in Congress to question the DoD’s processes for reporting military convictions to civilian authorities in a variety of contexts; for the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus, it meant we should take a deeper look at whether other gaps in DoD’s reporting processes exist, specifically as they relate to sexual offense reporting. Yesterday, we heard that roughly half of military justice cases across the services are related to sexual assault, which makes it all the more important that military sex offense convictions be properly reported to outside authorities. We are concerned over the lack of an integrated DoD-wide data system for tracking and maintaining accountability over such cases. We will continue to work with DoD to find a legislative solution to close any gaps in communication and reporting in order to prevent future tragedies like the one in Texas.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D21BDFAF-4F03-44E9-88BA-99690B3684E4,Portman Discusses How Tax Reform Will Help the Middle Class at House-Senate Conference Committee Negotiations,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), who was appointed to serve on a House-Senate conference committee that is negotiating the final tax reform bill, delivered remarks during today’s conference committee meeting detailing how tax reform will help the middle class, create jobs, and boost wages for American workers. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBC’s Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Delaware Gazette, and Cincinnati Enquirer. The tax reform effort is widely supported by Ohio small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and other state and local organizations. Transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here. “Let me start by thanking you for your civility and your leadership, Chairman Brady. I think everyone around this table would have to agree that, for years and years, we’ve been talking about doing exactly what’s in this bill. We’ve been talking about middle-class tax cuts, and really for the past decade or so, there hasn’t been an increase in wages and yet there have been increases in expenses. Primarily for most families, the biggest expense is health care. And that middle-class squeeze is real. So middle-class tax cuts are appropriate. And that’s in this bill. And we’re going to hear from Tom Barthold in a minute, and I agree with my good friend Debbie Stabenow—the proof is in the paycheck. People are going to see it. They’re going to see it in January if this thing passes. And that’s real. “The average tax cut for a median family income in Ohio is $2,375. And by the time this conference committee ends up, it may be more than that. And that’s the proof in the pudding. And, you know, we can go back and forth as to whether that’s high enough—earlier someone saying that’s not enough—I mean, if you’re living paycheck to paycheck, that’s a big deal. And a lot of our constituents are. We’ve also talked for years about a more competitive tax code that enables our workers to compete around the world. And it is irresponsible that here in Washington, D.C. we’ve allowed, for the last 31 years, a tax code that says, you know what, if you’re an American worker, you’ve got to compete with one hand tied behind your back because of our tax code. A recent study came out showing 4,700 American companies have become foreign companies in the last 13 years, because of our tax code, who otherwise would be American companies if we had passed this bill. If we set a competitive rate and a territorial system, they would be American companies. “So I know there are concerns about is the base erosion tough enough in here? Let me tell you, the status quo is not working. We are losing jobs and investment every day overseas, and American workers are bearing the brunt of that. And the statistics are there. Last year, three times as many companies were taken over by foreign companies as American companies buying those foreign companies. So it’s happening. It’s happening in your district. It’s happening in your state. Companies don’t like to talk about it. But it’s true. And by the way, when they leave, you know what they do? They take their jobs and investment with them. We did a study in the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, a bipartisan study, and we have example after example of companies that chose to invert, that went overseas. And they didn’t just go overseas with the headquarters, they took jobs and investments with them. This doesn’t count the bigger problem, which is companies getting acquired by foreign companies. So this is what’s happening. And that’s what this tax reform is intended to reverse. And I believe it will. I strongly believe that. “We had a bipartisan working group two-and-a-half years ago. There were five of them. One for every area of the tax code. So the notion that we haven’t looked at tax reform, this is new — we've had bipartisan working groups in the Finance Committee. I know you’ve done this in the Ways and Means Committee as well. Those bipartisan working groups came up with different proposals, and on the international side, Chuck Schumer and I co-chaired it, this is where we came out—exactly what this bill says.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://tiberi.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395265,Rep. Tiberi Nominates Students to Service Academies,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Pat Tiberi,T000462,tiberi.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Tiberi Nominates Students to Service Academies f t # e Washington, December 12, 2017 | Rob Nichols (614-523-2555) Rep. Tiberi Nominates Students to Service Academies share: f t Today, Congressman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) announced his nominees for further consideration for admission to the U.S. Service Academies’ classes of 2022. “Congratulations to these extraordinary young men and women for their nominations. This is a truly remarkable and diverse class of leaders from schools and communities from all corners of the 12th Congressional District.  I am proud to nominate each of them, and I wish them all the best as they continue on in the application process.” Congressman Tiberi nominated 26 students from Ohio’s 12th district to be considered for appointment to four of the five U.S. Service Academies. After a competitive nomination process, each academy will evaluate individual students for admission based on evidence of character, scholarship, leadership, physical aptitude, medical fitness, goals and motivation.  For more information on the nomination process, click here. Delaware County Erin Barr (Olentangy Orange High School), daughter of Dan and Amy Barr, received nominations to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Addison French (Olentangy Liberty High School), daughter of Michael and Theresa French, received a nomination to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Madison “Mason” Hart (Olentangy Liberty High School), son of Bret and Amy Hart, received nominations to the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Micah Hastings (Worthington Christian High School), son of Warren and Kristin Hastings, received a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy. Jeremy Kendle (Olentangy High School), son of David and Lisa Kendle, received nominations to the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Dante Leary (Olentangy Liberty High School), son of Jeffrey and Erica Leary, received a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy. Victoria Murnieks (Big Walnut High School), daughter of Raivo and Kimberly Murnieks, received nominations to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Mary Ruff (St. Francis DeSales High School), daughter of Adam and Lynn Ruff, received a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy. Franklin County Marie Ahrns (Dublin Coffman High School), daughter of Thomas and Ann Ahrns, received a nomination to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Vincent Allen (Columbus Academy), son of Daniel and Lynne Allen, received nominations to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Atticus Bulgrin (Columbus Alternative High School), son of Tom and Amy Bulgrin, received a nomination to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Jackson Dabek (St. Charles Preparatory School), son of Dariusz and Angelica Dabek, received nominations to the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Joseph Decaminada, III (Bishop Watterson High School), son of Joseph Decaminada, II and Barbara Cheek, received nominations to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Cailin Duffy (Westerville South High School), daughter of Sean Duffy and Marcia Perkins, received a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy. XiaoJioa “Shari” Hall (Thomas Worthington High School), daughter of Brian and Laura Hall, received a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy. Simon Sekulovski (New Albany High School), son of Tony and Melody Sekulovski, received nominations to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. John Sutton (Big Walnut High School), son of James and Mary Sutton, received a nomination to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Zachary Thomas (New Albany High School), son of Paul and Amy Thomas, received nominations to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Matthew Yap (Worthington Kilbourne High School), son of Daniel and Lilly Yap, received a nomination to the U.S. Air Force Academy. Licking County Carter Hall (Licking Valley High School), son of Larry and Sarah Hall, received a nomination to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Colton Hughes (Licking Valley High School) son of Kenton and Julie Losego Hughes, received a nomination to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Rachel Orr (Utica High School), daughter of Daniel and Lisa Orr, received nominations to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Morrow County Makenna McClure (Cardington-Lincoln High School), daughter of Terry and Diana McClure, received a nomination to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Muskingum County Olivia Corder (West Muskingum High School), daughter of Justin Corder and Cindy Rinaldi, received a nomination to the U.S. Air Force Academy. Richland County Jared Galat (Lexington High School), son of Michael and Sheila Galat, received a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy. The United States has five U.S. Service Academies: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.  Nominations by U.S. Senators, U.S. Congressmen, and/or the Vice President are required for appointment for all but the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, which makes appointments based on a nationwide competition. #### f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://davidson.house.gov/2017/12/president-trump-signs-ndaa-davidson-amendment,President Trump Signs NDAA with Davidson Amendment,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Warren Davidson issued the following statement after President Trump signed the final version of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law. The NDAA included an amendment offered by Rep. Davidson that encourages collaboration on commercial drone development between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense (DOD). “This NDAA gives our troops a much deserved pay raise, works to restore readiness, and modernizes equipment so the full force of our military can be brought to bear whenever and wherever necessary. I am grateful President Trump signed this bill into law and I want to thank my colleagues in Congress for including this amendment in the final version.” Following the House’s passage of the NDAA on November 14, 2017 Representative Davidson said, “I want to thank my colleagues in Congress for approving this amendment [Collaboration of FAA and DOD on Unmanned Aircraft Systems amendment]. The courageous men and women of the 178th [Air Wing in Springfield, Ohio] are at the forefront of modern warfare and this amendment ensures the readiness capabilities of that force are supported and can be brought to bear whenever necessary. Additionally, this bill ensures the free flow of ideas and research continues between civilian and military government agencies in Ohio.” Before it was signed into law by President Trump, the NDAA passed both houses of Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. The House vote was 344-81, while the Senate vote was 89-8. Additionally, the NDAA provides the necessary topline of nearly $700 billion, which is a $26 billion increase above President Trump's budget requests. Concerning troop size, the NDAA increases the Army, Navy, Air Force, Amy Guard and Reserve, Naval Air Reserve and Air Guard. The NDAA also permanently preserves Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) payments to more than 60,000 military spouses. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://turner.house.gov/2017/12/turner-on-fy18-ndaa-signing,TURNER on FY18 NDAA Signing,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Chairman Mike Turner (OH-10) of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces released the following statement after the President signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 into law today: “This law represents hundreds of hours of bipartisan work to ensure our military is fully equipped to handle every threat it may face in the coming year and rebuild our readiness. It includes provisions to make military housing safer for families, help survivors of military sexual assault be heard, and keep the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Ohio. Within the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee’s jurisdiction, this law authorizes over $12.6 billion in additional funds to address unfunded modernization requirements and critical capability gaps. Today the President rightfully called again for an end to the sequestration of national defense. The FY18 NDAA overspends what the sequester budget caps allow by $151 billion. Playing politics and using billions of our national defense budget as a bargaining chip needs to end now. Our troops face enough uncertainty--their budget shouldn’t be on the list of things they need to worry about.” BE HEARD Act Included in NDAA Chairman Turner and Ranking Member Niki Tsongas (MA-03), co-chairs of the Military Sexual Assault Caucus, were able to include their BE HEARD Act as part of the NDAA. Inclusion of this language in the NDAA makes it easier for survivors of military sexual assault to BE HEARD by: Expanding specialized training for military Special Victims’ Counsel (SVCs); Allowing the military’s highest court to hear the appeals of sexual assault survivors on decisions while a trial is ongoing; and Permitting military judges to appoint legal representatives for sexual assault survivors who are minors or who are otherwise incapable of representing themselves before charges are filed against a reported perpetrator. Evan’s Law Included in NDAA Congressman Turner’s Evan’s Law was included as part of the NDAA. Evan’s Law requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to implement military residential window safety measures to protect against unintentional falls by young children. National Aviation Hall of Fame Congressman Turner included language in this year’s NDAA to amend the congressional charter of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, ensuring the organization stays headquartered in Ohio. To learn more about Congressman Turner’s effort to keep the NAHF in Ohio, click here. Child Custody Protection Congressman Turner included language in this year’s NDAA that requires the Secretary of Defense to brief the House Armed Services Committee on the information and resources currently provided to service members regarding State child custody laws, including an analysis of how best to standardize distribution of this information to affected service members. NATO Congressman Turner included language in this year’s NDAA that recognizes the role NATO defense industries have played in weapon systems programs through partnerships and supply chain activities. It also directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing on joint weapon system development and coordination and interoperability efforts with NATO members and defense industries. This NDAA also provides a plan for the future of the European Deterrence Initiative, funds used to strengthen our allies and their common defense on the continent. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) Funding in NDAA This year’s NDAA authorized funding for WPAFB to provide commercial off-the-shelf equipment and technologies such as civil engineers construction, surveying, and mapping equipment commonly used in U.S. commercial construction and other industries. Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee Congressman Turner is the Chairman of the Subcommittee that worked to authorize over $12.6 billion in additional funding as part of the conference agreement for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. The subcommittee authorized the following programs: Equipment Modernization The NDAA authorizes key investments to accelerate fielding of new, more effective, lethal, and reliable and cost-effective platforms. It also provides additional capacity for high-demand assets to reduce the stress on the force, rebuild the depth-of-bench in critical capability areas, and begins a path to restoring full-spectrum readiness. Armored Brigade Combat Team Modernization Under the President’s budget, the Army will not complete modernizing their Abrams tanks until 2035. The NDAA provides additional funding to address unfunded requirements to accelerate armored brigade combat team modernization and works to restore needed to capability to Army Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs) to ensure continued ground combat overmatch. Maintaining Air Dominance The NDAA provides the authority for the procurement of Economic Order Quantities for F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to reduce costs to the taxpayer by authorizing bulk procurement of common manufacturing materials while also requiring continued oversight through DOD certifications regarding design stability and cost savings estimates. It also directs a report on the extension of the System Design and Development (SDD) phase of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, which is expected to finish in FY18. Army Aviation To address unfunded requirements and to accelerate modernization of Army rotorcraft for the Active and Reserve Components, the NDAA provides additional funding for UH-60M Blackhawks, AH-64E Apaches, and CH-47F Chinook helicopters. Critical Munitions The conferees remain concerned about shortfalls in critical munitions. To address this gap, the NDAA authorizes additional funding for critical munitions in war reserves, improves the manufacturing capacity of the munitions industrial base, and accelerates long range precision fires programs. ISR Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) is a critical capability of our military that enables warfighters to effectively build situational awareness to mitigate operational risk while accomplishing their missions. Repeated testimony from senior military leaders indicates a significant ISR shortfall within multiple intelligence disciplines. The NDAA makes progress on addressing this shortfall by strengthening and improving ISR investment strategies in order to better meet combatant commander ISR requirements. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-and-moulton-concerned-by-dod-opioid-loophole,TURNER and Moulton 'Concerned' by DoD Opioid Loophole,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Chairman Mike Turner (OH-10) of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces and Ranking Member Seth Moulton (MA-6) of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations sent a letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis expressing concern about the Department of Defense’s (DoD) practice of reporting prescriptions, particularly regarding opioids. The Congressmen urged Secretary Mattis “to take proactive steps to report TRICARE beneficiaries’ controlled substance prescriptions to state prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) as soon as possible.” “The opioid crisis is a national health emergency devastating our communities, Dayton especially,” said Chairman Turner. “A loophole that does not require the DoD to report controlled substance prescriptions to PDMPs makes our nation’s active duty service members, reservists, their families, veterans, and retirees vulnerable to this epidemic of addiction. Ranking Member Moulton and I are asking Secretary Mattis to immediately close this loophole to prevent more individuals from falling victim to opioid addiction.” ""It is imperative that Secretary Mattis take proactive steps to ensure reporting of TRICARE beneficiaries’ controlled substance prescriptions to state prescription drug monitoring programs,” said Ranking Member Moulton. “Addressing this loophole will help us get our service members the assistance they may need to stay healthy and safe. Prescription drug monitoring programs are a proven tool to cut down on prescription drug abuse, but these state-based programs require good data. The Department of Defense ought to share its prescription data just like the Department of Veterans Affairs has successfully done. Working together, we can combat prescription drug abuse."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-on-fy18-ndaa-signing,TURNER on FY18 NDAA Signing,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Chairman Mike Turner (OH-10) of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces released the following statement after the President signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 into law today: “This law represents hundreds of hours of bipartisan work to ensure our military is fully equipped to handle every threat it may face in the coming year and rebuild our readiness. It includes provisions to make military housing safer for families, help survivors of military sexual assault be heard, and keep the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Ohio. Within the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee’s jurisdiction, this law authorizes over $12.6 billion in additional funds to address unfunded modernization requirements and critical capability gaps. Today the President rightfully called again for an end to the sequestration of national defense. The FY18 NDAA overspends what the sequester budget caps allow by $151 billion. Playing politics and using billions of our national defense budget as a bargaining chip needs to end now. Our troops face enough uncertainty--their budget shouldn’t be on the list of things they need to worry about.” BE HEARD Act Included in NDAA Chairman Turner and Ranking Member Niki Tsongas (MA-03), co-chairs of the Military Sexual Assault Caucus, were able to include their BE HEARD Act as part of the NDAA. Inclusion of this language in the NDAA makes it easier for survivors of military sexual assault to BE HEARD by: Expanding specialized training for military Special Victims’ Counsel (SVCs); Allowing the military’s highest court to hear the appeals of sexual assault survivors on decisions while a trial is ongoing; and Permitting military judges to appoint legal representatives for sexual assault survivors who are minors or who are otherwise incapable of representing themselves before charges are filed against a reported perpetrator. Evan’s Law Included in NDAA Congressman Turner’s Evan’s Law was included as part of the NDAA. Evan’s Law requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to implement military residential window safety measures to protect against unintentional falls by young children. National Aviation Hall of Fame Congressman Turner included language in this year’s NDAA to amend the congressional charter of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, ensuring the organization stays headquartered in Ohio. To learn more about Congressman Turner’s effort to keep the NAHF in Ohio, click here. Child Custody Protection Congressman Turner included language in this year’s NDAA that requires the Secretary of Defense to brief the House Armed Services Committee on the information and resources currently provided to service members regarding State child custody laws, including an analysis of how best to standardize distribution of this information to affected service members. NATO Congressman Turner included language in this year’s NDAA that recognizes the role NATO defense industries have played in weapon systems programs through partnerships and supply chain activities. It also directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing on joint weapon system development and coordination and interoperability efforts with NATO members and defense industries. This NDAA also provides a plan for the future of the European Deterrence Initiative, funds used to strengthen our allies and their common defense on the continent. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) Funding in NDAA This year’s NDAA authorized funding for WPAFB to provide commercial off-the-shelf equipment and technologies such as civil engineers construction, surveying, and mapping equipment commonly used in U.S. commercial construction and other industries. Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee Congressman Turner is the Chairman of the Subcommittee that worked to authorize over $12.6 billion in additional funding as part of the conference agreement for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. The subcommittee authorized the following programs: Equipment Modernization The NDAA authorizes key investments to accelerate fielding of new, more effective, lethal, and reliable and cost-effective platforms. It also provides additional capacity for high-demand assets to reduce the stress on the force, rebuild the depth-of-bench in critical capability areas, and begins a path to restoring full-spectrum readiness. Armored Brigade Combat Team Modernization Under the President’s budget, the Army will not complete modernizing their Abrams tanks until 2035. The NDAA provides additional funding to address unfunded requirements to accelerate armored brigade combat team modernization and works to restore needed to capability to Army Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs) to ensure continued ground combat overmatch. Maintaining Air Dominance               The NDAA provides the authority for the procurement of Economic Order Quantities for F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to reduce costs to the taxpayer by authorizing bulk procurement of common manufacturing materials while also requiring continued oversight through DOD certifications regarding design stability and cost savings estimates. It also directs a report on the extension of the System Design and Development (SDD) phase of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, which is expected to finish in FY18. Army Aviation To address unfunded requirements and to accelerate modernization of Army rotorcraft for the Active and Reserve Components, the NDAA provides additional funding for UH-60M Blackhawks, AH-64E Apaches, and CH-47F Chinook helicopters. Critical Munitions The conferees remain concerned about shortfalls in critical munitions.  To address this gap, the NDAA authorizes additional funding for critical munitions in war reserves, improves the manufacturing capacity of the munitions industrial base, and accelerates long range precision fires programs.   ISR Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) is a critical capability of our military that enables warfighters to effectively build situational awareness to mitigate operational risk while accomplishing their missions. Repeated testimony from senior military leaders indicates a significant ISR shortfall within multiple intelligence disciplines. The NDAA makes progress on addressing this shortfall by strengthening and improving ISR investment strategies in order to better meet combatant commander ISR requirements. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=18E55E0B-AEFD-4830-A480-DA5EDF81721F,Key Portman Initiatives Signed Into Law Today in the NDAA Conference Report,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) released the following statement today after President Trump signed into law the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report: “The Constitution guarantees that we provide for the common defense, but that mission is carried out every day by brave men and women in uniform who risk their lives to protect the values we hold dearest as a nation. With the legislation now signed into law, our country has taken a big step forward toward ensuring that our armed forces have the resources they need to carry out their critical national security objectives. It also provides them with a much-needed pay raise.  Ohio is home to some of the best and brightest serving our country, and is home to some of our nation’s premier defense installations. I was proud to have the opportunity to thank many of our Ohio servicemembers and see many of those facilities during my defense tour in August. This measure includes key initiatives I’ve fought for to provide necessary resources for the Buckeye State’s military installations, and I look forward to seeing the results in the coming months and years.” NOTE:  Portman initiatives signed into law as a part of NDAA Conference Report will: Authorize $15 million to support the construction of upgraded fighter aircraft hangars for the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo; Authorize funding of more than $1.6 billion to increase the rate of production of the newest upgraded Abrams tanks that are just starting production at the JSMC and $622 million in funding to modernize Stryker vehicles; Support jobs and the important research mission at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's Air Force Research Lab; Promote greater collaboration between DoD and the FAA on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) integration into the national airspace; Improve the ability of the United States to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation from our enemies; and, Authorize $350 million in security assistance, including lethal and non-lethal equipment, training, and technical assistance for Ukraine. In total, the NDAA provides $692 billion for national defense. The legislation also gives our service members a 2.4 percent pay raise, the largest in eight years. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=28EE6412-01C1-4BEC-9A5C-A0E949B766F3,"Portman Announces President Signs Into Law Funding to Modernize Stryker Vehicles, Increase Production of Abrams Tanks as Part of NDAA",2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Critical Work Done on Stryker Vehicles and Abrams Tanks at Lima’s Joint Systems Manufacturing Center WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced that President Trump signed into law the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report, which authorizes funding to upgrade Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles. Critical work is done on both systems at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima, where Portman recently hosted an employee town hall as part of his Ohio Defense Tour. The NDAA includes more than $1.6 billion for upgrading Abrams tanks to increase the rate of production of the newest upgraded Abrams tanks in Lima and ensure that our forward deployed tanks have the most cutting-edge survivability enhancements. The bill also includes authorization of $622 million in funding to complete the fourth Stryker brigade with upgraded survivability and mobility improvements as well as a second brigade of Stryker vehicles with an upgraded weapons system. The funding authorization was included by Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) in the NDAA following a letter sent by Senators Portman and Gary Peters (D-MI), and builds on last year’s NDAA which included $652 million to support upgrades to the Abrams tank and $579 million for the Stryker vehicle. “In this heightened global security environment, we need to ensure our soldiers have the proper resources and tools necessary to carry out their critical missions,” said Portman. “The Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima is now producing the latest-generation Abrams tank and Stryker vehicles, the Army’s most versatile and deployable combat vehicle. The additional funding provided in the NDAA would allow JSMC to increase the rate of production of the newest Abrams tank and make needed upgrades to Stryker vehicles. The work done at JSMC boosts Lima’s economy and provides critical national security assets that strengthen our military resolve. I am pleased that the president signed this bill into law to support the skilled JSMC employees I met with in August.  I believe it will make a difference for our military and allow JSMC to continue assisting our men and women in uniform.” NOTE: Senator Portman has been instrumental in securing funding for Lima and its workers. In 2011, when the Obama Administration proposed a costly plan to shut down the Abrams tank production line at the JSMC, Portman and other Ohio delegation members successfully fought to keep the plant open.  Since then, Portman has worked hard to push for more foreign military sales to U.S. allies, protect Lima workers during downturns, and secure funding for the Abrams Tanks and Stryker vehicles.  In August, he visited the JSMC and hosted an employee town hall as part of his Ohio Defense Tour.  For more information on Portman’s work to protect Lima’s workers and keep our national security strong, see this fact sheet. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=2B869B05-9BC1-4B75-A40E-2FA3302D4137,"President Signs Into Law Portman, Brown Amendments to Support Jobs & Research at Wright-Patt's Air Force Research Lab",2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced today that President Trump signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report, which includes several bipartisan amendments they offered that will support jobs and the important research mission at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's Air Force Research Lab. “I have seen firsthand the innovative research and development conducted at the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patt that is critical to our national security and to maintaining our military’s technological edge,” said Portman. “I am pleased the president signed this legislation into law that will further support Wright-Patt’s mission, and I will continue to work with Senator Brown to support Wright-Patt and ensure that its highly-skilled workforce has the tools and resources it needs to carry out its missions.”  “The men and women at Wright-Patt’s Air Force Research Lab provide needed research to our military and the Department of Defense,” said Brown. “This law will make sure these highly-skilled workers can continue to do their jobs and help meet our national security needs.” The Senators’ amendments will: Increase payments to researchers who develop innovations and technology to support our nation’s military. Federal researchers - including those at Wright-Patterson’s Air Force Research Lab - are responsible for major innovations that have helped our military and servicemembers. The Brown- Portman amendment would encourage the best in this field to remain in government service by increasing royalties for patented or licensed innovations.  Provide flexibility for minor military construction. The amendment would make permanent programs to fund repairs or minor military construction to a laboratory’s infrastructure ensuring that facilities are updated and have the capacity for new innovation. The amendment would require labs to report unfunded minor construction projects so that Congress can take action to close capacity gaps, which could hamper research. The amendment also makes permanent additional flexibility to fund research and train and retain personnel. Support U.S. manufacturing jobs that help meet national defense needs. The Manufacturing Technology Division of Wright-Patterson’s Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) manages a key national defense industrial base and manufacturing program that enables the federal government to support defense-related manufacturing when domestic capabilities aren’t able to meet national security needs. The Brown-Portman amendment would prohibit the Pentagon from abruptly shifting project management responsibility away from the experts at AFRL to others in the Pentagon until a formal assessment of the program’s management is conducted, and Congress is briefed on the results. Prohibiting this sudden shift in management would ensure that any major changes that could impact ongoing or future projects or personnel would first be reviewed by the Senate Banking Committee, on which Brown is the lead Democrat, and which oversees the program. It would also ensure that in the interim skilled managers and specialized personnel with years of experience will continue to oversee this critical program, saving taxpayers money by controlling costs, eliminating wasteful administrative duplication, and maintaining efficient project oversight. Support Wright-Patterson’s role in developing unmanned aerial systems. The amendment will boost collaboration between the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration so the two can work together to integrate UAS into the national airspace and develop best practices for use  of this new technology. Wright-Patterson's Air Force Lab is a center for developing UAS.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=EB6AAB33-28BB-4378-A452-85CC6C4E5E62,"Following Portman Request, President Authorizes $15 Million for New Toledo Air Base Hangars",2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced today that President Trump has signed the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report into law, authorizing $15 million to support the construction of upgraded fighter aircraft hangars for the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo, Ohio. Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) included this funding after Portman sent a letter earlier this year urging them to do so. The 180th Fighter Wing, which Portman visited earlier this year as part of his Ohio Defense Tour, carries out the critical Aerospace Control Alert (ACA) mission to protect America’s airspace. “This is a huge win for the Airmen of the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo who are carrying out one of our nation’s most important homeland defense missions: protecting our skies through the Aerospace Control Alert,” said Portman. “Defending the homeland remains the number one national security mission for our military, so it is critical that the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo has the best equipment available. The current ACA hangars are outdated and don’t provide the protection needed for the aircraft and the airmen maintaining them. Now that the president has authorized funding to replace these outdated hangers, the men and women serving our country in Toledo will be able to better perform their critical national security mission. I look forward to returning to the 180th soon to see these hangars fully operational.” NOTE: In August, Portman visited the 180th Fighter Wing as part of his Ohio Defense Tour. In addition to supporting construction of upgraded fighter aircraft hangars for the 180th, Portman has worked hard to highlight Toledo’s role in carrying out a range of important national and homeland security missions, including hosting then-Secretary of the Air Force Deborah James for a tour of the installation in June 2016. Portman, who was awarded the Ohio National Guard Association’s Major General Charles Dick Award for Legislative Excellence for his years of strong support for the Ohio National Guard, is a strong supporter and advocate for Ohio’s military facilities and research institutions.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F9661EBB-BB56-4E3B-88BB-DBD52CB140BC,Portman Announces Ukraine Security Assistance Amendment Signed Into Law as Part of NDAA,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Builds on Past Two Years of Efforts to Help Ukraine Ward off Russian Aggression, Includes Naval Assistance for the First Time WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and founder and co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today announced that his amendment boosting security assistance for Ukraine has been signed into law as part of the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report. As amended by Portman’s provisions, which he introduced with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), the FY 2018 NDAA authorizes $350 million in security assistance, including lethal and non-lethal equipment, training, and technical assistance. For the first time, the amendment authorizes assistance to bolster Ukraine’s naval capabilities, which were severely degraded following Russia’s seizure of Crimea. The amendment also conditions U.S. aid on progress towards key reforms including instituting civilian control of the military, cooperation and coordination with Ukrainian parliamentary efforts to exercise oversight of the Ministry of Defense and military forces, and improvements in sustainment capabilities, inventory management, and security of sensitive foreign technologies. This year’s Ukraine security assistance package maintains the framework that Portman’s previous amendments to the FY 2016 and FY 2017 NDAAs helped build. “There is longstanding bipartisan agreement on the policy tools that the United States should utilize as part of its comprehensive strategy to support Ukraine, deter future aggression against our allies and interests, and uphold the fundamental principles of the U.S.-led international system that Russia’s actions ultimately threaten. Now, the United States Senate is taking a critical step forward in its support for Ukraine,” said Senator Portman.  “As Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine persists, and as it continues to utilize hybrid warfare techniques such as propaganda and disinformation, it is critical that the U.S. and NATO provide the sustained economic, political, and military support necessary to allow Ukraine to secure its democratic future. An independent Ukraine is critical not just to Eastern Europe, but it also impacts broader U.S. interests in the region and beyond. I am pleased the president signed this measure into law. I now urge the administration to quickly get Ukraine the assistance they need.” NOTE: Specifically, this legislation builds on Portman’s successful efforts over the past two years to ensure Ukraine has the tools it needs to defend itself from Russian aggression by: Making the authorization a two-year authorization so that Department of Defense and Department of State have ample time to obligate and spend the money authorized to them; Providing greater detail on the aid conditionality and methodology for certifying Ukrainian progress toward much-needed defense institutional reforms. Key improvement goals now include sustainment, inventory management, and progress in improving the security of proprietary or sensitive foreign defense technology. DoD is also required to develop a clear methodology for certifying Ukraine’s progress; Adding air and coastal defense radars, naval mine and counter-mine capabilities, and littoral and coastal defense craft to the list of authorized U.S. assistance. These additions reflect the Ukrainian military’s most pressing needs that have not been covered under previous authorizations such as anti-tank weapons, secure communications, and counter-artillery radar. Making it easier for U.S. assistance to cover medical and non-medical costs associated with caring for wounded Ukrainian servicemembers and facilitates greater medical training and support for the Ukrainians. Portman, who received the Ukrainian-American community’s highest honor – the Shevchenko Freedom Award, has long led the effort to provide Ukraine the kind of assistance necessary to ward off Russian aggression and maintain its territorial integrity. In addition to his work helping to build the framework for security assistance to Ukraine, Senator Portman also secured a big win in the United States counter-propaganda effort. This will help the U.S. and its allies such as Ukraine better counter and combat the extensive propaganda and disinformation operations directed against us from countries like Russia, as Portman discussed in a recent speech at the Atlantic Council. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=FB7A234A-8289-4468-9F61-7AA8EA5810ED,"Portman, Murphy Announce Measure to Counter Foreign Propaganda in NDAA Conference Report Signed Into Law",2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Language that Builds on Portman-Murphy Bill Promoting Coordinated Strategy to Defend America, Allies Against Propaganda and Disinformation from Russia, China & Others WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) announced today that the president signed into law the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report, which includes their language to improve the ability of the United States to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation from our enemies. The language builds on their Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, legislation signed-into-law last year, by helping them to promote more seamless coordination between the Department of Defense and the State Department in countering foreign propaganda and disinformation. “Last year, the United States took a critical step towards confronting the extensive, and destabilizing, foreign propaganda and disinformation operations being waged against us by our foreign adversaries by passing the bipartisan Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, and today marks another step forward,” said Senator Portman. “By better coordinating and synchronizing our government’s response to foreign propaganda and disinformation, the United States will be more successful in ensuring that our ideas win. I am pleased the president signed this legislation into law to build on our previous efforts and encourage proper coordination between government agencies so that the disinformation and propaganda used against us, our allies, and our interests will fail.” “Terrorist propaganda and Russian disinformation threaten our national security every single day. Congress is finally taking these threats seriously. I’m proud to have partnered again with Senator Portman to ensure the Global Engagement Center has the resources and support to fight back against our enemies and adversaries,” said Senator Murphy. NOTE: Specifically, the FY 2018 NDAA will consolidate the Department of Defense information operations and cyber-enabled information operations within a single task force that would be linked to the Global Engagement Center, which was established by their legislation last year. By incorporating the Department of Defense’s operational capabilities and resources with the State Department’s overarching strategic guidance and civilian grant programs, the United States will be better situated to counter foreign propaganda. The language also requires regional Combatant Commanders to coordinate with the relevant Assistant Secretary of State in submitting a regional information strategy to counter propaganda and disinformation from our adversaries. Currently, DoD and State often pursue separate regional agendas. In an area like disinformation, better coordination is critical because modern information war leverages both military and non-military means. The bipartisan Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, introduced to improve the coordination of counter disinformation efforts throughout our government, was incorporated into the FY 2017 NDAA.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://billjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399312,Bill Johnson Introduces Two Pieces of Important Liquefied Natural Gas Legislation,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Bill Johnson,J000292,billjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bill Johnson released the following statement after he introduced two separate, important pieces of legislation related to the importance of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports: share: f t Congressman Bill Johnson released the following statement after he introduced two separate, important pieces of legislation related to the importance of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports:“I am proud to introduce two bills today, which will encourage a continuing conversation regarding the importance of American liquefied natural gas exports,” said Bill Johnson. “These bipartisan bills demonstrate support for a vibrant American natural gas export industry, designed to grow our economy domestically while strengthening ties with our allies abroad. I look forward to working with Members of Congress of both parties and the Trump Administration to encourage more natural gas exports.” The Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act (H.R. 4605) will allow our domestic LNG suppliers to compete freely on the world market, by allowing them to export natural gas after completing the FERC review process – instead of waiting even longer for additional approval by the U.S. Department of Energy. This legislation is co-sponsored by Democrat Rep. Tim Ryan, who represents Ohio’s 13th District. Additionally, The Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act (H.R. 4606) codifies the Department of Energy’s recent efforts to encourage the exports of small volumes of natural gas, as countries in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America look to the United States to meet their natural gas needs. Johnson added, “The U.S. is currently the world’s largest producer of natural gas, with trillions of cubic feet of recoverable natural gas beneath our feet. We should be doing all we can to take advantage of this abundant resource, and it is my hope that these bills will help further that goal. It’s critical that we take advantage of this opportunity we’ve been blessed with – there is no doubt that LNG exports are creating opportunities and improving the quality of life for hard working families in Eastern and Southeastern Ohio.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/videos?ContentRecord_id=9F6693D2-31A6-4B83-98AC-374CC6C279EE,Rep. Renacci talks tax reform on MSNBC,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"array 1 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_CFPAGE LINE 42 RAW_TRACE at cffloor2dschedule2ecfm1427030490.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\footer\floor-schedule.cfm:42) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\footer\floor-schedule.cfm TYPE CFML 2 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 168 RAW_TRACE at cflay2eroot2ecfm46086300.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\lay.root.cfm:168) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\vendor\_skins\renacci\layouts\lay.root.cfm TYPE CFML 3 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 44 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2elayouts2eapply2ecfm1968182580.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.apply.cfm:44) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.apply.cfm TYPE CFML 4 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 55 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2elayouts2eroot2ecfm806605951.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.root.cfm:55) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.layouts.root.cfm TYPE CFML 5 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 304 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor3(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:304) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 6 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 276 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor8(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:276) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 7 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 192 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor14(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:192) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 8 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 35 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400._factor15(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:35) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 9 struct COLUMN 0 ID CF_FUSEACTION.PAGES.VIEW LINE 1 RAW_TRACE at cffuseaction2epages2eview2ecfm507489400.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm:1) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\_cache\fuseaction.pages.view.cfm TYPE CFML 10 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 124 RAW_TRACE at cfmyopenbox2ecfm795925253.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\[myopenbox]\myopenbox.cfm:124) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\[myopenbox]\myopenbox.cfm TYPE CFML 11 struct COLUMN 0 ID CFINCLUDE LINE 198 RAW_TRACE at cfindex2ecfm1379643951.runPage(C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\index.cfm:198) TEMPLATE C:\inetpub\wwwroot\renacci-jimbo\public\index.cfm TYPE CFML",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/2017/12/turner-and-moulton-concerned-by-dod-opioid-loophole,TURNER and Moulton 'Concerned' by DoD Opioid Loophole,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Chairman Mike Turner (OH-10) of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces and Ranking Member Seth Moulton (MA-6) of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations sent a letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis expressing concern about the Department of Defense’s (DoD) practice of reporting prescriptions, particularly regarding opioids. The Congressmen urged Secretary Mattis “to take proactive steps to report TRICARE beneficiaries’ controlled substance prescriptions to state prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) as soon as possible.” “The opioid crisis is a national health emergency devastating our communities, Dayton especially,” said Chairman Turner. “A loophole that does not require the DoD to report controlled substance prescriptions to PDMPs makes our nation’s active duty service members, reservists, their families, veterans, and retirees vulnerable to this epidemic of addiction. Ranking Member Moulton and I are asking Secretary Mattis to immediately close this loophole to prevent more individuals from falling victim to opioid addiction.” ""It is imperative that Secretary Mattis take proactive steps to ensure reporting of TRICARE beneficiaries’ controlled substance prescriptions to state prescription drug monitoring programs,” said Ranking Member Moulton. “Addressing this loophole will help us get our service members the assistance they may need to stay healthy and safe. Prescription drug monitoring programs are a proven tool to cut down on prescription drug abuse, but these state-based programs require good data. The Department of Defense ought to share its prescription data just like the Department of Veterans Affairs has successfully done. Working together, we can combat prescription drug abuse."" ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-and-davis-work-to-save-higher-education-benefits,TURNER and Davis Work to Save Higher Education Benefits,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressmen Mike Turner (OH-10) and Rodney Davis (IL-13) sent a letter with 24 of their colleagues to Chairman Kevin Brady (TX-8) of the House Committee on Ways and Means and Chairman Orrin Hatch (UT) of the Senate Committee on Finance to include two provisions in the final tax reform bill to help students pursuing a higher education. Congressmen Turner and Davis previously had a colloquy with Chairman Brady on the House floor about this issue. “Tax reform is an important opportunity for our country to grow,” said Congressman Turner. “When our workforce is better educated and has less debt, our economy thrives. These education benefits are critical for middle class Americans pursuing the opportunity of higher education in an attempt to better their lives. I encourage the Chairmen to include these provisions in the final tax reform bill to ensure people are still able to pursue the American dream.” “There is no doubt that by doubling the standard deduction and expanding 529 plans and the child tax credit, this bill will allow the majority of Americans keep more of what they earn,” said Congressman Davis. “But as a member of Congress representing eight colleges and universities, I believe there are a couple of changes that could be made to specifically help address student debt and access to higher education – a one-trillion-dollar problem within our country. By addressing these issues in tax reform, we can ensure that a building services worker who has worked the same job at a university for 20 years or graduate student are not punished and help address student debt.” The first provision the letter asks to have included in the final tax reform bill allows taxpayers to exclude qualified tuition reductions from income. If tuition reductions are not maintained, university employees and their spouses and dependents, as well as graduate students, will face an unnecessary burden in pursuing a higher education. The second provision is business-provided incentives for employees seeking a higher education. Tax-free qualified educational assistance increases the quality of the American workforce. Additionally, the members ask that tax-free qualified educational assistance be expanded to include employees with existing student loan debt, a financial burden seven in ten current college seniors face upon graduation. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=B96AB352-1FDA-40FB-9631-63C5396FBC88,ICYMI Delaware Gazette Op-Ed from Senator Portman: Ohioans One Step Closer to Getting Tax Relief,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Portman, who last week was appointed to serve on a House-Senate conference committee to finalize the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, is working this week to help negotiate the final product between the House and the Senate so it can be sent to the president’s desk for his signature. The once-in-a-generation legislation, which recently passed in the Senate, will help middle-class families, create more jobs, increase wages for American workers, and help save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually. Portman worked throughout the process to develop and help improve the bill, including adding several amendments during consideration by the Senate Finance Committee. In recent op-eds in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Akron Beacon Journal, and Cincinnati Enquirer, and now in the Delaware Gazette, Portman outlined why tax reform will be good for the middle class and businesses throughout Ohio and the United States, and his hopes that the House and Senate will send a final bill to the president’s desk before Christmas. Says Portman in the piece: “With real tax reform, Congress has a chance to deliver on our promise to help create a stronger economy with more jobs, higher wages, and a better future for Ohio families.” Excerpts of the op-ed can be found below and the full editorial can be found at this link. Ohioans One Step Closer to Getting Tax Relief By Rob Portman Delaware Gazette December 8, 2017 Last week, after a lot of discussion about tax reform over a lot of years, the Senate took a major step toward fixing our broken tax code by passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This bill will help middle-class families and improve our economy for every American. Now we are working to reconcile the House and Senate-passed bills so we can put a final bill on the president’s desk before Christmas. There are three main parts of this tax reform proposal, all three of which are important for Ohio. The first is a tax cut for the middle class. Right now, too many Ohio families are dealing with flat wages but rising expenses, health care being the biggest cost. These tax cuts will help address the middle-class squeeze by putting more money in your pockets… Second, beyond the middle-class tax cut, this tax reform plan will help create more jobs and higher wages. Right now, American workers and businesses are competing with one hand tied behind their back because of our broken tax code. If we lower our business tax rate below the average of the other industrialized countries, the result will be more jobs and industry — and lift our entire economy… Finally, this bill levels the playing field internationally for American workers and businesses. Right now, there is between $2.5 trillion and $3 trillion of U.S. company earnings trapped overseas because of our outdated tax code. Our tax reform plan encourages companies to bring that money back here and to invest in America. The result of all these changes, the Tax Foundation says, will be nearly one million new jobs for the U.S. and more than 35,000 more jobs in Ohio… ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/2017/12/turner-and-davis-work-to-save-higher-education-benefits,TURNER and Davis Work to Save Higher Education Benefits,2017-12-10,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"[[{""fid"":""554"",""view_mode"":""full"",""fields"":{""format"":""full"",""field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]"":false,""field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]"":false},""link_text"":null,""type"":""media"",""field_deltas"":{""1"":{""format"":""full"",""field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]"":false,""field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]"":false}},""attributes"":{""class"":""media-element file-full"",""data-delta"":""1""}}]] Congressmen Mike Turner (OH-10) and Rodney Davis (IL-13) sent a letter with 24 of their colleagues to Chairman Kevin Brady (TX-8) of the House Committee on Ways and Means and Chairman Orrin Hatch (UT) of the Senate Committee on Finance to include two provisions in the final tax reform bill to help students pursuing a higher education. Congressmen Turner and Davis previously had a colloquy with Chairman Brady on the House floor about this issue. “Tax reform is an important opportunity for our country to grow,” said Congressman Turner. “When our workforce is better educated and has less debt, our economy thrives. These education benefits are critical for middle class Americans pursuing the opportunity of higher education in an attempt to better their lives. I encourage the Chairmen to include these provisions in the final tax reform bill to ensure people are still able to pursue the American dream.” “There is no doubt that by doubling the standard deduction and expanding 529 plans and the child tax credit, this bill will allow the majority of Americans keep more of what they earn,” said Congressman Davis. “But as a member of Congress representing eight colleges and universities, I believe there are a couple of changes that could be made to specifically help address student debt and access to higher education – a one-trillion-dollar problem within our country. By addressing these issues in tax reform, we can ensure that a building services worker who has worked the same job at a university for 20 years or graduate student are not punished and help address student debt.” The first provision the letter asks to have included in the final tax reform bill allows taxpayers to exclude qualified tuition reductions from income. If tuition reductions are not maintained, university employees and their spouses and dependents, as well as graduate students, will face an unnecessary burden in pursuing a higher education. The second provision is business-provided incentives for employees seeking a higher education. Tax-free qualified educational assistance increases the quality of the American workforce. Additionally, the members ask that tax-free qualified educational assistance be expanded to include employees with existing student loan debt, a financial burden seven in ten current college seniors face upon graduation. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://chabot.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398771,Chabot Supports State Department Visa Restrictions on Individuals Responsible for Undermining Cambodian Democracy,2017-12-08,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Steven Chabot,C000266,chabot.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – Congressman Steve Chabot (R-OH), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Cambodia, released the following statement about the U.S. State Department’s decision to restrict visas for individuals responsible for undermining democracy in Cambodia: “This is absolutely the appropriate response to the crackdown in Cambodia, and I commend the Administration for taking action. I have long said that Prime Minister Hun Sen’s total disregard for Cambodia’s democracy and willingness to use the levers of power to stack the political deck is not acceptable. The visa restriction sends a clear message to Hun Sen and clearly demonstrates our support for democracy in Cambodia.” On November 16, Chabot and Congressman Allen Lowenthal (D-CA), co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Cambodia, released a statement condemning the dissolution of the main opposition political party in Cambodia by the Cambodian Supreme Court and Prime Minister Hun Sen’s regime. Also in November, hours before the Cambodian Supreme Court decision to dissolve the opposition party, Chabot met with Sam Rainsy, Cambodia’s exiled opposition leader, to discuss next steps and US-Cambodia relations. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=16856504-6855-42F0-BA2B-2676A38D72D2,Columbus Dispatch: Bill would curb abuse of tax credit,2017-12-08,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"I’m responding to the Nov. 24 Dispatch.com article “Ohio lawmakers introduce plenty of bills, but only a few will pass.” The point about the ineffectiveness of Washington is well taken; I agree. Change in Washington is slow, and too many career politicians are preventing meaningful change from happening. I was a businessman for 30 years, and in the business world, this ineffectiveness doesn’t work. I’ve introduced a bill addressing improper payments under the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The Improper Tax Payments Reduction Act was included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, House Resolution 1, which passed out of the House on Nov. 16. EITC was set up to reduce the amount of tax on middle- to low-income workers and might provide a refund. Now, don’t get me wrong, I very much support the EITC program, which incentivizes work while providing a refundable tax credit to qualifying taxpayers. However, this program is riddled with fraud and error. In fact, it’s the only program to be labeled “high risk” by the nonpartisan Office of Management and Budget and by the Internal Revenue Service during the Obama administration. The Treasury inspector general found that in the 2015 fiscal year, one-quarter of payments were improper, costing taxpayers $16 billion that year alone. This issue really hits home for me. As some of you may know, I was the victim of identity theft. Someone falsely filed my 2014 tax return, stealing my wife’s and my Social Security numbers. My legislation, helps prevent this fraud and will not take one penny of EITC money from any deserving families. What it will do is prevent my constituents’ hard-earned dollars from being improperly spent. It will provide the IRS with information vital to fraud prevention long before it pays out on the EITC, clarify existing law to prevent misstatements of income, and encourage information verification when there are reporting discrepancies. This will prevent payments from being made, when it’s impossible to resolve discrepancies, but only after the taxpayer is provided with the opportunity to resolve any issue.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=1BE3C2E0-5697-4EDE-97C0-AE30A911BFE7,What They're Saying About Senator Portman's Efforts to Pass the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act,2017-12-08,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, with the help of U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), the Senate passed the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, which will help middle-class families and save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers. Portman worked throughout the process to develop and help improve the bill, including adding several amendments during consideration by the Senate Finance Committee.  And now he’s been appointed to serve on a House-Senate conference committee that is negotiating the final bill. Below are highlights of coverage on Senator Portman’s efforts to get the legislation passed in the Senate: “With Senate approval of the most sweeping changes in the federal tax code since 1986, Sen. Rob Portman has moved one step closer to a goal he has talked about relentlessly since he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010. And if overhauling the tax code sparks an economic boom, Portman will emerge as one of the Republicans who will receive credit nationwide for making the tax bill a reality.” — Columbus Dispatch, December 4, 2017 “Now that the Senate and House have passed their separate tax-cut plans, a select group of lawmakers will meet behind closed doors to resolve the differences.  Sen. Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican and booster of the cuts, will be in that group. Republican Senate leaders Wednesday night appointed Portman and several colleagues to meet with House of Representatives counterparts, work through their bills' differences and present a final, combined bill for passage in both chambers ... Since last year, Portman has been among a few key senators behind the scenes shaping the tax package, which he says will help most Ohioans keep more of their pay and spur companies to expand and hire.” – Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 7, 2017 “Not long after the 2016 election, McConnell and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) quietly tapped four Senate Republicans — Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Rob Portman of Ohio, Tim Scott of South Carolina and John Thune of South Dakota — to be the GOP conference’s point people on the tax battle. The group immediately began meeting in December to lay the groundwork for the legislative push.  And after the failure of Obamacare repeal, Republicans were determined to do things differently.” – POLITICO, December 2, 2017 “The failure to repeal the health care law provided Senate Republicans a valuable road map of what not to do when pursuing their ambitious tax agenda — particularly cutting colleagues out of the process. Mr. McConnell and a circle of lieutenants who sit on the finance and budget committees — Rob Portman of Ohio, Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania, John Thune of South Dakota and Tim Scott of South Carolina — joined John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican, in relentlessly trying to educate senators.” – New York Times, December 3, 2017 “McConnell picked four members of the Finance Committee — Tim Scott of South Carolina, Rob Portman of Ohio, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and John Thune of South Dakota — to take the lead on the bill, along with Chairman Orrin Hatch of Utah and No. 2 Senate Republican John Cornyn of Texas. Those members were charged with determining the priorities of others and forging a consensus…. Trump, McConnell and Portman all worked with Maine Sen. Susan Collins, including key promises made by the president when he visited the Capitol on Tuesday for a lunch with GOP senators in which he displayed uncharacteristic familiarity with the measure’s details and had a better read of the room than in prior appearances.” — Associated Press, December 2, 2017 “Portman’s biggest contribution was to handle the technically difficult task of transforming the U.S. tax system for corporate profits earned overseas into a territorial one. The former U.S. trade representative’s expertise came in handy when GOP leaders were trying to find a way to pay for increasing the deduction for pass-through businesses. They ultimately decided to increase the tax rate on corporate profits held overseas. Portman explained to colleagues the concession would not dampen the economic punch of the bill.” — The Hill, December 2, 2017 “McConnell pointed to Republican senators meeting in small groups for months, and he praised the leadership of Finance Committee members Rob Portman of Ohio, Tim Scott of South Carolina, John Thune of South Dakota and Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania for helping lead the efforts along with Finance Chairman Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah, and Texas Republican John Cornyn, the majority whip.” – Roll Call, December 2, 2017 “There are a number of other members who have been critical to the process… Senators Thune, Portman, Toomey and Scott took on the yeoman’s work in the Finance Committee as we worked to unite our conference on a bill that everyone could support. I will never forget the time and energy they put into this effort and can’t thank them enough. My staff calls them the ‘core four’ of tax reform.” – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBC’s Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer and Cincinnati Enquirer.  He will continue to make the case for pro-growth tax reform that provides tax relief for middle-class families and improves our economy with more jobs and higher wages. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/rob-s-rundown?ID=4A425D66-BA39-4046-BEBE-7F25FAD44468,"Rob's Rundown: Week of December 4 - 8, 2017",2017-12-08,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"After passing the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act in the Senate last week, Senator Portman turned his focus towards helping negotiate the final product between the House and the Senate so it can be sent to the president’s desk for his signature. Portman is working to fix our broken tax code and provide tax relief to help boost the middle class and save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually on their tax bill. Portman was named a conferee on the House-Senate tax reform conference committee this week and will continue to be a key player as Congress works to create more jobs and boost wages for American workers. Also this week, Portman announced that, through his bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, legislation signed into law last year, more funding is now available to Ohioans on the front lines of the opioid epidemic to help turn the tide of addiction. Portman also supported the nomination of Kirstjen Nielsen for Secretary of Homeland Security, highlighted a Columbus organization doing its part to combat addiction in Ohio, and more. For a detailed look at his week, please see the following: Monday, December 4 On Senate Floor: Portman Supports DHS Secretary Nominee Kirstjen Nielsen In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, outlined his support for Kirstjen Nielsen for the position of Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Specifically, Portman discussed his belief that Nielsen, who confirmed her support of the Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act in November, will work to prevent the flow of drugs into our country in order to combat drug addiction. The STOP Act is designed to help stop dangerous drugs such as heroin, fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders to drug traffickers here in the United States. Portman introduced Nielsen at her HSGAC nomination hearing earlier this year. Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here.  On Senate Floor, Portman Recognizes 50th Anniversary of Alvis in Columbus Portman also spoke on the Senate floor to recognize the 50th anniversary of Alvis in Columbus, a nonprofit human services agency that provides highly effective reentry treatment programs for individuals who have spent time in the criminal justice system. Since its opening in 1967, Alvis has grown from a single 15-bed home helping 60 men a year to an organization with 13 locations throughout Columbus, Chillicothe, Dayton, Lima, and Toledo that serves more than 8,000 people annually. Said Portman in his speech, Alvis has “helped provide support and hope to thousands of individuals who are returning to their communities after having spent time in the criminal justice system, as well as offering recovery and developmental disability services that encourage health, growth, and independent citizenship.” Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here. Portman Announces Support for Legislation to Protect Children In Public Housing From Lead Exposure On Monday, Portman announced his support for the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act – legislation to protect children in affordable housing from lead poisoning. Lead poisoning disproportionally impacts minority children that live in federally subsidized housing. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) outdated lead standards and regulations place countless families with children at risk of lead poisoning. The Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act would require HUD to adopt prevention measures and update its lead regulations to protect children from the risk of lead exposure. Senator Durbin (D-IL) introduced this legislation earlier this year with the support of Senators Donnelly (D-IN), Duckworth (D-IL), Menendez (D-NJ), Scott (R-SC), and Young (R-IN). “There is no safe level of lead for children, and more than 2,600 children in Ohio have elevated levels of lead in their blood. That is unacceptable,” said Portman.  “Every child should have the opportunity to reach their God-given potential and that’s why we must bring these outdated HUD lead standards up to date. More than that, we must invest in prevention to ensure every Ohio family is safe. This is a simple, common sense, bipartisan solution to address a key challenge facing low-income communities in Ohio and across the country and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.” For more information about the bill, go here. Wednesday, December 6 Portman Named Conferee on House-Senate Tax Reform Conference Committee Portman issued the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) appointed him to serve on a House-Senate conference committee to finalize the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, legislation which will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers: “We’ve made important strides toward providing middle-class tax relief and reforming our tax code, and I will continue to work to improve this bill as the House and Senate complete our work. In 2010, I made a commitment to the people of Ohio that I would help lead an effort to reform our broken tax code and provide relief to families and small businesses, and I intend to keep that commitment. This effort is about giving Ohio families a better future with more jobs and higher wages, and I’m optimistic that the House and Senate will send a final bill to the president’s desk before Christmas.” Portman Announces New Funding Opportunity for Community-Based Coalition Enhancement Grants to Prevent Opioid Abuse Amongst Youth On Wednesday, Portman announced the establishment of the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act (CARA) Community-based Coalition Enhancement Grants to Address Local Drug Crises Grants (CARA Local Drug Crises Grants) as an enhancement to current- or formerly-funded Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program recipients. The purpose of this program is to prevent and reduce the abuse of opioids or methamphetamines and the abuse of prescription medications among youth ages 12-18 in communities throughout Ohio and the United States. This new funding opportunity builds on September’s announcement of 27 Drug Free Communities grant recipients in the state of Ohio, as well as other grants made available by CARA to help prevent and treat opioid addiction gripping communities in Ohio. “The Drug-Free Communities program is a proven, evidence-based, community-oriented and accountable program that reduces substance abuse among our nation’s youth and, sadly, it is needed now more than ever. It is especially important that we work to prevent addictions before they begin, so I am pleased that these grants will help educate our young people before they get addicted, as well as help those already struggling with addiction. I will continue to work to get those on the frontlines the resources they need to turn the tide and address the comprehensive challenge of combating addiction.” NOTE: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will be ONDCP’s partner in the day-to-day management of the CARA Local Drug Crises Grants Program. Coalitions interested in applying for this funding should click here for more information and click here to apply. For a list of recent DFC grantees in Ohio, please go here. These grants build upon authorizations in Senator Portman’s recently signed-into-law and bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act (CARA). CARA ensures that federal resources are focused on evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery programs that have proven effective in local communities so that it can make a difference in people’s lives. Portman is currently working to get his bipartisan Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, legislation as well as his Prescription Drug Monitoring Act, and Medicaid CARE Act signed into law. On CNBC, Portman Discusses Tax Negotiations, How Tax Reform Will Boost Middle Class, Jobs & Wages During an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Senator Portman discussed how the Senate-passed Tax Cuts & Jobs Act will help boost the middle class, create more and better jobs, and raise wages. Portman also discussed the path forward and his hopes that the Senate and House can come together quickly to send this bill to the president that will save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually on their tax bill and help middle-class Ohioans keep more of their paycheck. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBC’s Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Cincinnati Enquirer. Excerpts can be found here and a video can be found here. Friday, December 8 What They’re Saying About Senator Portman’s Efforts to Pass the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act Last week, with the help of Senator Portman, the Senate passed the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, which will help middle-class families and save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers. Portman worked throughout the process to develop and help improve the bill, including adding several amendments during consideration by the Senate Finance Committee.  And now he’s been appointed to serve on a House-Senate conference committee that is negotiating the final bill. Below are highlights of coverage on Senator Portman’s efforts to get the legislation passed in the Senate: “With Senate approval of the most sweeping changes in the federal tax code since 1986, Sen. Rob Portman has moved one step closer to a goal he has talked about relentlessly since he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010. And if overhauling the tax code sparks an economic boom, Portman will emerge as one of the Republicans who will receive credit nationwide for making the tax bill a reality.” — Columbus Dispatch, December 4, 2017 “Now that the Senate and House have passed their separate tax-cut plans, a select group of lawmakers will meet behind closed doors to resolve the differences.  Sen. Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican and booster of the cuts, will be in that group. Republican Senate leaders Wednesday night appointed Portman and several colleagues to meet with House of Representatives counterparts, work through their bills' differences and present a final, combined bill for passage in both chambers ... Since last year, Portman has been among a few key senators behind the scenes shaping the tax package, which he says will help most Ohioans keep more of their pay and spur companies to expand and hire.” – Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 7, 2017 “Not long after the 2016 election, McConnell and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) quietly tapped four Senate Republicans — Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Rob Portman of Ohio, Tim Scott of South Carolina and John Thune of South Dakota — to be the GOP conference’s point people on the tax battle. The group immediately began meeting in December to lay the groundwork for the legislative push.  And after the failure of Obamacare repeal, Republicans were determined to do things differently.” – POLITICO, December 2, 2017 “The failure to repeal the health care law provided Senate Republicans a valuable road map of what not to do when pursuing their ambitious tax agenda — particularly cutting colleagues out of the process. Mr. McConnell and a circle of lieutenants who sit on the finance and budget committees — Rob Portman of Ohio, Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania, John Thune of South Dakota and Tim Scott of South Carolina — joined John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican, in relentlessly trying to educate senators.” – New York Times, December 3, 2017 “McConnell picked four members of the Finance Committee — Tim Scott of South Carolina, Rob Portman of Ohio, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and John Thune of South Dakota — to take the lead on the bill, along with Chairman Orrin Hatch of Utah and No. 2 Senate Republican John Cornyn of Texas. Those members were charged with determining the priorities of others and forging a consensus…. Trump, McConnell and Portman all worked with Maine Sen. Susan Collins, including key promises made by the president when he visited the Capitol on Tuesday for a lunch with GOP senators in which he displayed uncharacteristic familiarity with the measure’s details and had a better read of the room than in prior appearances.” — Associated Press, December 2, 2017 “Portman’s biggest contribution was to handle the technically difficult task of transforming the U.S. tax system for corporate profits earned overseas into a territorial one. The former U.S. trade representative’s expertise came in handy when GOP leaders were trying to find a way to pay for increasing the deduction for pass-through businesses. They ultimately decided to increase the tax rate on corporate profits held overseas. Portman explained to colleagues the concession would not dampen the economic punch of the bill.” — The Hill, December 2, 2017 “McConnell pointed to Republican senators meeting in small groups for months, and he praised the leadership of Finance Committee members Rob Portman of Ohio, Tim Scott of South Carolina, John Thune of South Dakota and Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania for helping lead the efforts along with Finance Chairman Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah, and Texas Republican John Cornyn, the majority whip.” – Roll Call, December 2, 2017 “There are a number of other members who have been critical to the process… Senators Thune, Portman, Toomey and Scott took on the yeoman’s work in the Finance Committee as we worked to unite our conference on a bill that everyone could support. I will never forget the time and energy they put into this effort and can’t thank them enough. My staff calls them the ‘core four’ of tax reform.” – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://davidson.house.gov/2017/12/davidson-spearheads-54-member-joint-letter-urging-house-leadership,Davidson Spearheads 54 Member Joint-letter Urging House Leadership to Include Death Tax Repeal in Tax Reform Bill During Conference,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Warren Davidson today led 54 Republican Members of Congress in sending a joint letter to Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republican leaders urging support for a full repeal of the death tax in the tax reform bill which heads to conference committee with the Senate. In October, Rep. Davidson called for a full repeal of the death tax in the tax reform bill after successfully defeating a proposal that would have increased the death tax by nearly 30 percent. The proposal to increase the death tax was first brought to Rep. Davidson's attention by a constituent in Springfield, Ohio. The full text of the letter is below. Read a signed copy of the letter here. The Honorable Paul Ryan The Honorable Kevin Brady Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means H-232, U.S. Capitol 1102 Longworth HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 CC: Majority Leader McCarthy and Majority Whip Steve Scalise Dear Speaker Ryan and Chairman Brady: Thank you for helping House Republicans keep our promise to repeal the death tax in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed by this body. Full repeal of the death tax has been a conservative priority for nearly 40 years and Republicans are closer than ever to finally killing the death tax once and for all. Repeal of the death tax is also overwhelmingly supported by the public; an April 2017 NPR/Ipsos poll found 76 percent of respondents favor abolishing the tax. Support for repeal among House Republicans is unanimous. Congresswoman Noem's Death Tax Repeal Act currently has over 100 cosponsors in the House and Chairman Brady's Death Tax Repeal Act passed the House 240-179 on a bipartisan basis in April of 2015. Calls for repeal were so strong from the Freedom Caucus, the Tuesday group, and rank and file Republicans that the House went through the process of regular order to pass Chairman Brady's legislation as a stand alone measure. Given this overwhelming support, we strongly urge you to pursue a solution in conference that repeals the estate tax. We are concerned about the current Senate plan, which falls short of the long term Republican goal by providing only temporary relief while leaving the death tax in place. The Senate's temporary policy would provide no certainty to business owners planning for succession and do nothing to cut down on expensive estate planning costs associated with the death tax. The Republican majority was largely elected because of a movement across America to move to sounder fiscal policy and reform our ailing tax code. A vote to repeal the estate tax would accomplish both of those things. A study by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation shows that repeal would create 159,000 new jobs and increase GDP by nearly one percent over a decade. This increase in GDP and new jobs would bring in enough revenue to nearly offset the loss of revenue from repeal. The temporary Senate policy is out of step with the President, the House, and the tax reform joint framework released in September. Many of us are continuing to hear from family businesses, farmers, and ranchers in our districts about the need for repeal - not only because of the harm a 40 percent tax at death causes, but also because of their yearly compliance burden. We urge you to seek an agreement in conference that achieves repeal of the hated and economically destructive death tax. We look forward to working with you to pass tax reform that simplifies the tax code, lowers taxes on middle class families, and kills the death tax once and for all. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6ABB460D-980F-4BC6-89ED-36EBB31041C8,"ICYMI Akron Beacon Journal Op-Ed from Senator Portman: ""Tax Relief for the Middle Class and a Boost to the American Economy""",2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Last night, Senator Portman was appointed to serve on a House-Senate conference committee to finalize the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, once-in-a-generation legislation that will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers. The legislation, which passed in the Senate last week, will help save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually. Portman worked throughout the process to develop and help improve the bill, including adding several amendments during consideration by the Senate Finance Committee. In an op-ed in the Akron Beacon Journal, Portman outlined why tax reform will be good for the middle class and businesses throughout Ohio and the United States, and his hopes that the House and Senate will send a final bill to the president’s desk before Christmas. Says Portman in the piece: “A family of four at the median income level will save about $2,400 a year on their taxes. For a family in Akron, or across the state, that money staying in your pockets rather than going to Washington can help make a car payment, pay for health care or save for retirement.” Excerpts of the op-ed can be found below and the full editorial can be found at this link. Tax Relief for the Middle Class and a Boost to the American Economy By Rob Portman Akron Beacon Journal December 6, 2017 Last week, after years of discussion over tax reform ideas, the Senate passed legislation that will provide tax cuts for middle-class families and make our tax code competitive so America can once again become the best place in the world to do business. The most immediate benefit will be the tax cuts for the middle class. For more than a decade, expenses have increased — health care being the biggest expense — while wages have stayed generally flat. Republicans and Democrats alike have called for relief for people feeling this middle-class squeeze — and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will finally deliver it. Our plan will double the child tax credit to $2,000, double the standard deduction to $24,000 per family and lower tax rates for families across middle-class income brackets. The independent Tax Foundation estimates that a single parent with two kids earning $52,000 a year would see a 36 percent reduction in their taxes. A family with two kids earning $85,000 a year would see a 20 percent reduction in their taxes. And a family with two kids earning $165,000 a year would see an 8 percent reduction in their taxes. For Ohio, the Tax Foundation estimates this means that a family of four at the median income level will save about $2,400 a year on their taxes. For a family in Akron, or across the state, that money staying in your pockets rather than going to Washington can help make a car payment, pay for health care or save for retirement. Middle-class families will get immediate relief through the tax cuts in this plan, but families will also benefit from reforms on the business side in the form of more jobs and higher wages in America. … ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://billjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399311,Johnson Applauds House Passage of Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Bill Johnson,J000292,billjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) made the following statement after the House passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act: share: f t Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) made the following statement after the House passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act: The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38) is a very common-sense bill that simply seeks to protect law-abiding citizens who are attempting to exercise their constitutional rights and comply with concealed carry laws. It passed in the House today 231-198. The bill, which I co-sponsored, would allow law-abiding citizens with a state-issued concealed carry license or permit to conceal a handgun in any other state that allows concealed carry. The individual would need to have a valid photo ID, a valid concealed carry permit, and cannot be federally prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm. Under this legislation, individuals would still have to follow all local laws—state, county and municipal — even if they differ from the state where they got the original permit. H.R. 38 does not deal with access to weapons: it has nothing to do with the purchase of guns, access to guns, and doesn’t change federal background check laws. What it would do, however, is empower law-abiding citizens with the ability to protect themselves from criminals, and ensure that our Second Amendment rights do not disappear when we cross state lines.  As a concealed carry permit holder myself, I understand the current frustration many have.  I am hopeful that the Senate will follow the House’s lead and pass this important legislation.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398547,Latta to FDA: Use Track and Trace to Prevent Opioids From Falling Into the Wrong Hands,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to look at ways that the Safeguarding America’s Pharmaceuticals Act — also known as “Track and Trace” — could be used to prevent opioids from being diverted from the supply chain and falling into the wrong hands. The Safeguarding America’s Pharmaceuticals Act was authored by Latta and was signed into law in 2013 as part of the Drug Quality and Security Act. Under the law, FDA is directed to set up a system to follow prescription drugs through the supply chain in order to protect Americans against counterfeit and otherwise illegitimate drugs. In a letter, Latta asks FDA whether they have the necessary tools to identify diverted prescription opioids, whether they recommend Congress provide them additional authority to track and trace diverted drugs, what potential changes could be made to protect consumers, and whether the use of blockchain technology to monitor prescription drugs has been considered by the agency. The letter says, “We are losing 91 Americans every day from opioid overdoses, and prescription opioids are a driving factor of this devastating trend with nearly half of all these overdose deaths involving a prescription opioid. Furthermore, in my home state of Ohio we are seeing some of the highest overdose death rates in the nation. In 2016, Ohio had a 32 percent increase in deaths from the previous year with at least 4,050 people losing their lives from unintentional drug overdose. Due to this nationwide crisis, I urge FDA to review ways to better prevent and identify both the diversion of prescription drugs, including opioids, from the U.S. drug supply chain and the introduction of illegitimate prescription drugs (e.g., counterfeit opioids) into the supply chain.” Earlier this week, Congressman Latta was added to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health which has jurisdiction over FDA and drug abuse issues. Latta has been a leading voice in Congress when it comes to the opioid epidemic, including authoring legislation — the INFO Act — to improve data collection and make public pertinent information.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398548,"Latta, McNerney: Use Resilient Technologies When Rebuilding Disaster-Stricken Areas",2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"In a letter to the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH) and Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-CA) encouraged the use of resilient technologies when rebuilding regions affected by recent natural disasters. The letter, which was addressed to Chairman Rodney Freylinghuysen (R-NJ) and Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY), asks that language be included in disaster supplemental appropriations bills to provide that funding, to the extent practicable, utilize future technologies to prevent future outages and enhance resiliency of the electric grid. Currently, there is no requirement to rebuild energy infrastructure beyond pre-storm status despite the fact that many of these areas face the potential of natural disasters in the future.  The letter says, “The electric power grid is the backbone of the U.S. economy and society, and a reliable grid is fundamental to our day-to-day functionality and to our national security. Although much has been done to modernize the electric grid, more must be done, particularly as it relate to system resilience. Millions of Americans are enduring the aftermath of recent wildfire and hurricanes, trying to piece back together their homes and their lives, often with an unpredictable  time frame for a solution. And while we can never fully prevent or mitigate the damage caused by natural disaster, we must focus on forward-thinking solutions that prioritize grid modernization efforts that secure our energy grid against future challenges.” The letter continues, “During times of natural disaster the significance and necessity of the American energy grid is evident in every way, and presents us the ability to emphasize the importance of incorporating resiliency when rebuilding our grid. We encourage you to include language in supplemental appropriations bills to provide that funding should, to the extent practicable, utilize technologies to mitigate future outages and enhance resiliency of the electric grid rather than simply rebuilding to pre-event conditions.” Reps. Latta and McNerney co-chair the bipartisan Grid Innovation Caucus, which advocates for technological innovation, educates Members of Congress, and promotes policies that enhance grid operations. Earlier this year, they introduced a resolution in favor of advancing modernization of the United States’ energy delivery infrastructure. They also co-authored H.R. 3290, legislation that would modernize the nation’s aging electric grid and improve reliability.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://davidson.house.gov/2017/12/impact-wins-oh-08s-first-app-challenge,ImpACT wins OH-08's first App Challenge,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Warren Davidson (OH-08) announced the creators of “ImpACT” as winner of the 2017 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) for the 8th District. “Science and technology skills, particularly coding and computer science, are essential for America’s economic growth and innovation. I’m proud of Nick, Jon, and Jacob for their creative spirit and their commitment to our community,” said Rep. Davidson. [[{""fid"":""462"",""view_mode"":""full"",""fields"":{""format"":""full"",""field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]"":false,""field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]"":false},""link_text"":null,""type"":""media"",""field_deltas"":{""1"":{""format"":""full"",""field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]"":false,""field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]"":false}},""attributes"":{""class"":""media-element file-full"",""data-delta"":""1""}}]] U.S. Rep. Davidson recently recognized Nick Eyl, Jon Moran, and Jacob Waggoner during a surprise technology assembly at Badin High School in Hamilton, Ohio. The trio created ImpACT, an iPhone app that connects users to local service opportunities, support for local businesses, and a “Rep Connect” feature that allows users to get in touch with their local, state, and federal elected officials. There was participation from over 190 Members of Congress in which nearly 4,000 students submitted applications from over 42 states. This is the first year Ohio’s 8th District participated in the CAC since it was first introduced in 2015. Ten teams of 35 students participated in the Ohio 08 District contest. ImpACT will be featured in the Capitol building and displayed on www.House.gov. Additionally, the ImpACT creators will receive and invitation to the #HouseOfCode reception in spring of 2018 in Washington, DC. Each winner will also receive $250 in Amazon Web Services Credits. The CAC will announce winners from all participating states on December 10, 2017. Ohio 08 District Winning Team: ImpACT Nicholas Eyl - Fairfield, Ohio Jonathan Moran - Hamilton, Ohio Jacob Waggoner - Hamilton, Ohio The second and third place winners are from Ross High School. Second place, BullyX Gerald Golsch - Okeana, Ohio Third place, Card Scantastic Dominic Doyle - Hamilton, Ohio Brett Eads - Hamilton, Ohio Curtis Keilholz - Hamilton, Ohio Paul Southwick - Hamilton, Ohio ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T22:19:19Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0020D63B-FDBA-47AF-B967-F1252B05DE08,"On CNBC, Portman Discusses Tax Negotiations, How Tax Reform Will Boost Middle Class, Jobs & Wages",2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"During an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Senator Portman discussed how the Senate-passed Tax Cuts & Jobs Act will help boost the middle class, create more and better jobs, and raise wages. Portman also discussed the path forward and his hopes that the Senate and House can come together quickly to send this bill to the president that will save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually on their tax bill and help middle-class Ohioans keep more of their paycheck. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on CBS This Morning, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and NBC’s Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in op-eds in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Cincinnati Enquirer. Excerpts can be found below and a video can be found here. PORTMAN ON GETTING THE TAX CUTS & JOBS ACT PASSED IN THE SENATE “It’s a good bill. It’s good in substance and also in process. We went through the committee structure. We had about 70 hearings in the Finance Committee. We had the bipartisan working groups a couple of years ago in every aspect of the tax code, so in my view we did this right and better than we did on health care, frankly, to bring in everybody and get their input and I think that’s why we were successful.” PORTMAN ON ECONOMIC GROWTH “I hope we don’t make big changes in terms of the economic growth structure, which includes having our tax rate be slightly below the average of the industrialized countries, which is 20 percent. The average is about 22.3 percent. I don’t want to go much above that because you end up having the United States, again, not being competitive. Already the U. K., as an example, is going below 20 percent—they’re above it now—just in the next year or so. My prediction is that that 20 percent is important and a couple of years from now we’ll find out that we’re at or above the average of the tax rate around the world. If we don’t keep it at 20 percent, we could find ourselves above the average in a matter of months. I hope we won’t change the basic structure of this too much because I think it has about the right balance.” PORTMAN ON HOW TAX REFORM WILL HELP AMERICAN WORKERS COMPETE “I do think there are some things that are good in the House bill that we ought to be taking a look at. We’ve had good conversations already with the House. We’re meeting again today on an informal basis to just talk about where we can find common ground and, as I said to Joe, I think the structure is really similar. When you look at the big picture here, this is about true middle-class tax relief. It is about helping the pass-throughs, the smaller businesses, to be able to be competitive with the C Corporations who in turn have a lower rate—and a territorial system to be able to be globally competitive. That’s something we’ve all talked about for years in fact, for a decade now we’ve been talking about the fact that American companies, American workers can’t compete. Last year, three times as many American companies were taken over by foreign companies as U.S. companies purchasing foreign entities. That’s because of our tax code—we’ve lost a lot of businesses, a lot of jobs, a lot of investments. We have to do that, and both bills do it. We just need to be sure that we can come together, as you say, under the rules we’ve got in the Senate and get this passed and get it to the president’s desk for signature.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=184B4F32-0AF2-466F-8143-18425283A318,Portman Named Conferee on House-Senate Tax Reform Conference Committee,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) appointed him to serve on a House-Senate conference committee to finalize the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, legislation which will help middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers: “We’ve made important strides toward providing middle-class tax relief and reforming our tax code, and I will continue to work to improve this bill as the House and Senate complete our work. In 2010, I made a commitment to the people of Ohio that I would help lead an effort to reform our broken tax code and provide relief to families and small businesses, and I intend to keep that commitment. This effort is about giving Ohio families a better future with more jobs and higher wages, and I’m optimistic that the House and Senate will send a final bill to the president’s desk before Christmas.”   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z