url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5B40E031-7D99-4928-A429-EA175ECD458A,President Signs Into Law Portmans Bipartisan Bill to Protect Surviving Military Spouses,2018-12-31,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Legislation Will Allow Spouses of Deceased Servicemembers to Break Jointly Held Residential Leases Without Penalty WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) today announced that President Trump signed into law his bipartisan Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act. The legislation, which was originally introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Cheri Bustos (D-IL), would modify the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to allow a widow or widower of a servicemember who died while in military service (i.e., a Gold Star spouse) to terminate a jointly held residential lease, without penalty, within one year of the servicemember's death. This protection will also extend to the widow or widower of a member of the National Guard or Reserve whose death occurred while on active duty orders. I applaud the president for signing this measure into law to ensure that grieving military spouse dealing with the death of their loved one on active duty are able to end their lease without paying high termination fees, said Senator Portman. This law, with the support of numerous veterans groups and the Department of Defense, is a common-sense fix for Gold Star spouses. When a servicemember receives military orders, his or her spouse is often required to relocate and then sign a lease for a house, apartment, or other dwelling. But when the servicemember dies during military service, the surviving spouse may be forced to pay off the remainder of that residential lease even though the couple only entered into that contract to accommodate the servicemember's assignment. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), active duty servicemembers may cancel agreements such as home or apartment rental contracts when they are deployed or relocated. However, these protections do not explicitly apply to Gold Star spouses who are in these agreements jointly with a servicemember who died while in military service. The Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act is also supported by The American Legion, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and the National Military Family Association (NMFA). ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-on-federal-employee-pay-increase,TURNER on Federal Employee Pay Increase,2018-12-30,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order cancelling the pay increase expected for civilian federal workers in 2019: As I advocated in August, Congress must reject the President's imprudent decision to cancel the pay increase for our valuable federal civilian employees. Congress still has the ability to override this executive order as we work to end the partial government shutdown. I will continue to fight to retain the federal civilian employee pay increase that was promised to our government's dedicated public servants. The Dayton region is home to over 15,000 federal civilian employees, including more than 12,000 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. When this executive order was first threatened, Congressman Turner strongly opposed it and advocated overriding it to Congressional leadership. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/2018/12/turner-on-federal-employee-pay-increase,TURNER on Federal Employee Pay Increase,2018-12-29,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,,0,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E70E4FEC-11D1-420A-AB6A-D3EBA9E5C201,Corker Announces Portman Will Lead Congressional Efforts to End Modern Slavery Worldwide,2018-12-28,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. As his time in Congress comes to a close, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today announced that Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) will take the helm of congressional efforts to combat modern slavery and human trafficking worldwide. For years, Senator Portman has been a champion in Congress in the fight against human trafficking here at home, and I can think of no one better to take up the mantle in the global fight against this scourge on humanity as I depart the Senate, said Corker. With passage of the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act and launch of the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery, we have made great progress in this fight, but much more work remains. While I plan to continue to play a role in this fight as a private citizen, I am incredibly grateful that Rob has agreed to take the helm in Congress to ensure this important work continues as we strive to end modern slavery once and for all. I am honored that Senator Corker has entrusted me with this role and I want to thank him for his tireless and courageous efforts to combat this horrific crime around the globe, said Portman. Over the past decade we have made progress but there is much more to do both in the U.S. and in other countries to help end this scourge once and for all. BACKGROUND: More than 27 million people are enslaved around the world, more than at any time in history. While U.S. government agencies and non-profit organizations have taken significant steps to end this scourge on humanity, much more work remains. Recognizing the United States could not meet this challenge alone, three years ago, Senator Corker proposed a bold, bipartisan initiative to end modern slavery and human trafficking worldwide. Not unlike the role PEPFAR has played in fighting AIDS across the globe, the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act was designed to leverage limited foreign aid dollars and galvanize tremendous support and investment from the public sector, philanthropic organizations, and the private sector to focus resources responsibly where the crime is most prevalent. With broad support from countless individuals, organizations, and faith-based institutions, authorizing legislation for the End Modern Slavery Initiative was included in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017 (NDAA), which overwhelmingly passed the Senate on December 8, 2016 and was signed into law by the president soon after. Passage led to the creation of the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery (GFEMS), a non-profit, grant-making foundation in the District of Columbia that is funding programs and projects outside of the United States that will Contribute to the freeing and sustainable recovery of victims of modern slavery, prevent individuals from being enslaved, and enforce laws to punish individual and corporate perpetrators of modern slavery; Set clear, defined goals and outcomes that can be empirically measured; and Seek to achieve a measurable 50 percent reduction of modern slavery in the areas the foundation operates. The foundation seeks to raise $1.5 billion over the next decade, more than 80 percent of which will come through matching funds from the private sector and foreign governments. To date, more than $105 million has been contributed to the fund, including: $46 million from the U.S. State Department (September 14, 2017) $25 million from the United Kingdom (September 19, 2017) $25 million from a private donor $11.6 million from Norway (December 18, 2018) Progress of the fund's success will be tracked against baseline data with a goal of achieving a 50 percent reduction in modern slavery in the areas where the fund is working. Projects that fail to meet goals will be suspended or terminated. The foundation is required to comply with the Government Accountability Office's mandate to conduct financial audits and program evaluations. During his time in the Senate, Portman has authored six federal anti-trafficking laws designed to better serve victims and help law enforcement end this crime including most recently the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA). The law, which President Trump signed on April 11, 2018, is helping to curb the explosion of online sex trafficking and give victims the tools they need to hold accountable websites that knowingly facilitate the trafficking of women and children online. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://joyce.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=25&itemid=377,Joyce Issues Statement on Partial Government Shutdown,2018-12-27,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Dave Joyce,J000295,joyce.house.gov,,,legacy,"How to use: Insert <span class=""EXACT_VALUE_LABEL_AS_ENTERED_BELOW"">&nbsp;</span> where you'd like the value to be populated. Non-breaking space within span tags - &nbsp; - is required for WYSIWYG. Label (no spaces or special characters) Value Comments (optional) repName John Smith helpWithFedAgencyAddress Haverhill District Office 1234 S. Courthouse Haverhill, CA 35602 district 21st District of California academyUSCitizenDate July 1, 2012 academyAgeDate July 1, 2012 academyApplicationDueDate October 20, 2012 repStateABBR AZ repDistrict 1 repState Arizona repDistrictText 1st repPhoto SponsoredBills Sponsored Bills CoSponsoredBills Co-Sponsored Bills",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398974,Latta Continues Efforts to Improve Water Infrastructure,2018-12-23,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate have approved legislation, H.R. 7279, the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, that includes a number of provisionsauthoredby Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) earlier this Congress. Latta has worked for years on that legislation which provides communities more flexibility to comply with costly regulations on the nation's communities in regards to their wastewater infrastructure improvements. Congressman Latta was also successful in havingclean drinking water provisionssigned into law a few months ago. There are billions of dollars' worth of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure needs in Ohio, and it's critical to provide communities with the ability to meet their obligations in a more cost-effective manner, said Latta. This legislation is important because it allows municipalities and clean water utilities to decide how to best spend their limited financial resources. Integrated Planning allows communities to allocate funds in a targeted manner, focusing them on the most effective water quality improvements. Modernizing our water infrastructure is a critical issue in the Buckeye State and it's why I've led on efforts in Congress to improve both our wastewater and drinking water systems. The legislation has the support of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). Congressman Latta has remained a true leader throughout his time in Congress to ensure communities across Ohio are provided with the safe, reliable, and affordable public water services they need and deserve,said Adam Krantz, NACWA's Chief Executive Officer. His legislation and leadership to codify Integrated Planning into law will help further provide communities, both large and small, with the tools they need to meet the growing clean water challenges they face each day. NACWA greatly appreciates Congressman Latta's hard work and dedication on this strong bipartisan legislation and for his continued commitment to improving our nation's water and clean water infrastructure. Under the Clean Water Act, municipalities on average are spending nearly 7% of their tax dollars on water and sewer systems. Even with that amount of taxpayer money, there is a need for approximately $300 billion for clean water infrastructure investments nationally. Many ratepayers are also seeing sewer rates increase at a rapid pace compared to inflation. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D1174E58-1FCD-45ED-B9B0-D43A4FC30774,Portman Statement on the Partial Federal Government Shutdown,2018-12-22,2018,2018-12,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 on the partial government shutdown that began at midnight last night: There is a way forward to both strengthen border security and reopen government and I hope the current negotiations are successful in doing just that. I support increasing funding to better secure our borders, including more fencing, other barriers, and more technology and surveillance along the border, as outlined both the president's budget and the bipartisan spending bill that passed the Senate earlier this year. A continued partial government shutdown would result in less funding for the border and, as always happens with shutdowns, would result in more government spending since back pay and other expenses are paid once government reopens. In fact, I've introduced legislation to end government shutdowns for good and will continue to push to make that legislation the law of the land. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=DC814EE8-7ADA-40B2-89A3-3774FD9FAB3A,"Portman, Brown: Lordstown Deserves Better Than GMs Response",2018-12-22,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"GM's Answer to Senators' Letter Failed to Address Future of Lordstown Plant, Provided No Clarity for Lordstown Community WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) released the following joint statement after General Motors (GM) responded to the Senators' letter pressing for answers on the future of the GM Lordstown plant. GM failed to provide clarity on the future of the plant and offered no path forward for its retooling. Both Senators Portman and Brown will keep pushing GM to provide the Lordstown community the answers it deserves and have urged GM to work with them to save these Lordstown jobs. While we asked GM to provide clarity to the Lordstown community, the company chose to sidestep our questions instead. As we head into the holiday season, workers at Lordstown are faced with fear and uncertainty about their futures. They deserve better. We will continue pushing GM to do the right thing, provide answers to its workers, and bring another vehicle to Lordstown to ensure workers keep their jobs, said the Senators. Portman and Brown met with Barra earlier this month following GM's announcement that it would lay off its final shift of workers and close its Lordstown plant in March of 2019. After their meeting, the Senators wrote to GM, pressing the company for answers on the future of the Lordstown plant. A copy of GM's response to the Senators can be found HERE. Earlier this year, GM announced plans to build the new Chevy Blazer in Mexico on the same day the company ended the second shift at a plant. GM has eliminated nearly 3,000 jobs at the plant over the last two years. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://billjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399575,Bill Johnson Statement on Latest Ohio EPA Permit for Proposed Ethane Cracker Plant Site,2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Bill Johnson,J000292,billjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) released the following statement today after the Ohio Environmental Agency issued an air permit-to-install to the proposed PTTGCA Petrochemical Complex in Belmont County: share: f t Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) released the following statement today after the Ohio Environmental Agency issued an air permit-to-install to the proposed PTTGCA Petrochemical Complex in Belmont County: I was very pleased to learn the Ohio EPA issued an air permit today for the proposed ethane cracker plant in Belmont County. The OEPA did their due diligence, as they should, to ensure that the project would not have an adverse environmental impact. This news represents another step forward for the PTTGCA Petrochemical Complex. It is yet another sign of the positive progress being made towards what would be the largest construction project in Ohio history - and a major job creator for our region.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399723,Statement from Representative Steve Stivers,2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Statement from Representative Steve Stivers f t # e Washington, December 21, 2018 I continue to believe that we must pass a funding bill, which includes border security. share: f t I continue to believe that we must pass a funding bill, which includes border security. ""While securing our border is extremely important, it should not come at the cost of neglecting the fundamental duty of keeping the lights turned on. I voted to keep the government open, but unfortunately, it looks like we are heading towards a partial government shut down. I will continue to vote to fund government at every opportunity, and I hope the Senate can find a compromise. ""We must reopen the government as soon as possible, and all sides should give a little to make that happen. -30- f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399724,Statement from Rep. Stivers on Syria,2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Statement from Rep. Stivers on Syria f t # e Washington, December 21, 2018 I believe our first priority in Syria should be helping our NATO allies create safe zones so that the millions of displaced people can return to a safe place in their country and begin the rebuilding process. That objective will become almost impossible if we move forward in withdrawing all troops from Syria. share: f t The following statement can be attributed to Congressman Steve Stivers (R-OH):I believe our first priority in Syria should be helping our NATO allies create safe zones so that the millions of displaced people can return to a safe place in their country and begin the rebuilding process. That objective will become almost impossible if we move forward in withdrawing all troops from Syria. Additionally, this decision will help ISIS regain ground in Syria and embolden Russian support for the Assad Regime. I urge the President to reconsider this action. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=32AB9961-934E-4EFD-85FD-0B322A9B44D7,"President Signs Into Law Portman-Shaheen Legislation to Promote Oil Recycling, Greater Energy Efficiency",2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) applauded President Trump for signing into law his bipartisan legislation aimed at saving energy and protecting the environment by promoting the re-refining of used oil and other lubricants. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update their 2006 study of the energy and environmental benefits of recycling used oil and develop specific policy options to increase the use of used oil to produce lubricants. Portman released the following statement: I am pleased that the president has signed this measure into law. It will help protect our environment by identifying the barriers to recovering used oil, which can otherwise be improperly disposed of and contaminate our land and water. The re-refining process is also more energy efficient than creating lubricants from crude oil, so it helps reduce emissions. Finally, the bill will help grow the domestic re-refining industry, so that we are not dependent upon foreign sources for high quality oil. I am pleased to have worked with Senator Shaheen on this legislation to protect our environment and create jobs, and I look forward to working on more common-sense energy efficiency initiatives like this one. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=449D593A-6C6D-4EDB-9830-E719DA54D75E,"Portman, Hassan Bipartisan Bill to Bolster Cyber Defenses at Department of Homeland Security Signed into Law",2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. The President has signed into law bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) that will help strengthen cyber defenses at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bipartisan Hack DHS Act establishes a bug bounty pilot program modeled off of similar programs at the Department of Defense and major tech companies that uses vetted white-hat or ethical hackers to help identify unique and undiscovered vulnerabilities in the DHS networks and information technology. Another bill introduced by the two Senators that was also signed into law, the Public-Private Cybersecurity Cooperation Act, complements the Hack DHS Act by requiring DHS to establish a cyber-vulnerabilities disclosure program so that vulnerabilities in DHS' cyber systems can be easily reported and fixed. At a time when cyber threats are on the rise, I'm pleased that the United States government will be better prepared to protect itself thanks to this bipartisan cybersecurity legislation I worked on with Senator Hassan. Our legislation draws upon the vast expertise of hackers and security experts in our country to identify vulnerabilities and report them to the people in positions to fix those flaws in our systems. I applaud the president for swiftly enacting these common sense, bipartisan proposals, Senator Portman said. In the face of ever-evolving cyber threats, strengthening our country's cyber defenses is vital to the safety, security, and privacy of Granite Staters and Americans,"" Senator Hassan said. ""Our bipartisan Hack DHS Act will help bolster cybersecurity by harnessing the skills and talent of ethical hackers across the country to help identify vulnerabilities in the Department of Homeland Security's systems. I am thrilled to see this bipartisan legislation signed into law and commend Senator Portman for his partnership moving this bipartisan bill forward. Senators Portman and Hassan have worked together on a number of issues to strengthen cybersecurity and prevent attacks that threaten the safety, privacy, and security of Americans. The Senators have also introduced the DHS Cyber Incident Response Teams Act to help prevent cyberattacks on federal agencies and the private sector. The bill passed favorably out of committee in September 2018. Click here to read a joint op-ed in TIME from Senators Portman and Hassan on their Hack DHS Act. Click here to read a joint op-ed in CNN from Senators Portman and Hassan on their DHS Cyber Incident Response Teams Act and their Hack DHS Act. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=952A96F5-03C7-42E5-AADE-AA1030925419,"Portman, Leahy Applaud President Signing of Second Chance Reauthorization Act into Law as Part of Criminal Justice Reform Package",2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) announced that their bipartisan Second Chance Reauthorization Act was signed into law today by President Trump as part of the First Step Act, bipartisan legislation to reform America's criminal justice system The legislation passed the Senate earlier this week by a margin of 87 to 12. It has been widely praised by leaders in Ohio. The Second Chance Reauthorization Act reauthorizes and strengthens the Second Chance Act, a bipartisan law that supports state and local reentry programs to reduce recidivism. Then-Congressman Portman originally authored the Second Chance Act with the late-Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones in 2005, and it was later signed into law in 2008.Since 2009, more than 850 Second Chance Act grant awards have been made to government agencies and nonprofit organizations from 49 states for reentry programs serving adults and juveniles. As of June 2018, more than 164,000 individuals have participated in these programs.In total, Ohio has received more than $39 million in Second Chance Act grants since 2009, which includes funds to assist Ohioans re-entering the community with services such as job training, drug rehabilitation, case management and mental health treatment. Renewing and strengthening the Second Chance Act is critical to our efforts to stop the revolving door of incarceration and help former inmates live up to their God-given potential, and I'm pleased the president signed it into law today, Portman said. The Second Chance Act helps people be able to create their own futurerather than be held back by the mistakes of their past. It has already changed thousands of lives in Ohio and across the country by helping ex-offenders turn their life around and become a productive members of society. The president's action today will make our communities safer while also saving taxpayer dollars. This is a welcome glimmer of bipartisanship to advance long overdue reforms that are important to thousands of individuals, their families, and their communities. It is especially timely, coming amid the other contentious issues that are churning the Congress and the nation right now. The First Step Act, while it does not go as far as I would like, will achieve the most significant reforms to our criminal justice system in a decade. Including our Second Chance Reauthorization Act is an acknowledgement that criminal justice reform is not complete without a commitment to strengthening reentry services for ex-offenders. Almost every single offender in our justice system will one day be released. We owe it to them, their families, and the communities where they will live to help ensure that they can lead productive lives, said Leahy. NOTE: The Second Chance Reauthorization Act will strengthen state and local grant programs to promote successful prisoner reentry and improve public safety while reducing Bureau of Prison costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Specifically, the legislation will: Continue targeted funding through 2021 for reentry programs at the state and local level that have been proven to reduce recidivism, lead to better outcomes for those released from prison, and save prison costs. Provide separate planning and implementation grants to ensure that projects are well developed at each stage and informed by research and best practices. Add nonprofit organizations as allowable grantees for grants for programs promoting family-based substance abuse treatment and career training. Repeal several provisions calling for studies that have been completed and removes support for programs for which other funding sources have been identified. It also consolidates the reentry court program into the Adult and Juvenile Offender State and Local Demonstration projects. Require new rigorous evaluation and audits of grantees to ensure that federal dollars are spent wisely. This legislation has been endorsed by the National Criminal Justice Association, the International Community Corrections Association, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, FreedomWorks, the American Bar Association, the American Correctional Association, The Prison Fellowship, the American Probation and Parole Association, the Association of State Correctional Administrators, and The Sentencing Project. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=EA241E19-762F-46AA-B009-44D0114791A7,"Senate Passes Portman-Shaheen Legislation to Promote Oil Recycling, Greater Energy Efficiency",2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) applauded Senate passage of their legislation yesterday aimed at saving energy and protecting the environment by promoting the re-refining of used oil and other lubricants. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update their 2006 study of the energy and environmental benefits of recycling used oil and develop specific policy options to increase the use of used oil to produce lubricants. The bill will now head to the president's desk for signature. I am pleased that the Senate has passed this legislation, and that it is now headed to the President's desk for his signature, said Senator Portman. This legislation will help protect our environment by identifying the barriers to recovering used oil, which can otherwise be improperly disposed of and contaminate our land and water. The re-refining process is also more energy efficient than creating lubricants from crude oil, so it helps reduce emissions. Finally, the bill will help grow the domestic re-refining industry, so that we are not dependent upon foreign sources for high quality oil. I am pleased to have worked with Senator Shaheen on this legislation to protect our environment and create jobs, and I look forward to working on more common-sense energy efficiency initiatives like this one. Improving the sustainability of our energy resources is a win-win for both the economy and the environment, said Shaheen. Recycling used oil holds great potential for saving energy and reducing harmful pollution and needs to be supported at the federal level. This legislation is an important first step towards this goal and I'm very proud to work with Senator Portman again on a common sense proposal that will help make good use of our energy resources. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398973,"Latta Legislation to Combat Terrorism Approved By House, Heads to President Trumps Desk",2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Legislation authored by Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) to combat terrorism, H.R. 4227, the Vehicular Terrorism Prevention Act, was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and now heads to the President's desk. The bill passed the House earlier this year, but needed to be passed again after small changes were made to the bill in the Senate. Attacks on innocent people using trucks, vans, or other vehicles have increasingly become the weapon of choice for many terrorist groups in Europe and around the world, said Latta. Just in the past month we've seen one of these attacks in Israel. With last year's attack that claimed innocent lives in New York City, we know the U.S. isn't immune. It's important that the Department of Homeland Security is looking at this threat and has the tools at their disposal to be able to stop any group or individual looking to use this tactic on Americans. The VehicularTerrorism Prevention Act will bolster efforts to address this threat, and I urge President Trump to sign this legislation into law. The legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assess current actions at the department to support emergency response providers and the private sector to prevent, mitigate, and respond to the threat of vehicular terrorism. The bill then requires DHS to submit a strategy to Congress that includes an examination of the current threat of vehicular terrorism, methods to improve information sharing activities with the private sector, and training activities that the department can undertake. The strategy would also include recommendations from DHS on what can be done to aid department efforts to prevent vehicular terrorism. Watch Latta's floor speech on the legislation here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://davidson.house.gov/2018/12/congressmen-warren-davidson-darren-soto-introduce-ico-fix-businesses,"Congressmen Warren Davidson, Darren Soto Introduce ICO Fix for Businesses, Consumers",2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Congressmen Warren Davidson (OH-08) and Darren Soto (FL-09) today introduced the long-awaited Token Taxonomy Act, H.R. 7356, to provide light-touch regulatory certainty for businesses, entrepreneurs, and regulators in the blockchain economy. This bipartisan legislation draws a bright line for businesses and regulators by defining a “digital token” and clarifies that securities laws do not apply to companies that use blockchain once they reach their goal of becoming a functional network. Implementing this fix will stop fraud from spreading and provide the certainty innovation needs to flourish. “This bill clarifies a 1946 court case that the SEC has been using to determine what a security is and effectively makes it clear that the finished product (or oranges as it relates to the Howey Test) is no longer a security. “Providing this much needed certainty frees the SEC to perform its vital and much needed consumer protection duties of enforcement on those who have engaged in securities fraud by making false claims or simply attempting to engage in regulatory arbitrage to circumvent securities law. “This bill provides the certainty American markets need to compete with Singapore, Switzerland, and others who are aggressively growing their blockchain economies. To be certain, there will be other regulatory initiatives at some point, but this legislation is an essential first step to keeping this market alive in the United States. “In the early days of the internet, Congress passed legislation that provided certainty and resisted the temptation to over-regulate the market. Our intent is to achieve a similar win for America’s economy and for American leadership in this innovative space,” said Congressman Warren Davidson. “While this legislation is a great first step, we are looking for feedback. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a history of policing web services, while the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has authority over commodity derivatives. To what extent does the jurisdiction of the FTC apply to digital tokens? Can we address this issue in this legislation or will we need subsequent legislation to effectively regulate this emerging sector?” said Congressman Darren Soto. H.R. 7356, The Token Taxonomy Act, is the product of months long collaboration following a bipartisan roundtable discussion hosted by Congressman Davidson with Members of Congress and nearly 50 stakeholders from Ohio and across the country to gather input on Congress' effort to clarify the ""sloppy"" regulatory framework in the cryptocurrency space. There, Congressmen Darren Soto (D-FL), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Tom Emmer (R-MN) united in a commitment with other panel participants and stakeholders to provide the legislative certainty innovation needs to flourish in the U.S. Background: Many entrepreneurs and businesses use distributed ledger or blockchain technology to launch initial coin offerings (ICOs) to raise the capital they need to innovate, grow their businesses, and create more jobs. A patchwork of judicial rulings and conflicting state initiatives have clouded certainty for these companies and is motivating market players to leave the U.S. for the certainty provided elsewhere. In May, Congressman Davidson announced he would lead legislation in the cryptocurrency space in committee. He then followed up this announcement with a House floor speech saying he wants to preempt any type of heavy-handed regulatory approach that could stall innovation and kill the ICO market in the U.S. In September, Congressman Davidson led a bipartisan panel that attracted widespread participation by industry leaders and his colleagues in Congress. [Link] Market participants have said that the Securities and Exchange Commission has been regulating by enforcement and market participants have struggled to discern a coherent application of their standards and public statements. SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and SEC Director Bill Hinman have both commented publicly in ways that have either alarmed or encouraged market participants. In December, Congressman Davidson spoke to attendees at the Blockland Solutions Conference in Ohio about his plans to introduce legislation to address this issue. Davidson-Budd-Soto-Emmer Roundtable that was hosted in September. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:11:43Z https://joyce.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=25&itemid=376,First Step Act,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Dave Joyce,J000295,joyce.house.gov,,,legacy,"How to use: Insert <span class=""EXACT_VALUE_LABEL_AS_ENTERED_BELOW"">&nbsp;</span> where you'd like the value to be populated. Non-breaking space within span tags - &nbsp; - is required for WYSIWYG. Label (no spaces or special characters) Value Comments (optional) repName John Smith helpWithFedAgencyAddress Haverhill District Office 1234 S. Courthouse Haverhill, CA 35602 district 21st District of California academyUSCitizenDate July 1, 2012 academyAgeDate July 1, 2012 academyApplicationDueDate October 20, 2012 repStateABBR AZ repDistrict 1 repState Arizona repDistrictText 1st repPhoto SponsoredBills Sponsored Bills CoSponsoredBills Co-Sponsored Bills",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-on-mattis,TURNER on Mattis,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) issued the following statement regarding Secretary of Defense James Mattis: Our military has been rebuilt under Secretary Mattis's leadership. He has been a strong partner in working with Congress as a force of reason to robustly support our troops in grave and perilous times. I want to sincerely thank him for his service to our country and the important work he's done to make the United States and the world safer. Congressman Turner serves as the Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, Chairman of the U.S. Delegation to NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and a member of the House Intelligence Committee. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wenstrup.house.gov/updates/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400559,Wenstrup Votes for Increased Funding for Border Security,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Brad Wenstrup,W000815,wenstrup.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Brad Wenstrup (OH-02) released the following statement after voting for the Continuing Resolution which included funding for $5.7 billion in new construction to secure our nation's southern border: The situation at the border is a serious problem that demands our immediate attention. Our porous border can allow drugs, cartels, and human traffickers to enter our nation. An unsecure border makes it impossible for us to develop a robust legal immigration system that works for America as it historically has. We cannot expect any legal system to work if we do not have border control and management. Funding for border security is not a political point. This is about keeping deadly drugs out of our communities, protecting American families, and preventing the spread of disease, said Congressman Brad Wenstrup. Listen to Congressman Wenstrup's floor speech here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=433B06CC-4024-4A78-9236-784224E1B0CE,Portman-Hassan Bipartisan Hack DHS Act to Strengthen Cyber Defenses at DHS Heads to Presidents Desk for Signature,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Two bipartisan bills introduced by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) to help strengthen cyber defenses at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) passed the Senate last night and are headed to the president's desk for signature. The bipartisan Hack DHS Act would establish a bug bounty pilot program modeled off of similar programs at the Department of Defense and major tech companies that uses vetted white-hat or ethical hackers to help identify unique and undiscovered vulnerabilities in the DHS networks and information technology. Another bill introduced by the two Senators, the Public-Private Cybersecurity Cooperation Act, would complement the Hack DHS Act by requiring DHS to establish a cyber-vulnerabilities disclosure program so that vulnerabilities in DHS' cyber systems can be easily reported and fixed. At a time when cyber threats are on the rise, I'm pleased that the United States government will be better prepared to protect itself thanks to this bipartisan cybersecurity legislation I worked on with Senator Hassan. Our legislation draws upon the vast expertise of hackers and security experts in our country to identify vulnerabilities and report them to the people in positions to fix those flaws in our systems. I look forward to the president swiftly enacting this common sense, bipartisan proposal, Senator Portman said. The Hack DHS Act represents a vital step forward in our efforts to strengthen the Department of Homeland Security's cyber defenses, Senator Hassan said. I am grateful to Senator Rob Portman for working with me to advance this bipartisan bill to help harness the skills of vetted, ethical hackers to identify vulnerabilities in the Department's systems and help protect the American people. I also want to thank Representatives Kevin McCarthy, Mike McCaul, and Bennie Thompson, as well as Senators Ron Johnson and Claire McCaskill for their help in getting this bill passed, and I look forward to the President signing this important measure without delay. Senators Portman and Hassan have worked together on a number of issues to strengthen cybersecurity and prevent attacks that threaten the safety, privacy, and security of Americans. The Senators have alsointroduced theDHS Cyber Incident Response Teams Act tohelp prevent cyberattacks on federal agencies and the private sector. The billpassedfavorably out of committeein September.Click here to reada joint op-edinTIMEfrom Senators Portman and Hassan on theirHack DHS Act.Click here to reada joint op-ed inCNNfrom Senators Portman and Hassan on theirDHS Cyber Incident Response Teams Actand theirHack DHS Act. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=43421765-E67D-4348-88BC-95F4127A6902,Senate Passes Portman Priority to Help Elderly And Disabled Get Care They Need,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) today applauded Senate passage of a three-month extension for the Money Follows the Person Program, which helps transition Medicaid beneficiaries from nursing homes to long-term care in their homes while saving taxpayer money in the process. Portman called for an extension of this program in his bipartisan Ensuring Medicaid Provides Opportunities for Widespread Equity, Resources, and Care Act or EMPOWER Care Act. Last night the Senate took a step in the right direction to ensure that the most vulnerable among us have better access to quality care,Portman said. The short-term funding package included a three-month extension of Money Follows the Person (MFP), which helps transition Medicaid beneficiaries from nursing homes to long-term care in their homes. While I will continue working for a longer extension, this means that MFP can build upon the more than 10,000 Ohioans the program has helped receive the care that they need in their homes and communities. I encourage the president to sign this legislative package into law as soon as possible. NOTE: The short-term funding package included Portman's legislative priority of extending the Money Follows the Person Program from his bipartisan 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 legislation includes a three-month extension version of this priority. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4A8400EB-1A9A-456E-A628-58EC76CDC225,Portman Praises President Trump for Signing Farm Bill Into Law,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) praised President Trump for signing the Farm Bill into law today. The House passed its version of the Farm Bill on June 21, and the Senate passed its version on June 28. The president signed the reconciled House-Senate conference report, which passed the Senate on December 11, into law today. Agriculture is one of Ohio's most important industries, contributing more than $100 billion to our economy and putting food on the table for thousands of Ohio workers and people around the world, said Senator Portman. The Farm Bill will help promote economic development and job creation in our rural communities while providing Ohio farmers with the certainty and predictability they deserve.Of particular importance to Ohio, it includes my amendments to promote rural broadband access and to ensure that Central State University in Wilberforce has access to federal funding under the Farm Bill like other 1890 land-grant institutions. This Farm Bill will help protect the Great Lakes. It will help keep Lake Erie clean and our drinking water safe by increasingfunding for many conservation programs that help reduce nutrient runoff into waters like Lake Erie. The legislation triples funding for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), from $100 million to $300 million for the next five years.It also helps those gripped by addiction in rural areas and will continue Congress' work to make the federal government a better partner in overcoming the opioid crisis. This new law is a great step forward for Ohio's farmers and our agriculture industry. NOTE: The final text of the Farm Bill includes two amendments offered by Senator Portman during Senate consideration of the bill in June, including: An amendment by Portman and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to ensure that Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, can access funding under the Farm Bill that is available for 1890 land-grant institutions. Central State University is currently unable to receive the same level of federal funding as other historically black colleges, and this amendment would ensure that all 1890 land-grant institutions are treated equal. An amendment by Portman and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)to promote rural community economic development, innovation, and broadband integration. Specifically, the Portman-Cortez Masto amendment would codify the Council on Rural Community Innovation to help promote policies that use technological innovation to resolve challenges related to health care, law enforcement, housing, and telecommunications. The amendment would also establish a Rural Broadband Integrated Working Group within the Council to identify regulatory barriers to broadband deployment, encourage public-private partnerships, and support competition. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6812BAD2-823F-4EFE-BD5B-9FB39B09E57E,Portmans Bipartisan Bill to Combat Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Headed to Presidents Desk,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Legislation Takes Critical Steps Toward Protecting the Great Lakes from Harmful Algal Blooms WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced today that the House of Representatives has passed his bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Act, which was first enacted in 1998. Portman introduced the legislation earlier this year with Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Gary Peters (D-MI), which passed the Senate in September 2017. For almost two decades this program has served as the federal government's research and response framework for harmful algal blooms.Senator Portman first worked with Senator Nelson to reauthorize this program in 2014 and included, for the first time, freshwater bodies such as the Great Lakes into this program. The legislation is now headed to the president's desk for signature. Harmful algae has become a serious problem for our state, and this legislation takes critical steps to continuing efforts to address this issue and protect our Great Lakes. As the world's largest freshwater system and a source of drinking water for more than 30 million Americans, these lakes are indispensable to the health and economy of Ohio and our country, said Portman. I want to thank my colleagues in the House for supporting this common-sense legislation and I urge the president to sign it into law so that harmful algae doesn't continue to threaten to our tourism, fishing industries, and our public health. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are episodes of excessive growth of poisonous or toxic algae that can cause illness or death in humans, pets, wildlife, or food sources such as fish and shellfish. HABs are thought to be caused by a combination of the right temperature, light, and nutrient conditions. Other environmental factors, such as the presence of non-native or invasive species, may also contribute to HABs. HABs occur in fresh and marine waters and result in the depletion of oxygen (hypoxia) in the water. Total costs over the past few decades from fish kills, human illness, and loss of tourism and fisheries revenue in the U.S. has been estimated at more than $1 billion. The frequency and distribution of HABs have increased considerably across the U.S. in recent years, negatively affecting all coastal and Great Lakes states and numerous other inland states. NOTE: Portman and Nelson successfully championed the reauthorization of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act in 2014. The program has provided research on HABs, including the most recent report, Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Comprehensive Research Plan and Action Strategy, completed in February 2016. The program has also provided seasonal forecasting for HAB severity in Lake Erie. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A6DC7E83-0B31-4437-AF02-DD81266D4371,Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill to Protect Surviving Military Spouses,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Legislation Will Allow Spouses of Deceased Servicemembers to Break Jointly Held Residential Leases Without Penalty WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today applauded Senate passage of their bipartisan Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act. The legislation, which was originally introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Cheri Bustos (D-IL), would modify the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to allow a widow or widower of a servicemember who died while in military service (i.e., a Gold Star spouse) to terminate a jointly held residential lease, without penalty, within one year of the servicemember's death. This protection will also extend to the widow or widower of a member of the National Guard or Reserve whose death occurred while on active duty orders. The legislation now heads to the president's desk to be signed into law. A grieving military spouse dealing with the death of their loved one on active duty should be able to end their lease without paying high termination fees, said Senator Portman. This bill, with the support of numerous veterans groups and the Department of Defense, is a commonsense fix for Gold Star spouses. I encourage the president to sign this into law quickly to provide relief for our Gold Star spouses. Gold Star spouses shouldn't be forced to bear the burden of unnecessary residential leases after the death of their servicemember spouse, said Senator Warren. I'm glad to have partnered with Senator Portman and my other colleagues on this bipartisan bill to strengthen an important financial protection for military families. When a servicemember receives military orders, his or her spouse is often required to relocate and then sign a lease for a house, apartment, or other dwelling. But when the servicemember dies during military service, the surviving spouse may be forced to pay off the remainder of that residential lease even though the couple only entered into that contract to accommodate the servicemember's assignment. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), active duty servicemembers may cancel agreements such as home or apartment rental contracts when they are deployed or relocated. However, these protections do not explicitly apply to Gold Star spouses who are in these agreements jointly with a servicemember who died while in military service. The Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act is also supported by The American Legion, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and the National Military Family Association (NMFA). ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=AA1E7612-2461-46CD-9062-A2133A0BABBF,President Signs Into Law Portmans 21st Century IDEA Act,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) thanked President Trump for signing legislation he authored the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience (IDEA) Act to improve citizens' interaction with the federal government online, while reducing the cost of assistance from federal agencies. Portman attended a ceremony at the White House today where the president signed the measure. I was pleased to attend the White House signing ceremony today. This bill will modernize the way the federal government delivers services online, increase efficiency, and reduce costs for taxpayers, said Senator Portman. I will continue to work with my colleagues to make the federal government more efficient and effective on behalf of the American people. NOTE: The House companion bill was introduced by Reps. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) and Ro Khanna (D-CA). It passed the House with an unanimous vote in November. The Senate passed it on December 12. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E4C28D73-9843-42B6-9580-5BE3F60F4D4E,"Portman, Senate Colleagues Bipartisan Bill to Promote Conservation & Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Passes Senate",2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), along with Senators Tom Udall (D-NM), Richard Burr (R-NC), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Brian Schatz (D-HI), applauded the Senate for passing theTropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act(TFCA) last night. This legislation reauthorizes a program that has saved more than 67 million acres of tropical forest by allowing developing countries that meet certain criteria to be relieved of debt owed to the United States in exchange for their conservation efforts. In addition, this legislation expands these efforts to coral reef ecosystems. To date, the TFCA program has sequestered 56 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of taking 11.8 million cars off the road. Once passed by the House, the bill will go to the president to be signed into law. This bipartisan legislation takes significant strides to build stronger relationships with countries around the world while ensuring our natural resources are protected and preserved for the next generation,said Senator Portman co-chair of the International Conservation Caucus.Since 1998, this common-sense and proven approach that has protected millions of acres of tropical forest from deforestationa leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions. I'm pleased that this important, bipartisan legislation passed the Senate last night, and I look forward to the president signing it into law soon. This bipartisan legislation is simply smart policy: it helps preserve and protect precious eco-systems all while strengthening the United States' economic and security relationships around the world,Senator Udall said.I am glad that the Senate came together to passthe Tropical Forest Conservation Act, which represents the sensible and creative approach to policy-making that we need to take if we want to confront the increasingly grave threats to our planet and global stability. I believe that conservation is one of the greatest gifts we can give to future generations, and that we have a responsibility to preserve and pass down the incredible natural wonders we've inherited, Senator Burr stated. I'm proud to be a part of this bipartisan effort to help protect tropical forests and coral reef systems. Carbon pollution and other human activity is driving dramatic changes in our oceans, on land, and in the atmosphere. That's why it's more important than ever to protect beautiful but fragile places like tropical forests and coral reefs. This bipartisan bill will help American allies preserve these habitats for threatened species and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere to fight climate change, said Senator Whitehouse. This program has already saved enough tropical forests to fill the entire state of Colorado, and with our update, we can start protecting coral reefs too, Senator Schatz said. I'm glad our bill has passed the Senate, and I hope the House of Representatives and the President will do the right thing and make it law. The Tropical Forest Conservation Act is a program with proven results, having protected millions of acres of forests while strengthening America's partnerships with developing nations,said Kerry Cesareo, Vice President for Forests at World Wildlife Fund (WWF).""By reauthorizing and expanding it to include coral reef ecosystems,this bipartisanlegislation will build on these past successes to encourage our partners to continue to protect these irreplaceable natural treasures, including the rainforests of the sea.' Ifsignedinto law, it will help drive economic prosperity both at home and abroad. It's a triple win for people, species, and nature."" When we invest in conservation abroad, we protect important wildlife habitat around the world and enhance our own country's economy and national security, said Lynn Scarlett, Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations at The Nature Conservancy. By protecting tropical forests that store carbon, the Tropical Forest Conservation Act taps into a natural climate solution that helps countries across the globe reduce harmful carbon emissions. This expanded legislation will now protect other forests and coral reefs, heightening benefits to local economies and communities. We are grateful to the Senate and especially to Sens. Portman, Udall, Burr, Whitehouse and Schatz for supporting this bill and these significant international conservation efforts. U.S. government leadership on international conservation strategies such as debt-for-nature swaps is respected globally. Protecting intact forests, coral reefs and the communities that rely upon these natural resources can strengthen governance structures and our natural security, said Kelly Keenan Aylward, Washington Office Director for the Wildlife Conservation Society. Thanks to Senators Rob Portman, Tom Udall, Richard Burr, Sheldon Whitehouse and Brian Schatz who have shepherded the Tropical Forest Conservation Act through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the U.S. government's continued ability to negotiate debt-for-nature swaps with foreign countries is close at hand. Conservation International commends the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act. The Tropical Forest Conservation Act (TFCA) is already a highly successful program that has saved more than 67 million acres of tropical forest since the program was first enacted in 1998. Today's reauthorization significantly expands the TFCA to protect coral reef ecosystems, enabling the protection of some of the world's most biologically diverse areas. We applaud the leadership of Senators Portman and Udall as well as Representatives Chabot, Royce, and Engle, said James Roth, SVP of Global Policy for Conservation International. NOTE:Portman first introduced the TFCA in 1998 as a member of the House of Representatives. According to the Congressional Research Service, since 1998, 20 TFCA agreements have been completed with 14 countries, raising more than $339 million for tropical forest conservation. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F9B00281-06A6-4C52-BE54-7ED0CBB14031,"Portman, Udall, Burr, Coons, and Whitehouse Praise Senate Passage of DELTA Act to Protect the Okavango River Delta",2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Tom Udall (D-NM), Richard Burr (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today praised the Senate passage, by unanimous consent, of the Defending Economic Livelihoods and Threatened Animals (DELTA) Act, legislation that encourages the U.S. to develop a strategy to protect the Okavango River Delta in southern Africa. The House of Representatives passed the bipartisan bill earlier this year. The legislation will now head to the president's desk to be signed into law. As a co-chair of the International Conservation Caucus, I believe we must confront the threats to wildlife and natural resources around the world, and I'm pleased the Senate has unanimously approved this legislation to encourage the U.S. to develop a strategy to protect the Okavango River Delta in southern Africa, said Senator Portman. The Okavango Delta is a precious water resource that is home to more than one million people and serves as a critical habitat to some of the world's most endangered species that continue to face a variety of threats from wildlife traffickers, poachers, and others. I am proud to protect this important resource and the people, wildlife, and ecosystems that depend on it, and I urge the president to sign this legislation into law as soon as possible. The Okavango River Delta is an unspoiled wilderness a delicate region of deep ecological, cultural, and economic importance to surrounding nations and to the world, said Senator Udall. It is home to some of the world's most iconic species and serves as a vital lifeline and watershed for over one million people throughout the region. But this diverse ecosystem is being threatened by industrial development and wildlife traffickers. I'm proud the Senate passed the DELTA Act today, bipartisan legislation to leverage key partnerships that would help safeguard this precious wetland by promoting long-term conservation efforts, economic growth, and greater stability. Together, we can preserve this priceless intact ecosystem for generations to come. I'm pleased to see the Senate unanimously approve the DELTA Act today, which furthers important conservation efforts in southern Africa's Okavango River watershed and around the globe, said Senator Burr. As a co-chair of the International Conservation Caucus, I appreciate the importance of preserving national treasures for future generations. I look forward to improved cooperation and information sharing with local authorities in the region to protect these lands and habitats for years to come. I am pleased to see the DELTA Act pass the Senate, said Senator Coons. This is a great win for wildlife, water, and habitat in the Okavango Delta region in southern Africa. I look forward to continuing to work with U.S. agencies and our partners in the region to combat wildlife poaching and promote conservation as a key component of economic development. The DELTA Act is an important piece of bipartisan legislation that will help preserve the Okavango River Basin and the communities and unique wildlife that depend on it for survival, said Senator Whitehouse. This region boasts one of the world's most diverse ecosystems and serves as an imperative water resource, yet it currently faces grave threats from wildlife traffickers and unsustainable development. I was proud to cosponsor this bill and work with my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to promote international conservation efforts. By passing the DELTA Act, the Senate has voted its confidence in the countries of Southern Africa and their ability to build a prosperous future through conservation. These countries have demonstrated vision and leadership through the creation of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, or KAZA, home to half of Africa's remaining elephants, incredible natural wonders such as Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta, and some of the most successful community-based conservation programs in the world. The DELTA Act will direct greater attention to the management and conservation of the Okavango River basin, helping to protect a globally-significant region and building on existing efforts to ensure thriving wildlife populations and prosperous communities. We look forward to the president signing this legislation, which demonstrates yet again that global conservation is an issue that both Republican and Democratic leaders can embrace, said Nik Sekhran, Chief Conservation Officer, World Wildlife Fund. ""The DELTA Act will help to improve the livelihoods of the communities who live in the greater delta region through better resource management, while also protecting the natural biodiversity and wildlife of the delta region for future generations. We applaud the leadership of Senators Portman, Udall, Burr, Coons, and Whitehouse on the DELTA Act and the U.S. Senate for supporting the passage of this important international conservation work,"" said Dawson Hunter, Senior Director U.S. Government Policy, Conservation International. ""The 'Jewel of the Kalahari', the Okavango Delta, is one of the most magnificent ecosystems in the world. Thanks to the leadership of the International Conservation Caucus in the House and Senate, the United States will now have a mandate to work with the governments of Botswana and others in the region to assure that future generations can appreciate this biodiverse gem while its local good stewards optimize the economic benefits of managing it well,"" said David H. Barron Founder, International Conservation Caucus Foundation. We appreciate Senator Portman's leadership and efforts toward protecting critical habitat and encouraging conservation internationally in the DELTA Act. Protecting wildlife species and encouraging cooperation between all stakeholders knows no national boundaries said Bill Stanley, Executive Director for The Nature Conservancy in Ohio. Measures in this important piece of legislation will really make a positive difference in the critically important Okavango River basin which faces many conservation-related challenges. NOTE: Senators Portman and Udall along with Senators Burr, Coons, and Whitehouse as original cosponsors introduced the DELTA Act earlier this year. This legislation would encourage the U.S. to work with the governments of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and neighboring countries Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as nongovernmental organizations to facilitate transboundary cooperation, improve water and natural resources management, and protect threatened wildlife species that depend on the Okavango River Basin as a critical habitat. The bill authorizes the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide technical assistance to governments and local communities for water and natural resource management, and to build the capacity of local law enforcement, park rangers, and community leaders to combat illegal poaching and wildlife trafficking. The bill requires State and USAID to provide Congress a report within one year on the progress of the strategy. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gibbs.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/gibbs-passes-bipartisan-clean-water-legislation,Gibbs Passes Bipartisan Clean Water Legislation,2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Bob Gibbs,G000563,gibbs.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Bob Gibbs (R-OH) and Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (D-CA) led a bipartisan group to pass the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, which codifies the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Integrated Planning initiative into law. Through this program, municipalities can prioritize water infrastructure projects to maximize environmental and health benefits while working toward EPA compliance. The bill is supported by U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Counties, National League of Cities, American Public Works Association,and the National Association of Regional Councils. Many of our nation's cities, towns, and municipalities are faced with EPA mandates, aging water infrastructure, and rising repair or construction costs, said Congressman Bob Gibbs. These problems, and the price to fix them, ultimately fall on residents. Integrated Planning can help bridge the gaps between these issues, encourage innovative solutions, and prevent undue financial burdens on ratepayers. Access to clean and affordable water utilities is important to everyone, and the municipalities tasked with delivering it should have every tool at their disposal. I want to thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle for coming together to find solutions to the water infrastructure problems our communities face. Our legislation will greatly assist communities nationwide by providing them with flexibility to address their MS4 storm water permits, while ensuring the protection of our nation's rivers, lakes, and streams, said Congresswoman Grace Napolitano. I thank the House leadership for bringing our legislation to the floor and Congressman Gibbs for his willingness to work with us to reach an agreement on this important issue. No hard-working American families should be forced go without water and wastewater services simply because their local rates are too high. Congressman Gibbs has long understood the growing clean water challenges that communities large and small face every day. said Adam Krantz, NACWA's Chief Executive Officer. He has remained a steadfast leader in helping to provide additional help to those communities through his strong bipartisan legislation to codify Integrated Planning and ensure his constituents are further provided with safer and more reliable and affordable public clean water services. NACWA greatly appreciates Congressman Gibbs incredible dedication and hard work on this issue for the past several years. This legislation would not been possible without his efforts. Original cosponsors include Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH), Congressman Steve Chabot (R-OH), Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH), and Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL). The text of the bill can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://joyce.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=25&itemid=375,Harmful Algal Blooms funding,2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Dave Joyce,J000295,joyce.house.gov,,,legacy,"How to use: Insert <span class=""EXACT_VALUE_LABEL_AS_ENTERED_BELOW"">&nbsp;</span> where you'd like the value to be populated. Non-breaking space within span tags - &nbsp; - is required for WYSIWYG. Label (no spaces or special characters) Value Comments (optional) repName John Smith helpWithFedAgencyAddress Haverhill District Office 1234 S. Courthouse Haverhill, CA 35602 district 21st District of California academyUSCitizenDate July 1, 2012 academyAgeDate July 1, 2012 academyApplicationDueDate October 20, 2012 repStateABBR AZ repDistrict 1 repState Arizona repDistrictText 1st repPhoto SponsoredBills Sponsored Bills CoSponsoredBills Co-Sponsored Bills",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/2018/12/turner-on-mattis,TURNER on Mattis,2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,,0,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z https://turner.house.gov/2018/12/turner-on-wpafb-active-shooter-investigation-findings,TURNER on WPAFB Active Shooter Investigation Findings,2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,,0,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-on-wpafb-active-shooter-investigation-findings,TURNER on WPAFB Active Shooter Investigation Findings,2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) issued the following statement regarding Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's investigation into the active shooter incident from August: I want to congratulate Commander Thomas Sherman of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on his leadership on what was clearly a thorough investigation into the active shooter incident in August. As we expected, this investigation resulted in a number of recommendations that need to be implemented on the base. As this report shows, our community is very lucky that serious injury did not occur on the base that day. I look forward to continuing to work with the base and assist as needed as they implement these new changes to improve safety.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=319257D5-8E0F-482D-97AA-848A102B59F4,New Portman-Cardin Retirement Security Legislation Receives Widespread Praise,2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. New retirement security legislation introduced today by U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) the Retirement Security & Savings Act received widespread praise from key stakeholders that support bipartisan reforms to help Americans save more for retirement and increase access to 401(k)s and other retirement plans. Here's what key stakeholders are saying about the new Portman-Cardin retirement security legislation: Senators Portman and Cardin are leaders in providing bipartisan solutions to retirement savings, said Dave Gray, Head of Retirement Products and Solutions for Fidelity Investments. This bill features common sense and needed enhancements that can go a long way towards helping Americans achieve their retirement savings goals. The U.S. Chamber looks forward to working with Senators Portman and Cardin on this bipartisan bill that builds on the strengths of our current employer-provided retirement system, said Aliya Robinson, Executive Director of Retirement Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. By expanding incentives for small employers to offer retirement plans, updating outdated rules, and simplifying burdensome administrative requirements, this legislation provides a significant opportunity to improve retirement security for American workers, said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. For many years, retirement policy legislation has enjoyed a tradition of bipartisanship, and Senators Portman and Cardin have been leaders in this regard, said Lynn Dudley, Senior Vice President, Global Retirement and Compensation Policy, American Benefits Council.The American Benefits Council has been privileged to work with the Senators on their many retirement policy achievements over more than 20 years. This new legislation follows their practice of thoughtful, balanced and practical measures to enhance retirement security. The bill would serve plan sponsors and participants alike, by (1)expanding coverage, (2) facilitating greater savings, including through enhancement of automatic enrollment, and (3) reducing plan costs,including simplifying the mechanics of correcting inadvertent errors. We thank the Senators for the opportunity to have identified aspects of retirement law that merit reform and improvement. We strongly support this bill and look forward to working with its authors as the bill moves through the legislative process. We applaud provisions in the bill that will improve the retirement security of today's workers, said David Certner, Legislative Counsel and Policy Director, AARP.In particular, we support the bill's extension of retirement plan coverage to part-time workers, which will significantly improve retirement savings options for millions of uncovered workers. In addition, we support the bill's expansion of the existing SAVERS' tax credit and making it refundable, which will help millions of low and modest income savers, and increase retirement savings for those least able to save. TIAA applauds the continued bipartisan leadership of Senators Portman and Cardin and we thank them for their unwavering dedication to helping ensure a secure retirement for millions of Americans. We especially appreciate the emphasis their legislation puts on the importance of lifetime income, a vital piece to solving today's retirement security challenges, said Lori Dickerson Fouch, Senior Executive Vice President and CEO of Retail, TIAA. Senators Portman and Cardin have introduced a bipartisan bill that will significantly improve retirement security for all Americans, said Ron O'Hanley, State Street Corporation President and COO. This bill will expand coverage, create incentives for small businesses, and remove barriers to securing guaranteed lifetime income. We have long-argued reforms such as these are necessary in order to dramatically reduce the number of people who are at risk of outliving their savings in retirement. The Church Alliance has appreciated the ongoing support Senators Cardin and Portman have demonstrated for the retirement security of those who serve faith communities, said Church Alliance Chair and CEO of Wespath Benefits and Investments Barbara Boigegrain. We are pleased to see two provisions included in the Retirement Security & Savings Act of 2018 that would set retirement plans on even footing with individual retirements accounts. One would allow participants to direct charitable distributions from retirement plan accounts, and the other would bring fairer treatment of beneficiaries of inherited retirement plan accounts. We are grateful to Senators Portman and Cardin as they once again take the lead in offering reforms to provide American workers with a more secure retirement. Their proposed legislation would expand coverage and encourage higher savings rates, promote lifetime income options and reduce administrative burdens. We look forward to working with them to achieve these important reforms, said Edmund F. Murphy III, President of Empower Retirement. We want to thank Senators Portman and Cardin and their respective staffs for the tremendous efforts they put into the retirement legislation they plan to introduce this week. The bill has great potential to significantly improve retirement security for middle-class Americans, particularly by increasing their access to guaranteed lifetime income. From the perspective of our client the Committee of Annuity Insurers, the provisions of the bill that would remove barriers for life annuities under the required minimum distribution rules, enact important reforms for qualifying longevity annuity contracts, facilitate annuity portability, and clarify the substantially equal periodic payment rules for annuities are particularly important. These changes have been long sought by the Committee, and we truly appreciate your great work in bringing them one step closer, said the Committee of Annuity Insurers. The bill introduced by Senators Portman and Cardin motivates employees to save for the future and incentivizes employers to start retirement plans. Together, this will help our country to save more. People want to save and have a secure retirement -- all they need is a nudge in that direction. And that is what the bill would do - nudge employees toward saving by enhancing automatic enrollment in plans. The bill also transforms the Saver's Credit from cash to a retirement plan contribution, helping those most in need to save more. It also addresses the gap in retirement plan coverage by providing assistance in the form of tax credits to small businesses that start a plan. This is a great bill that will do so much to enhance savings in our country, said LPL advisor Mark Van Drunen CFP, Hudson, Ohio. The National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators enthusiastically endorses the Retirement Security and Savings Act of 2018. The bipartisan leadership Senators Portman and Cardin continue to provide in retirement policy is once again demonstrated in this bill, which makes a number of important improvements to the defined contribution plans that state and local governments offer their employees. These provisions will help our employees save more of their own money for retirement and make the plans easier for state and local governments to administer. For example, the bill would eliminate the antiquated first day of the month rule for 457 defined contribution plans, enabling participants to change their payroll contributions at any time during the month. The bill allows 403(b) plans to use collective investment trusts and separate accounts, giving public school employees access to the same lower cost investment vehicles available to other state and local government employees, said Cindy Rehmeier, President of NAGDCA and Manager of Defined Contribution Plans, Missouri State Employees' Retirement System (MOSERS). ""Based on my experience working with clients in Zanesville, Ohio for nearly 20 years, I believe that this bill is a great example of our elected officials doing the right thing by helping Americans save for a secure retirement. The bill would stop forcing retirement savers to take distributions at age 70 1/2, replacing that age with age 75. The bill will also help small business owners establish a retirement plan by giving them a bigger tax credit to cover their plan-related expenses. This is exactly what is needed to broaden retirement coverage. I appreciate Senator Portman's leadership on this legislation and look forward to passage of this bill, which would do so much good for retirement savers, said Scott Barr, an advisor for Edward Jones in Zanesville, Ohio. We are pleased to express our enthusiastic support for the legislation introduced by Senators Portman and Cardin, said Paul Richman, Vice President Government Affairs of Insured Retirement Institute. The legislation they have proposed today demonstrates their continued leadership in putting forth common-sense, bipartisan policies to help Americans as they seek to achieve their retirement goals. The measures contained in the bill are a positive step forward towards expanding access to workplace retirement plans and increasing access to guaranteed lifetime income options, all of which will help Americans better prepare for their retirement years. Too often, families enter retirement unprepared. The Retirement Security & Savings Act of 2018 wisely addresses all phases of the retirement preparedness challenge, said Kirt Walker, President and COO of Nationwide Financial Services. I look forward to working with Sens. Portman and Cardin to help this thoughtful bipartisan proposal become law. Retirement plan coverage among small employers remains far too low, because of the cost of maintaining small plans. Help is needed from lawmakers. We believe that the bill introduced by Senators Portman and Cardin would deliver exactly the type of help that is needed by reducing plan costs for small employers and providing enhanced tax credits to help cover remaining costs. We applaud the leadership of Senators Portman and Cardin and look forward to helping them move this bill forward, said Jeanne de Cervens, Vice President & Director of Transamerica Federal Government Affairs. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=BBDD49D9-AE57-40AA-AED3-1C4B88CC65BE,"On Senate Floor, Portman Joins Colleagues to Discuss Bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act",2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) joined his colleagues Angus King (I-ME) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) to discuss the Restore Our Parks Act, bipartisan legislation they co-authored that would help address more than half of the nearly$12 billion backlog of long-delayed maintenance projects at the National Park Service. The bill would do so by establishing the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund to reduce the maintenance backlog by allocating half of the existing unobligated revenues the government receives from on and offshore energy development up to $1.3 billion per year for the next five years.The Restore Our Parks Act passed the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources by a bipartisan margin of 19-4 and awaits action on the Senate floor. Transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here. I'm here on the floor today to talk about legislation that helps our national parks, something that everyone on this floor has been supportive of over the years, and I'm here with a couple of colleagues who spent a lot of time and effort focused on that issue. One isSenatorAngus King, who is an Independent, although he organizes over there with the Democrats. He and his colleague,SenatorMark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, have been very involved in this issue and have introduced legislation to address the unmet needs in our parks. It's a critical issue right now, $12 billion in a deferred maintenance backlog in our national parks. Many of our roads and bridges and water systems and railroads in my home state, where we have a railroad running through a national park, are crumbling and we need to address it. We're going to hear a little fromSenatorKing today about that. The other colleague I want to talk about isSenatorAlexander. He has been a champion for the parks over the years. In fact, my recollection is a few decades ago President Ronald Reagan named him to a commission on the outdoors, probably when he was governor of Tennessee, one of his many jobs he's had, including being secretary of education, and also president of the University of Tennessee. But through all his jobs and through his lifetime he has been a huge supporter of the national parks and understands as well as anybody else, given he's from Tennessee, where they have unmet needs, the desperate need right now for us to figure out a way to address this maintenance backlog. I mentioned $12 billion. That's a big price tag and it's more than the funding we give the parks each year can possibly accommodate. It's about long-term capital costs. I think it was Senator Alexander and others who have said it's almost like we have a debt unpaid. That debt needs to be paid in order for us to continue to have our national parks. We have a shining example for our country and the rest of the world. 330 million visitors last year at our national parks. Think about that. Visitation is up and yet you have this crumbling infrastructure and huge issues that must be addressed. We've come up with a creative way to deal with it. It takes the revenue from the onshore and offshore federal energy projects and says, ok if it's on federal land, some of the royalties come to the federal government. Let's take not the money that's already going to the Land and Water Conservation Fund and other good purposes, but let's take half of the part that has no other allocation currently and let's use it to address this issue. And by doing so, we think we can address half of the backlog, about $6 billion over the next five years. Now it so happens that the National Park Service has been asked to look at all these projects and come up with which ones are of immediate concernand where there's a true crisis where you've got to address it now or the need's going to get much greater. And, by the way, the taxpayer costs are going to increase dramatically because this is a compounding problem. When you don't fix the roof you end up having to repair and replace the entire building. We believe there is a way to do this, a sensible way for us to use some of this funding. And guess what? So do a lot of other people all around the country because we've got support from all kinds of groups who are supporting the parks around the country, conservation groups, groups that care a lot about what the experience is of the visitor at the parks. We've also got support from our colleagues in the House. They have a companion bill that's bipartisan also, Republicans and Democrats alike are supporting it. It's gotten strong support in their committees over there, as this bill has gotten in our committee here. In fact, it got out of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee with a big bipartisan vote. And then finally, and in some respects maybe most importantly, as a former Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the administration is supporting it, because sometimes the administration is careful about supporting proposals that have to do with this sort of spending, the mandatory spending, so called that comes from the revenue from these natural gas and oil resources that are on federal lands, offshore and onshore. We have the Trump administration supporting it. We have so many colleagues on both sides of the aisle supporting it. We have so many outside groups supporting it. Why? It's just time to do it. It's very a sensible idea. It will save taxpayer dollars over the long haul because, again, by fixing these crumbling projects and infrastructure you won't have the huge additional costs that would be borne otherwise. Let's face it, these parks are our treasure and our legacy, and we need to protect them. With that, I'm going to ask my colleague from Tennessee to say a few words and my colleague from Maine to say a few words in whatever order they would like to go in. Let me just finally say, this is a sad note. I learned on Monday that my colleague from Tennessee who is about to speak has decided that at age 78 it's time for him to enjoy a more peaceful and enjoyable lifestyle outside the United States Senate, and he's not running for reelection in two years. Two years is a long time. We're going to get a lot done together. This bill is one of them. I'm going to miss him a lot. He is the best legislator, I think, in the United States Senate, which I think is saying a lot. There are a lot of great legislators here. He can bring together different partiesnot just Democrats and Republicans, but sometimes within our parties personalities and so on are not easy to deal with. He manages to smooth all the feathers and get things done. I hope this parks bill will be an example of that. He's been a leader on this issue, and I've had a great experience working with him already, and, again, I hope that working together this will be one of the many legacy items that he will get to talk to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren about. With that, I would like to turn it over to Senator King from Maine and then Senator Alexander from Tennessee I appreciate the comments of my colleagues, both from Maine and from Tennessee. They're both absolutely right, this legislation is ready to be passed. We've done the hard work, we've done the research, and we've looked at a number of creative ways to handle this backlog that everybody wants to get at. Everybody agrees that our national parks are such crown jewels of our country and we need to address it. Everybody knows that if you don't fix the roof and the building ends up falling down, you have to pay a lot more. So to the point that this is a debt unpaid, it is also a debt that grows because it compounds over time, and these are two former governors who just spoke, and they did this in their own states, what you might call capital budgetingin other words, looking not just at your annual expenses for, in this case, park rangers and naturalists, but to actually look at how do you take a building that is about to fall down and put the enormous expense into that to ensure that you are that you save money over time. I will say that I've been all around my state. We don't have parks that are quite as big as Acadia or the Smokies, but we do have a lot of beautiful parks in Ohio. One is the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It is actually number 13 in the country now on visitation, between Akron and Cleveland, Ohio. It is a fantastic opportunity for young people who come every year, school kids. And, by the way, there's lots of volunteer work going on at all of these parks, including Cuyahoga Valley. We're not talking about displacing the volunteer work that's being done. It's very effective at building the trails, at ensuring that young people in particular can be involved in helping our national parks, that they have an opportunity to do so. There's also a lot of friends groups out there. The friends group in Cuyahoga Valley National Park happens to be headed now by the national president of the friends group. All these parks have great groups of private citizens who give their money, private foundations who give their money, for our national parks. That's all needed. But they cannot afford the $12 billion maintenance backlog that is the responsibility of the federal government. And so $47 million, as an example, is needed at Cuyahoga Valley National Park to fix the railroad I talked about, to fix a bridge that I saw about to fall down, to fix the roof at a visitor center that's about to fall down. It's also $47 million for a monument off Lake Erie. The Perry Monument. And some of you know the story of Admiral Perry, well there is a seawall there to protect the Perry Monument and the interpretive center there. Well that seawall is crumbling. And it's a huge expense to repair a seawall as a coastal governor like Governor King will tell you. And so that's a maintenance backlog issue that has to be addressed in this kind of a capital bill. I am very excited about the opportunity to get this done. I think Senator Alexander is right, it is going to be difficult to get it done this week because we're up against the end of the year and we have so many other priorities. On the other hand, this one has not just bipartisan support, but I would say nonpartisan support, and bicameral support. And it's one of those that, I think Senator Alexander is exactly right, we ought to put at the top of the agenda. It will be a great win. I think the American people are looking for wins right now. I think people are wondering, how can divided government work? Here is an example of how it can work. You have the administration, Democrats, and Republicans alike saying this is a problemlong in the making, by the wayit has been years and years of us delaying the expenditures for these capital improvements that are needed. And wouldn't it be great, so we're going to hit the ground running. Come January we'll reintroduce our legislation with Senator Alexander and Senator King and Senator Warner are going to be out there getting cosponsorsfor any staff who happen to be listening, we're talking to you and your member because you ought to be on this bill, if you're not one of the more than one-third of the Senate that's already a part of it. And I just can't thank my colleagues enough for showing up today to talk a little about this. I know Senator Warner is busy with other meetings right now, but speaking for him, I will just say he came up with this, I think, very creative idea. I want to thank him for his hard work on this and I know that his home state with the Blue Ridge and other great national parks, he's got the same sense of urgency that all of us have, which is if we don't address this and don't address this now, we're going to see the visitor experience be diminished, we're going to see lot of higher costs for taxpayers. This is the time. We have the organizations behind us. Senator Alexander talked about 100 conservation organizations. I didn't know there were 100 conservation organizations. But they're all on board and they understand that this is the opportunity to do something very significant. I think Senator Alexander is right. Probably in the 100-year history of our national parks there has never been a single bill that can make such a big difference, maybe not since Teddy Roosevelt decided to start acquiring land to protect our American treasures. So we need to get this done, and I thank my colleagues and I welcome them to make any final comments. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=CACA6652-B2BE-4EB7-BF57-8C525564002F,"On Senate Floor, Portman Honors Outgoing Senator Dean Heller",2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Last night on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) recognized the career of Senator Dean Heller (R-NV). Senator Heller serves alongside Portman on the Senate Finance Committee. Transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here. Among the colleagues of ours who will not be rejoining us in January is Dean Heller. Senator Heller hails from Nevada and he is a good friend. He's also a valued member of this body and we're going to miss him. Dean is a classic servant leader, dedicated to public service. He served in all kinds of role in his community, his state, his country, and he's always done it with class and humility. He grew up in Carson City, Nevada, with his five brothers and sisters. He said he started working at his dad's auto shop in middle school. You know what, I think he brought some of those skills he learned in middle school on the shop floor here in the United States Senate because, like every good mechanic, he's optimistic. Every mechanic thinks he can fix whatever problem you have. That's Dean Heller. He rolls up his sleeves and gets to work. He has the determination to make things better. That's as true when he's working on a car as it is when he's working on legislative solutions here in the United States Congress. He's been devoted to helping his community for a long time. He served for two terms on the Nevada assembly representing Carson City and then served three terms as Nevada's Secretary of State before being elected to represent the state's Second Congressional District in the House of Representatives across the way there. Later he was appointed to the United States Senate, and then he won his election to the United States Senate in 2012. I've had the privilege of working with Dean Heller a lot on issues. We both serve on the Senate Finance Committee. We have jurisdiction over a lot of things, including tax reform. During the tax reform process over the last year, we worked hard together and I saw the hard work and determination that he first developed working in his dad's auto body shop. I saw someone who was solutions driven, someone who wanted to create a better future for the people he represents. He was effective in a number of ways with regard to helping others, helping with opportunity. One that he worked with the presiding officer on was doubling the child tax credit. It's a provision in the new tax law that puts more money back in the pockets of hardworking families in America. He also served on the Senate Banking Committee, the Veterans' Affairs Committee, the Commerce Committee. He's been involved in a lot of the issues that this body takes up. In fact, more than 100 of his bills have become law during his time here in the United States Senate. That means he reached across the aisle to help his fellow Nevadans. His presence is going to be missed but I know he will keep trying to make things better. I know he'll stay busy back home doing things he loves, baling hay on his ranch, restoring stock cars he grew up racing, horse-packing, hunting, fishing, spending time with his great family. He and his wife, Lynne have been married for more than 30 years, have four kids and three grandkids. I know he's looking forward to spending more time with them this holiday season. In fact, he's told me for one of his holiday traditions, he gets out his trombone and his kids and their spouses all grab instruments and they play music. The Heller Band' performs some famous, well-known Christmas holiday songs. I'd love to see thatI'm not sure I'd like to hear it, but I'd love to see it. Dean with his trombone. Let me just say, it's been an honor to serve with Dean Heller. He's a great guy and a privilege to work with. I know he has a bright future outside of this place. I look forward to continuing to staying in touch. We'll miss him knowing his work is not done. We hope to continue to work with him. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F4E2B93E-713F-4080-8596-D6CD2E7DFC02,"Portman, Cardin Introduce Sweeping Reforms to Strengthen Americans Retirement Security",2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bipartisan Legislation Would Increase Savings in IRAs and Workplace Savings Plans, Expand Coverage & Simplify Retirement Plan Rules WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduced the Retirement Security & Savings Act, a broad set of reforms designed to help Americans save more for retirement and increase access to 401(k)s and other retirement plans. The measure includes more than 50 provisions to increase savings in 401(k)s and IRAs, help improve coverage in the small employer market and among part-time workers, reduce barriers to lifetime income retirement options, and allow employees to keep retirement savings in an IRA or qualified plan until they need them for retirement expenses instead of being forced to deplete their savings after age 70 and a half. A link to the bill text is here. The legislation builds on Portman and Cardin's previous success in enacting sweeping reforms to enhance the retirement system as members of the House of Representatives in 1996, 2001, and 2006. Of note, the 2001 Portman-Cardin measure more than doubled contribution limits to IRAs, allowed portability between different types of qualified retirement plans, and created the ability for older workers to make catch-up contributions to 401(k)s and IRAs. Since it became law, 401(k) and other defined contribution plan assets have increased by 179 percent and savings in IRAs, including rollovers from retirement plans, have more than tripled. Overall, U.S. retirement savings have increased from $11.3 trillion in 2001 to $28.3 trillion today. Over the last two decades, we've made progress in helping Americans save more for their retirement, but we need to do more. It's a positive development that U.S. retirement savings have increased from $11.3 trillion in 2001 to $28.3 trillion today, said Senator Portman. Unfortunately, our savings rate remains too low and there are far too many Americans without any retirement nest egg at all. After a lifetime of work, Americans deserve the opportunity to enjoy a financially-secure retirement. That's why Senator Cardin and I are once again leading this bipartisan effort to help strengthen the retirement security of all Americans. Ensuring that families and workers can retire with dignity is an ongoing, and strongly bipartisan, effort. While we've made important policy improvements over the years, Congress needs to work continually with participants, retirees, and other stakeholders to make sure that retirement security is achievable, especially as our economy changes, said Senator Cardin. I'm proud to once again work with Senator Portman to strengthen our system, including by improving plan access, promoting lifetime income solutions, and helping all Americans save more for their retirement. NOTE: The senators will continue their efforts to improve this legislation, which establishes a foundation for a broader bipartisan, bicameral retirement policy debate next Congress. The Retirement Security & Savings Act is supported by the American Benefits Council, AARP, Fidelity, Nationwide, Empower Retirement, TIAA, the Committee for Annuity Insurers, Transamerica, LPL Financial, Edward Jones, State Street Corporation, Church Alliance, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Insured Retirement Institute, and the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Plan Administrators (NAGDCA). In order to help Americans save more for their retirement, the bill includes the following reforms: Increasing Retirement Savings in IRAs and Workplace Plans The bill establishes a new automatic enrollment safe harbor for employers to meet nondiscrimination requirements. Under current law, the automatic deferral may be just three percent of salary for the employee's first year. The provision would set the minimum default level of contributions at six percent in the first year, and escalate it to 10 percent within five years. The measure makes the Saver's Credit refundable and requires that the credit be contributed directly to a Roth account in a retirement plan or to a Roth IRA. The bill also allows taxpayers to claim the saver's credit on their 1040-EZ, and expand the group eligible for a 20 percent credit instead of a 10 percent credit. The bill allows employers to make matching contributions to retirement accounts of employees paying off qualified student loan debts. The bill expands retirement plans to include part-time employees working between 500 and 1,000 hours per year. Under current law, employers generally may exclude part-time employees (employees who work fewer than 1,000 hours per year) when providing a defined contribution plan to their employees. The bill requires employers maintaining a 401(k) plan to have a dual eligibility requirement under which an employee must complete either a one year of service requirement (with the 1,000-hour rule) or two consecutive years of service where the employee completes at least 500 hours of service. Improving Access to Workplace Plans in the Small Employer Market The bill substantially increases the tax credit under current law for small businesses that adopt a new qualified retirement plan. Under current law, the credit cannot exceed $500; under the provision, small businesses could claim a credit as large as $5,000. The measure allows small businesses to self-correct all inadvertent plan violations under the IRS' Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS) without a submission to the IRS, unless otherwise specified in regulations. The bill creates a new three-year, $500 tax credit for employer-sponsored retirement programs that automatically re-enroll plan participants at least everythree years. The bill provides targeted relief from top-heavy rules in order to encourage employers to allow employees to start saving before the law requires it. Reducing Costs and Other Barriers to Lifetime Income Retirement Options The bill more easily facilitates the sale of Qualifying Longevity Annuity Contracts (QLACs), a type of deferred annuities that begin payment at the end of an individual's life expectancy, and a very inexpensive way for retirees to hedge the risk of outliving their savings. The bill eliminates significant current-law penalties and restrictions on obtaining guaranteed income for life. Relief from Onerous Minimum Distribution Rules for Individuals The bill provides an exception from the required minimum distribution rules for individuals with $100,000 or less in aggregate retirement savings. The measure increases the age at which individuals are required to begin drawing down their retirement from an IRA or qualified plan. Under current law, the beginning age is 70 and a half; the bill increases the age to 72 in 2023 and 75 in 2030. The bill reduces the excise tax for failing to take required minimum distributions, lowering it from 50 percent of the shortfall owed to at most 25 percent, and to 10 percent or zero in other cases. The measure requires the Treasury Department to update the mortality tables that qualified plans must use in calculating annual required minimum distributions. The current tables are almost 20 years old and force individuals to withdraw their assets too quickly. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399709,"Stivers, Balderson Send Letter in Support of Buckeye Lake Region Watershed Plan",2018-12-18,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Last week, Congressman Steve Stivers (R-OH) and Congressman Troy Balderson (R-OH) sent a letter to the District Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in support of the South Licking Conservancy's request for a watershed plan in the upcoming year. This watershed plan will help the community address water quality concerns, increase public safety and awareness, address flooding issues in the area, and provide certainty for any economic impacts the community can expect as revitalization of the Buckeye Lake region continues. share: f t WASHINGTON Last week, Congressman Steve Stivers (R-OH) and Congressman Troy Balderson (R-OH) sent a letter to the District Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in support of the South Licking Conservancy's request for a watershed plan in the upcoming year. This watershed plan will help the community address water quality concerns, increase public safety and awareness, address flooding issues in the area, and provide certainty for any economic impacts the community can expect as revitalization of the Buckeye Lake region continues. Three years ago, when deficiencies were found with the dam along Buckeye Lake, we came together as a community and executed a plan to ensure the future of the region. I was proud to work with the Army Corps of Engineers, along with local and state officials, to bring the lake back to normal as soon as possible. However, there is still work we can do, Stivers said. A watershed plan would be critical to establishing the necessary safeguards to prevent more issues in the future that would hurt the region. I hope the Army Corps of Engineers will give this request their full consideration, and urge them to make the South Licking Conservancy watershed plan a priority. I am proud to support the South Licking Conservancy watershed plan, said Balderson. This plan will provide much needed aid in the recovery of the Buckeye Lake region. It is my hope that the Army Corps of Engineers will recognize the urgency and importance of ensuring the long-term safety and vitality of Buckeye Lake and the many small businesses that make it a treasure of Ohio's vibrant State Park system. Stivers worked with the Army Corps of Engineers in the Huntington District to secure a design/build contract for the Buckeye Lake Community, which cut the time required to make the necessary repairs to the dam. This important next step would provide the region with the guidance and resources they need to address issues when they arise and continue on the path to revitalization. Prior to being elected as the Representative for Ohio's 12th District, Balderson represented much of Buckeye Lake as the Senator for Ohio's 20th State Senate District. Congressman Balderson has previously worked with the local community and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to help fast-track the rehabilitation project and encourage small businesses in the Buckeye Lake area to participate in the Lakes in Economic Distress Grant Program. Balderson looks forward to supporting the ongoing efforts from the Federal level. The text of the letter can be found below, and the final PDF can be found by clicking here. Colonel Jason Evers District Commander U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 502 Eighth Street Huntington, WV 25701-2070 COL Jason Evers, Three years ago, major deficiencies were discovered in the dam along Buckeye Lake, and we learned that there would be serious consequences if it was not addressed immediately. The surrounding communities came together around a unified plan, and in unison with the Army Corps, worked to revitalize the dam and ensure the future of Buckeye Lake and the region for decades to come. I was proud to work with the Army Corps of Engineers in the Huntington District to help secure a design/build contract for the Buckeye Lake Community, which cut the time needed for this project, and enabled the lake to return to normal as soon as possible. This has been a truly collaborative effort, and I want to thank you and the engineers at the Huntington District who have worked so hard to make Buckeye Lake safe again. In keeping with the ongoing revitalization, I am joined by new Ohio Twelfth Congressional District Representative, Troy Balderson, in writing to ask your office to grant priority to the South Licking Conservancy's request for a watershed plan in the upcoming calendar year. Completing this plan is critical for the continued recovery and growth of the Buckeye Lake Region. This watershed plan will help the community address water quality concerns, increase public safety and awareness, and provide certainty for any economic impacts the community can expect. In addition, this plan will help address the continued flooding on I-70 and surrounding areas during heavy rainfalls, as well as provide guidance to overall water quality in the region. The reduction in lake levels during the dam project created a need to mitigate the water quality damage incurred over the last three years. Only a comprehensive watershed plan will enable our communities to meet these challenges and continue to revitalize the region. Should you have further questions or require additional assistance, do not hesitate to contact Wil Lloyd, in Rep. Stivers' Lancaster, Ohio district office at (740) 654-2654 or email at William.Lloyd@mail.house.gov, or Luke Crumley in Rep. Balderson's district office at (614) 523-2555 or at Luke.crumley@mail.hosue.gov. Sincerely, Steve Stivers Member of Congress Troy Balderson Member of Congress -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=273D2D9A-20C7-4CD3-88E0-C962A36DCF15,"On Senate Floor, Portman Calls for Senate Passage of His Second Chance Act as Part of Larger Criminal Justice Reform Legislation",2018-12-18,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) delivered remarks on the Senate floor calling for passage of bipartisan legislation he and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) authored, the Second Chance Reauthorization Act, which is included in the First Step Act, bipartisan legislation to reform America's criminal justice system. The Second Chance Reauthorization Act reauthorizes and amends the Second Chance Act, a law that supports state and local reentry programs to reduce recidivism. Then-Congressman Portman originally authored the Second Chance Act with the late-Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones in 2005, and it was later signed into law in 2008.Since 2009, more than 850 Second Chance Act grant awards have been made to government agencies and nonprofit organizations from 49 states for reentry programs serving adults and juveniles. As of June 2018, more than 164,000 individuals have participated in these programs.In total, Ohio has received more than $39 million in Second Chance Act grants since 2009, which includes funds to assist Ohioans re-entering the community with services such as job training, drug rehabilitation, case management and mental health treatment. Transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here. I want to talk today about the criminal justice reform legislation that's before the Senate. This is legislation that deals with two huge issues in our criminal justice system. One is important sentencing reforms. A lot of this is leveling the playing field, for instance, between crack cocaine and powder cocaine, what kind of sentencing ought to be used, something that has been talked about for many years. There is, in our view, many of us, an injustice with the levels of sentencing. That's important. Second, this legislation deals with an issue that many states are finally figuring out, which is that we need to do something to keep people who are leaving our jails and prisons from coming right back in to the criminal justice system again. These numbers are just amazing, 95 percent of those who are incarcerated will be released someday, we all know that, 95 percent of them. When people are released from prison or jail, over a three year period about two-thirds of them are rearrested. Some call it the revolving door. There's a fancier word for it, it's called recidivism, and it's a huge issue because, think about that. If two-thirds of the people are back in the prison system or the criminal justice system, that means they committed another crime. That means our communities are less safe. It also means that the taxpayer ends up picking up the tab, both the cost of prosecution again but also the cost of incarceration, which can go from $25,000 a year to $40,000 a year depending on what system these prisoners are in. In many of our states, frankly, this has driven the push toward doing something about it because the state budgets have been overwhelmed with the cost of criminal justice. So we've committed ourselves here in Congress to deal with that, to try to reduce the crimes, bring families back together, help people be able to live out their purpose in life. And God's purpose in life for all of us may be a little different but it's certainly not to be someone in the revolving door of the criminal justice system. One thing we have focused on is how do you give people the tools to be able to be more successful when they have left prison and reentered society. I've worked on this for the past 15 years, and one thing that we came up with was legislation called the Second Chance Act. The Second Chance Act was put into law about 11 years ago. It is an idea, actually, that George W. Bush talked about in his speech to Congress, joint session of Congress about 14, 15 years ago. And what he said was, Let's give people a second chance. We believe in redemption in this country.' Many of us believe in it as it is from its biblical roots. But it is something that George W. Bush believed in. And then he also said, it makes no sense because people are costing the communities more, more crime, costing taxpayers more through prosecution and incarceration. So let's do something about it. Not hold people back because of their mistakes in the past, but instead give them the tools to be able to lead a better life, a more productive life. The Second Chance Act has worked well over the years. It's provided this on-ramp to help ex-offenders reenter society appropriately. However it needs to be reauthorized. The criminal justice reform legislation we have before us deals with this issue of rehabilitation. It deals with this issue of giving people the tools to be able to succeed by job training, mental health treatment, by drug treatment, and that's important. Once they get out of the system that's where the Second Chance Act is so important. The message is clear. It tells ex-offenders if you want to turn your life around and become a productive member of society, we want to help you do that. Rather than incarcerating these repeat offenders, sometimes generation after generation, let's put our tax dollars to use in a more effective way to break this vicious cycle and turn these lives around. Congress appropriated funding for the Second Chance programs this year at $85 million, up from $68 million in some years in the past. We're actually putting more funding against it. But the program needs to be reauthorized to improve the program, to put more accountability measures into the program. And that's what it does, and again, it's part of this broader criminal justice reform that we are voting on today. I have spent a lot of time going around my state of Ohio seeing how these Second Chance Act grants are working. One thing they have done in my state and probably in your state is they have created these reentry coalitions. Now, because to get a coalition grant it's easier to have a reentry coalition making application for it, you have these comprehensive coalitions. l only had a few in Ohio and a few of our counties. Now we have them in over 60 of our counties and it's great because you have the business sector coming together, the private sector along with the law enforcement folks, along with the treatment providers. And I've seen it work all over our state. I've seen so many people who have successfully been able to make that transition from prison and a life of crime and this revolving door into a productive life. I'll tell you about one person who is always on my mind when I think about this. It's someone I met at something called Central Kitchen. Central Kitchen is a reentry program run by the Lutheran ministry in Cleveland, Ohio. Melvin is the gentleman I met there, and Melvin's story is classic. Melvin had been in and out of prison his whole life for about a decade and a half. He was in prison, out of prison, in prison. He grew up in a rough neighborhood as he said, he got involved with drugs and alcohol. He couldn't get out of the cycle, couldn't get out of the revolving door. One day he said he heard about this program and said, I'll check it out.' It's a faith-based program. They tend to be particularly effective, in my view, but it's one that's supported by legislation like the Second Chance Act. And sure enough, it's worked. Melvin learned how to cook. He then worked there at the Central Kitchen, went on to work full-time at another restaurant. As he said, What better way to be rewarded. What better way to be forgiven.' He started his own catering business. Now he's no longer defined by his past. He's defined by his willingness to take advantage of the Second Chance Act. His eyes are now on the future. By the way, one thing he told me that I'll never forget is, I finally got a place to live again. I got my apartment back.' And he said, Most importantly to me, I got my child back.' After 15 years of being in and out of prison, paying some child support, sometimes not, he now has his little girl living with him and he's a role model for her. And I've seen these role models all over our state. I've seen them in factories. I've talked to supervisors in factories who tell me the Second Chance employees, they are the role models, they show up on time. They're grateful. They realize they have been given a second chance and take it seriously. Mr. President, I support the underlying legislation, criminal justice reform law that we are now going to take up here on the floor. I think it's the right thing to do for our country in so many respects. Our communities will be safer. Taxpayers will be able to spend their money more efficiently and effectively. And to these individuals who are now given the chance and given the tools to be able to lift themselves up and lead productive lives, that is their purpose in life. God's purpose in life for them is being fulfilled by this legislation. I'm glad it's being reauthorized as part of this underlying legislation. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation. I thank Senator Leahy, the co-author of the Second Chance Act on the other side of the aisle. This has been been bipartisan from the start. I want to thank the president and Jared Kushner for their support of this legislation. I also want to thank those members of the Senate who have been so involved in this, particularly my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee, Senator Durbin, Senator Lee. I just talked to Senator Lee about this legislation a moment ago. He's been tenacious. Senator Grassley, Senator Feinstein, Senator Graham, Senator Booker, Senator Whitehouse, Senator Cornyn and others. This legislation will make a difference in my state of Ohio and around the country and I encourage my colleagues to support it. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=2E05DE36-B41E-4372-88A3-C11A8BDB8953,Portman Applauds Announcement of New Tank Production at JSMC in Lima,2018-12-18,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) applauded the announcement that Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima will produce a bid design for a new light tank for the U.S. Army's Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) program. A portion of the 12 tanks will be assembled at JSMC, as well as 12 of the turrets. The Army plans to ultimately field 14 vehicles to each infantry brigade, for a total of 504 vehicles, beginning in Fiscal Year 2025. This announcement is good news both for our troops and the great employees of JSMC in Lima.Once fielded these new tanks will be a vital investment for our light infantry brigades, which have long lacked the armor and firepower necessary to meet the realities of today and tomorrow's battlefields.This is an important development for Lima and its irreplaceable workforce, and I look forward to continue supporting the JSMC's efforts to provide high-quality weapons to the great men and women of our armed forces. NOTE: Portman has consistently stood by the world-class workforce at JSMC. In 2017, Portman fought for legislation to authorize and fund more than $1.6 billion to increase the rate of production of the newest upgraded Abrams tanks.As well as $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). Then in 2018, President Trump signed into law legislation Portman championed to authorize $1.5 billion in funding to upgrade 135, or 1.5 brigades worth, of Abrams tanks increasing the rate of production of the newest upgraded Abrams tanks in Lima in order to ensure that our forward deployed tanks have the most cutting-edge capabilities. The measure also included $225 million for upgrading Stryker Vehicles, a $203 million increase over the president's budget request for these upgrades.Portman has made clear he will continue to keep fighting for more funding for Lima. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=86D6AFCB-3D00-4005-B865-CA1F66BA8742,"Portman-Brown Fox Business Op-Ed: GM, Dont Walk out on Lordstown",2018-12-18,2018,2018-12,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) penned an op-ed in Fox Business calling on General Motors to change course on its decision to shut down production at its Lordstown plant, which just this year was ranked by J.D. Power as the GM's best plant in the United States, Canada, and Mexico for quality. The senators have continually urged GM to invest in this highly-productive facility rather than shutter its doors. Portman and Brownmet with GM CEO Marry Barratwo weeks ago to press her to reconsider shutting down the plant and instead bring new production to Lordstown, and they sent a letter to GM last week demanding answers on the potential job and supply chain impacts should GM decide to pursue its disastrous decision to close the plant. In the op-ed, Portman and Brown wrote: We want answers, but the people of Lordstown deserve more than that. They deserve the opportunity to once again show what they can do. They deserve the chance to continue making cars in the community many of them have called home for their entire lives, and to be treated with the respect and dignity they have earned through the region's decades-long commitment to GM. Excerpts of the op-ed can be found below and the full op-ed can be found at thislink. GM, Don't Walk out on Lordstown By Senators Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown Fox Business December 18, 2018 Ohio has stood by General Motors. Now General Motors needs to stand by Ohio. As Ohio's senators, we know that our autoworkers are some of the best in the world. And if you love this country, you fight for the people who make it workpeople like the workers at Lordstown. The first GM cars rolled off the assembly lines at Lordstown more than 50 years ago. Since that time, GM has become ingrained in the Mahoning Valley, where the resiliency of the workforce is as strong as the steel the region is known for. From bull market through the Great Recession, Lordstown has stood by GM. Now GM, Trumbull County's single largest employer, is about to walk out on Lordstown. That would be a huge mistake and the wrong decision for GM. Just this year, J.D. Power ranked the Lordstown plant as GM's best plant in the United States, Canada and Mexico for quality. That's a testament to the hard work and dedication of these world-class employees. That's what we recently met to discuss with GM CEO Mary Barra in Washington, D.C. We had a very candid discussion where, among other things, we urged her to bring a new product or other products to the plant. In the end, Mary Barra said that while she doesn't want to raise expectations, she will keep an open mind about the future of the plant. We remain frustrated with GM's handling of this decision and disappointed with how the hardworking employees, who by sweat and toil have made GM what it is today, have been treated throughout this process. We want answers, but the people of Lordstown deserve more than that. They deserve the opportunity to once again show what they can do. They deserve the chance to continue making cars in the community many of them have called home for their entire lives, and to be treated with the respect and dignity they have earned through the region's decades-long commitment to GM. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=972C52D4-A377-45AB-97A2-51F97A55FB96,Ohio Leaders Praise Portmans Bipartisan Second Chance Act,2018-12-18,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today, the U.S. Senate passed Senator Portman's bipartisan legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Second Chance Act, a law that supports state and local reentry programs to reduce recidivism. Then-Congressman Portman originally authored the Second Chance Act with the late-Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and it was signed into law in 2008.Since 2009, more than 850 Second Chance Act grant awards have been made to government agencies and nonprofit organizations from 49 states for reentry programs serving adults and juveniles and Ohio has benefitted significantly. As of June 2018, more than 164,000 individuals have participated in these programs.In total, Ohio has received more than $39 million in Second Chance Act grants since 2009, which includes funds to assist Ohioans re-entering the community with services such as job training, drug rehabilitation, case management and mental health treatment. The legislation has been praised by several Ohio-based leaders, including the following: Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine: I support the work that Senator Portman has been doing to promote the Second Chance Act, and it's especially important to Ohio as we combat the opioid epidemic. By providing funding to increase resources, such as substance use disorder treatment, job training, mentorships, and mental health treatment for people who are leaving correctional institutions, we can increase their opportunities for success. Stuart C. Hudson, Interim Director, Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation and Corrections: Effective reentry programs are essential to helping individuals succeed post-incarceration and lead to a productive and crime-free lifestyle.This bipartisan effort represents an investment in strategies that will create safer communities in Ohio and across the country. Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer: This grant funding will help individuals who have been released from prison so they can become productive members of society. It will reduce recidivism rates and lower our prison costs. By providing individuals a second chance, we can rebuild families and let individuals live the American dream. I would like to thank Senator Portman for his hard work on this important issue. Paul Haffner, President and CEO, Lighthouse Youth & Family Services: The grant we received as a result of the Second Chance Act helped Lighthouse holistically address the needs of young men returning to the community from juvenile detention. This included mental health care, substance abuse treatment, credentialing for in-demand jobs, and community engagement. Outcomes included reduced recidivism, achievement of specific life goals, and many young men maintaining long-term success. Thank you Senator Portman for your tireless efforts to continue this crucial funding; it's making a difference in our community and we look forward to continuing this positive momentum. Burl S. Lemon, II, Executive Director, ForeverDads Center for Fathers & Families: The Second Chance Act grant awarded to Muskingum County is the result of the vision and vitality of a group led by the Restored Citizens Network in collaboration with ForeverDads, along with a large number of community agencies and organizations. The opportunity to reset the course of life for 75 repeat offenders of our city and county jails is most needed. From those with issues of poverty, mental illness and substance use, we will coordinate our reentry services, so they may experience successful transitions to independent living. Denise M. Robinson, President and CEO, Alvis: As a recipient of Second Chance Act (SCA) grant funding and a provider of reentry services, Alvis has firsthand experience seeing how proud an individual becomes when s/he is a contributing member of the community. At a time when there are still more than 700,000 individuals who return to the community from prison each year, SCA's reauthorization is essential for our nation's future. We have the evidence showing the effectiveness of SCA programs. It is inconceivable that we would stop in the face of this success when there are still so many families and communities that will benefit from SCA. David Stillwagon, CEO, Community Corrections Assoc.: The Second Chance Act has helped countless individuals in an around the Youngstown, Ohio area. As a halfway house provider working with individuals reintegrating from state and federal prison, Community Corrections Association, Inc. is supportive of the Second Chance Reauthorization Act introduced by Senators Portman and Leahy. The resources provided through The Second Chance Act have not only impacted the lives of ex-offenders but have also had a profound impact on the individuals' families by breaking the cycle of incarceration through recidivism reduction. Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus: Hamilton County's partnership with the Federal Government through the 2010 Second Chance Act led to innovative solutions to improve public safety while also restoring lives. Catherine Tijerina, Co-Executive Director, The RIDGE Project: We are grateful for Senator Portman's work with his bipartisan legislation known as the Second Chance Act. Thanks to this funding, we have had the privilege of helping young fathers, who are returning from prison, transform their lives. They returned home to their children ready to nurture and lead their families into futures full of hope and opportunity. Without this funding the RIDGE Project would not have been able to reach these struggling families. Ruthann House, President/CEO, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership: Funding such as this helps reduce recidivism among youth offenders by giving young men and women real chances to grow and succeed in spite of their past. By offering youth a means of learning vocational skills, attaining education and training, and accessing supportive services, Second Chance Act funding supports programs that allow youth an opportunity to turn their lives around for the better. Trina L. Jackson, Director, Hamilton County Office of Reentry: The 2010 Second Chance Act Prisoner Reentry Initiative Grant is making a difference in Hamilton County by providing funding for the creation of the Hamilton County Office of Reentry. The Office of Reentry began as a referral and support organization designed to address the immediate needs of returning citizens, but has grown to include programs that have a positive impact on behaviors that lead to recidivism. The Reentry office has employed evidence-based practices to reduce recidivism such as pre-release planning, training and employment, as well as partnerships to increase housing for returning citizens. We applaud and support the reintroduction of this bipartisan legislation and thank Senator Portman for his tireless efforts to continue this crucial funding. Michael Daniels, Justice Policy Coordinator, Franklin County: The Second Chance Act has been a critical piece of our overall Smart Justice strategy. Our first justice grant was an SCA grant to help retrain females returning from prison, and that project launched a series of conversations, partnerships, and initiatives that have enabled us to become a national leader in mental health diversion, addiction treatment, and second chance opportunities for justice involved residents. Karen J. Scherra, Executive Director, Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board: Grants opportunities like those through the Second Chance Act are essential to local communities, as they provide funds to implement new services that better meet the needs of our residents and a chance to prove the services will produce good outcomes, which then leads to sustainability with local dollars. The grants we have received through the Second Chance Act both improved treatment resources for our community and enhanced the collaborative efforts between treatment and the criminal justice system. Tom Luettke, President, Ohio Association of Local Reentry & Reentry Coordinator, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council of Lucas County: The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) in Lucas County Ohio supports Senator Portman's Second Chance Act Reauthorization Act! The CJCC has an established reentry committee that provides leadership on public policy, alignment and coordination of criminal justice systems and resources to support reentry efforts in Lucas County. Leading local reentry efforts currently, the CJCC has been awarded three Second Chance Act reentry grants that have had a lasting impact in our community. This funding has created opportunities to create and expand job training and mentoring programs in Lucas County. We hope Congress will work swiftly to move this legislation to the President's desk. Mark McDaniel, Executive Director, Tri-County Board of Recovery and MH Services: The reauthorization for Second Chance Act funding is needed for us to continue our critical priorities such as housing, linkage to treatment services, employment support, especially at a time when the opioid epidemic continues to hit our communities. I urge Congress to quickly pass this bipartisan legislation so we, along with the rest of our partners, can continue our work to reduce recidivism and expand the use of career training programs and mentoring programs. Crystal L. Bryant, Esq., MS, LSW, Director of the Health and Human Services, Cuyahoga County Office of Reentry: The Cuyahoga County Office of Reentry is forever grateful for the creation of Second Chance Act. Since the grants inception the Office has been fortunate to be funded for three (3) Second Chance Awards. The first in 2011, the second in 2012, and more recently 2018. Those financial contributions from SCA allowed us to engage 308 returning citizens in 2011 through what was then the GCRIP program and 295 returning citizens in 2012. The transition model was highly impactful to those returning home. To date the Office sustains a scaled down version of the original program supporting those pre-release before transition back into the community by case planning and pre-linking prior to their return into society. In 2018, the Office hopes to have an even greater impact on the retuning community by transitioning into systems level reentry solutions. The goal is for returnees not to just return to Cuyahoga but to thrive and advance! I applaud Senator Portman's work and his efforts to continue this important funding through the Second Chance Reauthorization Act. The reauthorization of this funding is critical to our work to reducing recidivism, expanding substance-abuse programs for prisoners and ex-offenders, and expanding the use of career training programs and mentoring programs. I hope Congress will work swiftly to pass this bipartisan legislation. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=C91B8838-3340-4535-9509-3AAA75957429,"President Signs Portman, Brown Bill Honoring Baseball Legend and Civil Rights Pioneer Larry Doby With Congressional Gold Medal",2018-12-18,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Doby Was the First African-American to Play in the American League, Effectively Integrating All of Professional Baseball WASHINGTON, D.C. Yesterday, President Trump signed into law U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown's (D-OH) bill honoring Larry Doby, the first African-American to play in the American League, with the Congressional Gold Medal for his career and contributions to the American civil rights movement. Last week, the bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent. In joining the American League, Doby effectively integrated all of professional baseball. Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH) was the author of the House version of the bill and led efforts to pass it in that chamber. As the first African American player in the American League, Larry Doby broke down barriers with his remarkable skill and competitive spirit and forever changed the game of baseball, said Portman. Through sheer determination, Doby became a symbol for the fight for equality in our country and encouraged thousands of Ohioans and kids across our country to push the boundaries of what they thought possible. I'd like to thank my colleagues in the Senate for their work to make this happen and especially my colleague Jim Renacci for his leadership to get this bill done in the House. Larry Doby seldom receives credit for his role in integrating all of professional baseball and its past time to honor his contributions to both civil rights and America's game, said Brown, who displays in his Washington, D.C. office a replica of the statue of Doby that stands at Progressive Field. Doby's heroism surpasses his remarkable skill he overcame discrimination and hostility to break barriers, leading Cleveland to victory and moving our country in the right direction."" Lawrence Eugene Larry Doby joined the Cleveland Indians in July 1947, becoming the first African-American to play in the American League. During his 13-year career in the American League, Doby tallied 1,533 games, batting .283, with 253 home runs and 970 runs batted in. He played in two World Series, leading the 1948 Cleveland Indians to a World Championship over the Boston Braves. He was the first African-American player to hit a home run in a World Series game, led the American League in home runs twice, and was voted to seven All-Star teams. In 1978, the Chicago White Sox hired Doby as their manager and he became the second African-American manager in Major League history. He later served as Director of Community Relations for the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association. He was inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2013. Doby was born in Camden, South Carolina in 1923 and moved to Paterson, New Jersey in 1938, where he became a standout athlete at Paterson Eastside High School. He attended Long Island University on a basketball scholarship before enlisting in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was discharged in 1946 and went on to play baseball in the Negro National League for the Newark Eagles. Doby passed away in 2003. Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum support the bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E3A862A3-661F-44F8-8DF4-F98ED2776977,"Portman, Leahy Praise Senate Passage of Second Chance Reauthorization Act as Part of Criminal Justice Reform Package",2018-12-18,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) announced that their bipartisan Second Chance Reauthorization Act passed the Senate as part of the First Step Act, bipartisan legislation to reform America's criminal justice system authored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The legislation passed by a margin of 87 to 12. The Second Chance Reauthorization Act reauthorizes and amends the Second Chance Act, a law that supports state and local reentry programs to reduce recidivism. Then-Congressman Portman originally authored the Second Chance Act with the late-Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones in 2005, and it was later signed into law in 2008.Since 2009, more than 850 Second Chance Act grant awards have been made to government agencies and nonprofit organizations from 49 states for reentry programs serving adults and juveniles. As of June 2018, more than 164,000 individuals have participated in these programs.In total, Ohio has received more than $39 million in Second Chance Act grants since 2009, which includes funds to assist Ohioans re-entering the community with services such as job training, drug rehabilitation, case management and mental health treatment. I'm pleased that my legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Second Chance Act passed the Senate as part of the bipartisan criminal justice reform bill.This important legislation helps strop the revolving door of incarceration through drug treatment and job training programs, and it helps former inmates live up to their God-given potential, Portman said. It helps people be able to create their own futurerather than be held back by the mistakes of their past. The Second Chance Act has already changed thousands of lives in Ohio and across the country by telling ex-offenders that if you want to turn your life around and become a productive member of society, we want to help. I'm pleased that the Senate took action today to pass this bill that makes our communities safer while saving taxpayer dollars, and I look forward to President Trump signing it into law soon. This strong bipartisan vote on the First Step Act brings us one step closer to achieving the most significant reforms to our criminal justice system in nearly a decade. Including our Second Chance Reauthorization Act is an acknowledgement that criminal justice reform is not complete without a commitment to strengthening reentry services for ex-offenders. Almost every single offender in our justice system will one day be released. We owe it to them, their families, and the communities where they will live to help ensure that they can lead productive lives, said Leahy. NOTE: The Second Chance Reauthorization Act will strengthen state and local grant programs to promote successful prisoner reentry and improve public safety while reducing Bureau of Prison costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Specifically, the legislation will: Continue targeted funding through 2021 for reentry programs at the state and local level that have been proven to reduce recidivism, lead to better outcomes for those released from prison, and save prison costs. Provide separate planning and implementation grants to ensure that projects are well developed at each stage and informed by research and best practices. Add nonprofit organizations as allowable grantees for grants for programs promoting family-based substance abuse treatment and career training. Repeal several provisions calling for studies that have been completed and removes support for programs for which other funding sources have been identified. It also consolidates the reentry court program into the Adult and Juvenile Offender State and Local Demonstration projects. Require new rigorous evaluation and audits of grantees to ensure that federal dollars are spent wisely. This legislation has been endorsed by the National Criminal Justice Association, the International Community Corrections Association, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, FreedomWorks, the American Bar Association, the American Correctional Association, The Prison Fellowship, the American Probation and Parole Association, the Association of State Correctional Administrators, and The Sentencing Project. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399708,"New Year, New Congress",2018-12-17,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"As 2018 quickly comes to a close, everyone's attention turns towards 2019 and what the new year can mean for them. It is a chance for a fresh start; to set new goals, new priorities, and tackle new challenges. The same is true as we begin the 116th Congress. share: f t As 2018 quickly comes to a close, everyone's attention turns towards 2019 and what the new year can mean for them. It is a chance for a fresh start; to set new goals, new priorities, and tackle new challenges. The same is true as we begin the 116th Congress.Despite a politically divided Congress, I am confident that all 535 of my colleagues share the most important goal: improving the lives of our constituents. And with that, I am confident that we can break through the gridlock and continue to build on the bipartisan momentum we found in the 115th Congress. In fact, of the over 1,000 bills that were passed in the House of Representatives, only eleven were passed on a party-line vote. It is that spirit of collaboration that will allow us to move forward on a number of topics, including the opioid epidemic and infrastructure. The opioid epidemic does not discriminate based on age, gender, socioeconomic status, and certainly not based on political affiliation. It has ravaged communities across the nation, and legislators have already proven that they are able to reach across the aisle to find solutions. With the 21st Century Cures Act, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), and the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act all signed into law, we are beginning to see the implementation of these landmark pieces of legislation. Subsequently, we can see what critical issues still need to be addressed in our communities, and can bring different perspectives to the table as we find solutions. Similarly, Republicans and Democrats have both signaled an interest in tackling our nation's crippling infrastructure. However, we cannot limit this effort to roads and bridges, we must also include modern infrastructure broadband access in the conversation. Recently, two entrepreneurs in McArthur, Ohio, opened an internet caf called The Studio, which caters to high school students who may not otherwise have internet access once the local library closes for the day. While I am incredibly grateful to the Hittes and their creative problem solving, when one in five high school students is unable to use the internet at home, there is a larger problem that needs to be solved. We cannot leave our students behind while Congress attempts to solve the issue. We need to act quickly, and I am hopeful that the 116th Congress will give us the opportunity to do just that. As we look forward to January, one thing is for certain: I am honored to serve the 15th District and I will work to bring people together to deliver real solutions to the problems facing our country. I want to hear from you; what issue is most important to you as the new Congress begins? You can share your thoughts by calling 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. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/2018/12/turner-bill-to-name-federal-building-after-judge-walter-rice-becomes-law,TURNER Bill to Name Federal Building After Judge Walter Rice Becomes Law,2018-12-17,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,,0,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-bill-to-name-federal-building-after-judge-walter-rice-becomes-law,TURNER Bill to Name Federal Building After Judge Walter Rice Becomes Law,2018-12-17,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10)'s bill with Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman to rename the federal building in downtown Dayton after United States District Court Senior Judge Walter H. Rice was signed into law today by the President. I assembled a panel to recommend who to honor in naming the federal building in downtown Dayton, and they unanimously chose Judge Walter Rice, said Congressman Turner. With the help of Senators Brown and Portman, we were able to get this bill across the finish line. Judge Rice is one of our community's most dedicated public servants and this is a fitting tribute and honor he wholly deserves. Judge Rice has spent his legal career in service to Montgomery County, and it is fitting that the Dayton Federal Building, where he has devoted nearly four decades of his life, bears his name, said Sen. Brown. I join Sen. Portman and Rep. Turner in gratitude for Judge Rice's service to Dayton as we work together to honor his legacy. For more than four decades, Judge Rice has been a tireless advocate for justice, the people of Dayton, and the state of Ohio, said Sen. Portman. This is a fitting tribute to his life's work, and I join Senator Brown and Rep. Turner in thanking him for his service. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=7A45A5A9-5F7C-4CB6-BAEA-2C064BFDEF6E,"Delivering Results: After Portman-Led Investigation, Drug Manufacturer Lowers Prices for Opioid Overdose Reversal Drug",2018-12-17,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In the midst of a national opioid epidemic, why would a drug manufacturer increase the price of its life-saving overdose reversal drug by more than 600 percent? After a year-long investigation, Senator Portman, the chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, issued a report on November 18 into why kalo increased the price of its naloxone drug EVZIO from $575 to $4,100 in just two-and-a-half years all despite recommendations from experts that it lower the price. Less than one month after the investigation was released and after a significant public outcry the company reversed course last week and reduced the price from $4,100 per unit down to $178. Portman delivered remarks on the Senate floor last week about this investigation and the results it delivered. Below are excerpts of stories highlighting the impact of Senator Portman's work to reduce the price of this life-saving drug: A Virginia drug company that hiked the price of its opioid overdose reversal drug by more than 600 percent to capitalize on the opportunity' will cut its price after an investigative report released by Sen. Rob Portman accused the company of profiteering from the opioid crisis. Drug company lowers price of overdose remedy after Sen. Rob Portman accused it of gouging, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 12, 2018 A drug manufacturer that produces a lifesaving opioid overdose drug will reduce the price of that drug after two senators one from Ohio complained that the company was gouging customers. Sen. Rob Portman, ROhio, and Sen. Tom Carper, DDelaware, found in a Nov. 18 report that drug manufacturer kaloincreased the price of its naloxone drug Evzio by more than 600 percent by 2016, jacking up the drug from its initial price of $575 per unit in July 2014 to $3,750 in February 2016, then finally to $4,100 in January 2017. On Wednesday, weeks after news media including 60 Minutes reported on the findings of the senators' report, kalo announced it was introducing a generic version of its naloxone auto-injector that would cost $178. Drug company that Rob Portman accused of price gouging will lower price of naloxone, Columbus Dispatch, December 12, 2018 A Virginia drugmaker said Wednesday that it will roll out a far cheaper, generic version of its overdose-reversing naloxone, one month after Senate investigators accused the company of capitalizing on the U.S. opioid epidemic by dramatically hiking its price. The announcement was made just weeks after the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs permanent subcommittee on investigations, in a CBS 60 Minutes expose, accusedKaleo of making a profit off the opioid crisis. Naloxone maker rolls out cheaper generic, after pricing outcry, The Washington Times, December 12, 2018 A month after the drug maker Kaleocame under firefrom lawmakers and public-health advocates for charging $4,100 for a device that reverses overdoses, the company has announced it will introduce a generic version for a small fraction of the price. Kaleo, maker of $4,100 overdose antidote, authorizes a generic version for just $178, STAT News, December 12, 2018 Between the lines: This announcement follows an investigative report by Sens. Rob Portman and Tom Carper that found Kalo increased the price of EVZIO by more than 600% since it went to market in 2014. There's a new generic version of naloxone, Axios, December 12, 2018 A report from the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations last month found that the company, Kalo, hiked the price of its drug Evzio to $4,100 for two injectors, raising the price by more than 600 percent between 2014 and 2017. After this scrutiny, the company on Wednesday announced that it will offer a cheaper generic version of the drug for $178 for two injectors. The investigation last month was led by Sens.Rob Portman(R-Ohio) andTom Carper(D-Del.). Drug company to offer cheaper opioid overdose treatment after hiking price 600 percent, The Hill, December 12, 2018 A Big Pharma company is lowering the price of its opioid overdose drug after getting dragged through the mud by a pair of senators. Calling out big Pharma for trying to profit off the opioid crisis actually worked, Splinter News, December 12, 2018 A company plans to drastically reduce the price of a device used to administer the opiate overdose reversal drug naloxone after Senator Rob Portman helped launch an investigation into a 600% price hike. Senators Portman (R-OH) and Tom Carper (D-DE), the chairman and ranking member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations announced on Wednesday that drug manufacturer kalo planned to take steps to reduce the price of its naloxone auto-injector to $178, down from $4,100 per unit. Company to reduce price of opioid reversal device, WFMJ Youngstown, December 12, 2018 In a release highlighting the announcement, Portman called it a positive step forward.' I'm hopeful that it will increase access to naloxone, a criticallyimportant overdose reversal drug that has saved tens of thousands of lives,' he said. He and Carper are the chair and ranking member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The subcommittee found in their November 2018 report that the company had launched a new distribution model that hoped to capitalize on the opportunity of opioid overdose at epidemic levels.' Under pressure, drugmaker lowering price of $4,000 overdose drug, WCPO Cincinnati, December 12, 2018 A generic version of an overdose-reversing auto-injector will be available next year for a fraction of the brand-name product's list cost, the pharmaceutical company that makes the devices announced Wednesday. The move comes on the heels of a congressional report that foundVirginia-based Kaleo had raised the price of its Evzio take-home naloxone kit by more than 600 percent as the nation was in the throes of the opioid crisis. Price of Naloxone Device to Plummet, U.S. News & World Report, December 12, 2018 Almost a month after a U.S. Senatereport detailedhow kalo exploited the opioid epidemic by significantly increasing the price of its EVZIO naloxone, the company has announced it is reducing its price. The Portman-chaired Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released its report last month that showed that kalo increased the price of EVZIO by more than 600 percent Kalo cuts price of naloxone after Senate report details price hike, The News Herald, December 12, 2018 The investigation by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which is under the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, uncovered how Kalo exploited the opioid crisis by increasing the price of its naloxone drug Evzio by more than 600 percent by 2016,' according to Chairman Rob Portman, a Republican of Ohio. The subcommittee's report said the higher cost was a result of a new distribution model to capitalize on the opportunity of opioid overdoses at epidemic levels.' Kalo to offer lower-priced opioid antidote, CNN, December 12, 2018 Pharmaceutical company Kaleo announced Wednesday that it will release a more affordable generic version of its opioid overdose reversal drug next year following lawmakers' criticism of the high price as the country fights the opioid epidemic, Drug Manufacturer Announces Cheaper, Generic Opioid Antidote, CQ News, December 12, 2018 ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F0F80AE7-E3C2-4B62-AE37-54EB49665994,"Portman, Brown, Turner Bill to Rename Dayton Federal Building in Honor of Judge Walter Rice Signed into Law",2018-12-17,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, President Trump signed into law U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown's (D-OH) bill to rename the federal building and courthouse on West 2nd Street in downtown Dayton after Senior United States District Court Judge Walter H. Rice. U.S. Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH-10) introduced the companion legislation in the House. For more than four decades, Judge Rice has been a tireless advocate for justice, the people of Dayton, and the state of Ohio, said Portman. This is a fitting tribute to his life's work, and I join Senator Brown and Rep. Turner in thanking him for his service. Judge Rice has spent his legal career in service to Montgomery County, and it is fitting that the Dayton Federal Building, where he has devoted nearly four decades of his life, bears his name, said Brown. I join Sen. Portman and Rep. Turner in gratitude for Judge Rice's service to Dayton as we work together to honor his legacy. I assembled a panel to recommend who to honor in naming the federal building in downtown Dayton, and they unanimously chose Judge Walter Rice, said Congressman Turner. With the help of Senators Brown and Portman, we were able to get this bill across the finish line. Judge Rice is one of our community's most dedicated public servants and this is a fitting tribute and honor he wholly deserves. President Carter appointed Judge Rice to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in 1980. Judge Rice served as Chief Judge of the court from 1996 until 2003. Before joining the federal bench, he served Montgomery County as an Assistant County Prosecutor, a Municipal Court Judge, and a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399721,Lawmakers Celebrate New Wright-Patterson Program,2018-12-14,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Pentagon's recent decision to bring a major F-35 program to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base not only means more jobs for the area, but more notoriety within the U.S. military. share: f t The Pentagon's recent decision to bring a major F-35 program to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base not only means more jobs for the area, but more notoriety within the U.S. military. WPAFB will house F-35 support program At least 400 more jobs expected The F-35 Lightning II fighter jet is made by Lockheed Martin Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is one of the most effective Air Force bases in the country for our nation's defense, said Representative Steve Stivers (OH-15). That's why military leaders have chosen the base to be the new home for the F-35 Lightning II Hybrid Product Support Integrator (HPSI) organization, a program that helps support the global fleet of F-35 jets that help keep America safe. It does show that Wright-Patt is the gem of the Air Force, said Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH). I mean, there is no place like Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, with its history, with its productivity, with its research abilities, its economic reach. The new program will add at least 400 more jobs to the base, which already employs over 27,000 people and is the largest single site employer in Ohio. It has a lot of roles besides just that, within the Air Force, and within our military and our national security footprint, said Rep. Brad Wenstrup (OH-02). The base is in Rep. Mike Turner's 10th district, which prompted him to work with Senators Brown and Rob Portman to convince the Air Force to choose Wright-Patt. Turner and Brown said in statements that this decision is a testament to the workforce already there, and Ohio's growing role in protecting the United States. The entire Buckeye congressional delegation signed this letter back in April, making the case for Wright-Patt. Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-06) served 27 years in the Air Force and said it's a big deal this base was chosen The F-35 is the modern generation, next advanced fighter, so I think it's great for the people of Ohio and for Wright-Patterson, Johnson said. The secretary of the Air Force said in a statement that moving the F-35 program from its current home in Virginia to Wright-Patt will help lower the cost of sustaining the fighter jets.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=BE4CC8E1-2B17-4C84-B5EB-9CA6141D6804,"On Senate Floor, Portman Highlights How PSI Investigative Report Resulted in Lower Prices for Opioid Overdose Reversal Drug",2018-12-14,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Last night, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) delivered remarks on the Senate floor about the bipartisan Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report, which was highlighted on 60 Minutes, that found the drug manufacturer kalo increased the price of its opioid overdose reversal drug by more than 600 percent to capitalize on the opportunity of opioid overdose at epidemic levels. Following the PSI report and a 60 Minutes segment, kalo announced plans to take steps to reduce the price of its naloxone auto-injector from $4,100 per unit down to $178. Transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here. This evening I want to talk a little about the nexus of high prescription drug costs and the opioid epidemic that has gripped my state and our country. It's the number one public health crisis in America today. It's a story of greed, frankly, and it's a story of the need for some fixes here in Congress to keep it from happening again. With regard to the opioid crisis, I think that the degree that this is affecting our communities is well documented. 72,000 Americans died last year from overdoses from drugs. This is a high water mark for our country. It's a grim statistics. More than two-thirds of those overdose deaths include what's called opioids. This would be heroin, prescription drugs and painkillers, and also the new synthetic opioidsthe fentanyl, which is responsible for most of the opioid deaths. I think we've made good progress over the past couple of years here in Congress in passing new legislation to help address this problemnew innovative ways to get people into treatment, longer-term recovery, which we know works well in some instances, and to do a better job on prevention and education. I do think those numbers will begin to turn around, but they haven't yet. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which we passed in 2016, is starting to work. The CURES Act is starting to work. And most recently the president signed legislation to try to reduce the influx of this synthetic opioid coming through China, mostly through the U.S. mail system, based on research we had done. That's called the STOP Act, so, again, making some progress. But these overdose death rates are just unbelievably high, and it's a tragic situation, not just in my state, which is probably top three or four in country, but throughout our nation. There is a miracle drug that can be used to reverse the effects of an overdose, and one reason we're beginning to see some progress in some regions of my state and around the country is that we are getting this out to more first responders others who can, in effect, save people from an overdose, and then of course the trick is to get that person into treatment and not just have these overdoses continue to occur, and that's where the more innovative programing is starting to make a difference. But I guess I could say that we have never in the history of our country had more need for this miracle drug to reverse the effects of an overdose. It's called naloxone, and naloxone is again something we're using more and more and saving more and more lives. I'm going to talk this evening about a company that exploited the opioid epidemic by dramatically increasing the price of this naloxone drug by more than 600 percent, just in the space of a few years. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which I chair alongside Tom Carper, a Democrat from Delaware, conducted a year-long investigationbipartisan investigation, really nonpartisan investigationinto this naloxone issue. We were concerned about the rising costs and wanted to find out why it was happening. We focused on a pharmaceutical company called kalo and their naloxone auto-injector called EVZIO. While naloxone is available in generic form, two branded products exist for take-home use by untrained individuals in the case of an overdose. One is the nasal spray called Narcan. You may have heard of that. Narcan is something that many first responders use and know about, but the other one is this EVZIO drug, which is, again, this other branded naloxone product. Narcan is available at a cost of $125 for two doses. EVZIO, I thought it was an innovative product when it came out. And indeed it has some innovative aspects to it. A unit includes two auto injectors and a training device that provides verbal instructions to talk the user through using the product. Before kalo took EVZIO to the market, industry experts who were impressed with the products said they should probably charge between $250 and $300 for this productagain, miracle drug to reverse the effects of an overdose. They told the company that they could own the market at that price of $250 to $300 a unit. Instead the company decided on charging a higher price, taking it to the market in October of 2014. So about four years ago they took it to the market for a price of $575 per unit. With sluggish sales, I think because the price was a little higher than, again, was advised, kalo could have lowered the price. Instead the company went the other direction. It implemented a new distribution model proposed by an outside drug pricing consultant who has installed similar distribution models at other pharmaceutical companies, by the way, and this involves dramatically raising the drug price. Now let me explain this. As part of the distribution model kalo increased EVZIO's price from $575 per unit in 2014again, October 2014to $3,750 in February of 2016 and then to the current price of $4,100 in January of 2017. So they started off a little high, had sluggish sales, and instead of going lower, they went from $575 to $4,100. That's more than a 600 percent increase over the space of about two and a half years, 600 percent increase in this drug that's so needed right now in our communities. Why did they do this? Well, according to company documents, the new distribution model for EVZIO was designed to capitalize on the opportunity' of opioid overdose at epidemic levels.' So, in effect from the company's own documents, they chose to capitalize or exploit the opportunity of the opioid epidemic, this tragic epidemic that is killing more Americans than any other thing in my home state of Ohio and the number one cause of death for Americans under 50 in the entire country. 72,000 is the number from last year, number of overdose deaths. So, as part of this new model, the company worked to ensure that doctors' offices signed paperwork indicating that EVZIO was medically necessary. Why is that important? Well this ensured that government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, programs that, as you know, are already programs that we look at every year and think, gosh, how do these costs keep going up? What do we do to maintain these important programs? But they said they would increase the cost of this drug because they could get doctors to say that this was medically necessary, and that meant that these government programs, Medicare and Medicaid, would cover the costs regardless of what the cost was, even though it increased 600 percent in two and a half years. That was the concept behind the new distribution model. It relied on a portion of the prescriptions being filled by patients with commercial health plans that covered EVZIO at the much higher cost. And it worked. For people whose plans didn't cover EVZIO or who didn't have insurance, kalo gave the drug to the patient for free. In these instances, the company incurred the roughly $52 cost for the goods. It was worth it because they could get these incredibly high prices from Medicare and Medicaid. This distribution model worked, as I mentioned, when physicians deemed that EVZIO was medically necessary. Then it would cover the cost, Medicare and Medicaid, all the way up to $4,100 a unit. Under this new model, EVZIO fill rates jumped from 39 percent to 81 percent. So it worked. They sold more product. They made a killingbut at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer and the expense of all of us really. The majority of kalo's initial revenue was from Medicare and Medicaid, and the resulting cost to the taxpayer to date has been about $142 million, despite the fact that a much less costly alternative was readily available. You will remember for most of this time Narcan, this other productnot EVZIO but Narcanwas available for $125 for two doses. So instead of following recommendations by drug pricing experts to take the product to market at that lower price, the company decided to exploit this loophole in our health insurance market and charge this much higher price to the American taxpayer through Medicare and Medicaid. Our report from the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations was released on the same day that 60 Minutes aired a new story on kalo, its new product, and why the price was so high. The findings of our report were used in that segment to highlight kalo's distribution model that transferred the cost of this drug to taxpayers. You can see our report online at the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations website. That PSI report and the 60 minute segment were both released on November 18. Today, less than a month later, I'm very pleased to tell you that kalo has publicly stated its plan to take steps toward now reducing the cost, the price of its naloxone auto injector from the current price of $4,100 per unit down to $178. This is a very positive step forward, and I'm hopeful that it will increase access to naloxone, this critically important overdose reversal drug that saved so many thousands of lives already, but I'm also pleased that they made this change because it's going to save taxpayers a lot of money. Make no mistake, I don't believe that this change would have occurred but for our year-long investigation, the PSI report, and the 60 Minutes story shinning a light on these incredibly high drug prices. Does anybody really believe that these prices would have been lower if not for exposing it and the transparency that was then able to show what was happening? So the bipartisan investigation has produced a good result, but we need to do a lot more. Our report includes recommendations to prevent similar situations moving forward. Our report recommends that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, should review its policies governing physician use of medical necessity exceptions for Part D in Medicare to prevent companies from inappropriately influencing prescribing. That's the least they should do. While there are legitimate uses of the exception sometimes we need to be sure it is not exploited as it was in this case. Congress should also require CMS to improve transparency regarding the total amount spent for drugs purchased by government health care programs so we can identify these problems early on and stop them. And to combat the underlying factors affecting addiction, of course, Congress has to do more here. We should put in place a three-day limit, in my view, on prescription pain medication for acute pain, not for chronic pain, not for cancer, but for acute pain. That would make a huge differenceand by the way, it's consistent with the Centers for Disease Control recommendations. Requiring all states to utilize prescription monitoring programs is another thing we should do. And we should allocate more funding for immediate overdose remedies and first responder training. There's reason to be optimistic, as I said earlier, about the direction our country is heading to in overcoming the opioid epidemic. We committed ourselves here at the government to be better partners with state government, local government, and nonprofits. That's good, and I'm proud of the work that this Congress has done. But the tragedy of overwhelming opioid overdoses has also created the opportunity for companies like kalo to exploit, or as they said capitalize,' on this public health crisis. That's wrong. It's shameful. I'm proud of the investigative work we've done. I will continue to work in a bipartisan manner to do what we can to reduce prescription drug prices and also protect taxpayer programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Thank you, Mr. President ### ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=CA5FE7C8-A466-4D2C-89F4-E751254FE2B8,"On Senate Floor, Portman Honors Retiring Senator Bob Corker",2018-12-14,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Last night, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) recognized the career of Senator Bob Corker (R-TN). Portman is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which Senator Corker chairs. In his speech, Portman said, I can tell you with certainty that during Chairman Corker's tenure on the Foreign Relations Committee, our allies around the world have benefited and our adversaries have been held accountable. That's his approach. Pretty simple. Transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here. Mr. President, today on the floor the Senate voted on legislation dealing with Saudi Arabia, two issues, the death of journalist Khashoggi and also the ongoing and tragic war in Yemen. You may have seen on the floor somebody who helped orchestrate this debate. I thought it was a healthy debate. I thought it was good. People offered amendments, offered the opportunity to discuss their amendments and debate them in full. I appreciate the fact that at the end of the day, the Senate voted by an overwhelming margin, in fact by unanimous consent, for a resolution that I think sends a clear signal to Saudi Arabia, to our other partners in the region, and, frankly, to the Trump administration. The person who was orchestrating this, you may have seen down on the floor of the Senate, is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. His name is Bob Corker. Senator Corker is leaving after this week, assuming Congress is going to be out of session after this week or next week. And I think we will. He's chosen to retire, not to run for reelection. So come January, we'll have another senator from Tennessee who will be joining us. But Bob Corker is going to go back into the private sector. So today I want to talk a little about Chairman Corker, the person you saw on the floor if you were watching earlier, and a friend but also a very valued member of the United States Senate. The reason other people aren't on the floor talking about him right now is that he chose not to give a departure speech, which is unusual. Most senators choose to take to the floor and give a speech about their departure and their reflections on being here and what they might do in the future and then other members come and talk about them. Bob Corker, in his typical style, being a guy who's here for all the right reasons, and that's not him, it's about others for him have said, I don't think I'm going to give a departure speech so I don't think we'll have a chance to talk about him as we have with other colleagues in their presence because he's not going to give that speech. But I will say he deserves to have others like me talk about his record because he has had so many accomplishments. He's been a leading voice in this body on so many important initiatives and issues. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, of course on the global stage he's been active focusing on issues to improve the U.S. image around the world, our diplomacy is something he believes in and has supported. He is concerned about the U.S. role in the world. He wants to be sure America continues to play the leading role on things like human rights and spreading democracy and opening up channels of commerce. But he's also been very involved on budget issues, focusing on the debt and the deficit and the problems that we face here in this country. And finally, he's been active on other legislative matters. One that comes to mind is banking issues. He's on the Banking Committee and very involved in how to deal with Freddie Mac and Fannie May and particularly after the financial crisis, some of the issues that arose and then after the Great Recession. So he has been very active as a legislator. He also brings an interesting perspective to this place because to this day he would tell you he's a business person, not a politician. And he came up as a developer, a builder. He didn't come up through politics. He did become the mayor of Chattanooga and that's how he got involved in the political world. But he's got this business approach to things around here, which I think is refreshing. He's also got the work ethic that comes from somebody that comes from the private sectorand that's relentless. I see it on display every day but I think it's been part of Bob's personality since he was a kid. He started his first job at age 13. That was picking up trash and bagging ice. He started his own construction company at age 25. By the way, that construction company later expanded to 18 states, 17 states in addition to his home state of Tennessee. And he first entered public service not in a very glamorous job but having been successful in the private sector, he wanted to give back and he was offered an opportunity to help his state, and he said he wanted to be the Finance and Administration Department Director of Tennessee. Sort of like the budget person. And he was very helpful to the governor and to the state of Tennessee in that role and then became mayor of Chattanooga, his hometown. In 2006, he ran for federal office for the first time and that was for the United States Senate. He quickly to rose to prominence as someone who had expertise on some of the issues. That was after the housing crisis, so he was focused on that issuethe housing marketand as someone who advocated for conservative principles, like reining in federal spending and reducing the United States deficit. In 2012 he was reelected to the Senate handedly and has been chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the past four years. I'm a member of that committee, so I've had the opportunity to see his work up close and watch how he works patiently with Republicans and Democrats alike and focuses not just on the sound bites and throwing out the rhetoric but actually how do you get something done that helps our great country. I can tell you with certainty that during Chairman Corker's tenure on the Foreign Relations Committee, our allies around the world have benefited and our adversaries have been held accountable. That's his approach. Pretty simple. He's played a key role in helping restore America's leadership role in the world, and I'm pleased with the work we've accomplished from combating Russia's continued aggression in eastern Europe to standing up for our friend and ally Israel, to what we did today with regard to sending a clear message on values. Just recently, legislation he championed is called the BUILD Act. And it was signed into law by the president without a lot of fanfare, but it's going to make a big difference in helping our country, in helping not just our image around the world but ensuring we're helping bringing other countries out of poverty by using U.S. market forces that work. It helps bring U.S. private sector investment to low income countries around the world to reduce poverty, to grow investment. And this is important in any context but certainly today with one of our competitors, China, trying to do the same thing but using another tactic, not the private sector but the public sector. It's a perfect example of the kind of impact Bob Corker has had on this body. He's built up international relationships and he's bolstered our national security all at once. It's been a pleasure working with him and I wish him all the best. He is a restless guy so he's going to end up doing something else very creative with his life, I'm sure. And I know he will enjoy spending more time with Elizabeth, his wife of 30 years, and their two daughters and two grandchildren. But I'm eager to see what Bob is going to do next. I know we will be hearing from him because his thirst for public service and helping others is just too great. So to Bob Corker, congratulations on a career of public service, and I hope you enjoy the next exciting chapter of your life. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398960,Latta Votes to Support Ohio Farmers with the Passage of Farm Bill,2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) joined his colleagues inpassing the Agriculture Improvement Act Conference Report, bipartisan legislation tosupport United States farmers. After passing the Senate yesterday, the legislation now heads to the President's desk. The Agriculture Improvement Act, also known as the Farm Bill, will keep in place important crop insurance programs which allow farmers to purchase policies that protect them against financial ruin brought by disease, drought, or othercatastrophicevents. In addition, the bill includes the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, legislation authored by Latta, to expand access to rural broadband so more farmers can use technology that is safer, more efficient, and sustainable. Farmers in Northwest and West Central Ohio help feed the United States and the world, and this legislation will provide needed certainty, said Latta. This bill provides farmers, agriculture producers, and rural communities with a number of tools to help them be successful and improve productivity and sustainability. The inclusion of the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act will also help farmers utilize the newest technology that can ensure they are able to farm in a more efficient, safer, and sustainable manner. Needed reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were also included the bill. For instance, the legislation creates a database so states can track a person's history on and off SNAP benefits. It also eliminates the multiple issuances of SNAP coverage over state lines. The Farm Bill was endorsed by a number of organizations including the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Ohio Corn and Wheat Association, Ohio Soybean Association, National Wildlife Federation, and National Cattlemen's Beef Association. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://chabot.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398860,HOUSE PASSES CHABOT LEGISLATION TO CONDEMN BURMESE MILITARY AND TO FREE REUTERS JOURNALISTS,2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steven Chabot,C000266,chabot.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Representative Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) released the following statement after the House passed H.Res. 1091, whichdeems the Burmese Military's atrocities against the Rohingya to be genocide andcalls on the Government ofBurma to releaseReutersjournalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oowho weresentenced to seven years imprisonmentfortheirinvestigation into these atrocities: Over the past year, I have worked with many of my colleagues across the aisle to raise awareness, write letters to the Administration, and introduce legislation about the Burmese Military's frenetic assault on human rights that occurred in Rakhine State, Burma. That is why, I asked my colleagues to stand with me and affirm that the Burmese military's actions were genocide against the Rohingya people and that the Burmese government's imprisonment of two Reuters journalists is patently unjust. I applaud my colleagues for standing with me and passing this important humanitarian legislation. The legislationdoes the following: Condemns the attacks against civilians by Burma's military and security forces. Considers the actions by the Burmese military against the Rohingya in northern Rakhine State in 2017 to be genocide. Calls on State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint to pardon Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and other journalists and political prisoners. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://chabot.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398861,"Chabot, Connolly Introduce Bipartisan Global Health Security Act",2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steven Chabot,C000266,chabot.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Representatives Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business and Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), a senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today introduced the bipartisan Global Health Security Act, which reaffirms the United States' commitment to promoting global health security. The legislation is cosponsored by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), and Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Ami Bera (D-Calif.), and Ann Wagner (R-Mo.). The Global Health Security Act seeks to address two main issues that U.S. global health security staffing and activities are largely reliant on an executive order and not specifically supported in law, and that the U.S. needs a permanent designated official responsible for coordinating the interagency response to a global health security emergency. Republican and Democratic presidents alike have recognized the critical importance of global health security from President Obama's role in launching the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) to President Trump's National Security Strategy and National Biodefense Strategy. The Global Health Security Act codifies U.S. investments in the ability to prepare for and respond to public health threats and reduce or prevent their spread across borders. In particular, this bill bolsters U.S. commitments under the Global Health Security Agenda, which is a multilateral initiative to build countries' capacity to manage infectious disease threats and elevate heath security as a global priority. Saving lives from the next global pandemic starts with investing in preparedness before it strikes,said Rep. Gerald E. Connolly. As we've seen time and time again, diseases do not respect borders, and global health crises have immense security, economic, and humanitarian consequences. Our legislation recognizes the critical role of U.S. leadership in international health security, enshrines U.S. global health security policy in statute, and ensures that there is a permanent designated official responsible for coordinating these efforts in a strategic way. Deploying the tools to prevent diseases like Zika and Ebola from reaching America is a vital component of protecting our nation,said Rep. Steve Chabot.I am pleased to work with Congressman Connolly to introduce this legislation to provide Congressional authorization and oversight for the Administration's efforts to advance global health security. I look forward to working with him, the Trump Administration, and other stakeholders to strengthen and pass this legislation early in the 116th Congress. I believe the Global Health Security Act offers some much needed improvements in the way our country prepares for and potentially responds to a dangerous epidemic,said Ron Klain, former Ebola czar under the Obama Administration. It builds on the lessons learned from prior incidents, and puts in place a sound structure going forward. Such bipartisan measures are important and should be enacted by the Congress as quickly as possible. The Global Health Security Act strengthens the way the US works to protect, detect, and respond to major international epidemics, said Tom Inglesby, President and CEO of JHU Center for Health Security. It would help to codify the GHSA, bring coordination to the relevant programs across agencies, and clarify responsibility for leadership of the effort. It builds on the early successes of the GHSA. The Global Health Security Act is endorsed bythe Global Health Council, IntraHealth International, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, and PATH. Text of the legislation is availablehere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://davidson.house.gov/2018/12/davidson-pens-op-ed-pushing-reforms-food-stamp-policy,Davidson Pens Op-Ed Pushing Reforms to Food-Stamp Policy,2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"In an op-ed for the National Review, Congressman Warren Davidson writes that the farm bill Congress passed yesterday should have included more reforms to benefit farmers and welfare recipients. He explains that approximately 80 percent of the farm bill will be spent on food stamps, with only 20 percent directed to the farm economy. Congressman Davidson introduced a bill last year to consolidate more than 90 welfare programs which cost taxpayers almost $1 trillion a year. Every year Congressman Davidson hosts Farm Forum in Piqua, Ohio. The event, which was started by former Congressman John Boehner, gives those involved in farming the opportunity to hear industry experts share updates in agriculture from across the state as well as nationally. Click here to read Congressman Davidson’s op-ed. It’s Time to Reform Food-Stamp Policy With no work requirements, the farm bill offers more of the same A strong farming industry is vital to America’s economy and national security. With the ongoing tariff battle, there is no question that some federal assistance can help protect America’s farm economy. However, the farm bill passed yesterday by Congress undermines the interests of America’s taxpayers. During the Great Depression, farm subsidies were created to keep family farms afloat and ensure a stable national food supply. Today, the farm bill has less to do with helping family farms than with maintaining the status quo and administering a plethora of food-assistance poverty programs as if the economy were still in crisis. According to the Congressional Budget Office, total farm-bill spending from 2018 to 2028 is estimated to be $867 billion. Approximately 80 percent of that will be spent on food stamps, with only 20 percent directed to the farm economy. The farm bill should really be renamed the food-stamp bill. According to data from the Department of Agriculture, at a time when the economy is thriving and unemployment is at its lowest level in decades, more than 40 million people in the U.S. are using food stamps — more than the entire population of Canada. America is a generous country. Americans want to help their neighbors in need. But welfare is a two-way street. Healthy adults without children at home should have to work to receive welfare benefits. The reason is simple: Work requirements work. Individuals who hold full-time employment are ten times less likely to be poor than people who are out of work during at least part of the year. In 1996, President Bill Clinton implemented welfare reforms that were bipartisan. The success of these reforms has since been repeated in Maine, Kansas, Alabama, and Indiana, where the total number of able-bodied adults on welfare rolls decreased by as much as 60 to 80 percent. What’s more, those who left welfare have seen major increases in their income. In Maine, for example, those who left welfare for the workforce more than doubled their family income. Despite evidence in support of welfare reform, work requirements that the House passed in June were eventually killed in conference committee with the Senate’s version of the farm bill. But consider this: Welfare reform is a winning issue across the country. According to a poll taken in April 2018 by the Foundation for Government Accountability, over 80 percent of Americans support work requirements for welfare recipients. Instead of lifting individuals out of poverty, Congress is maintaining the status quo and leaving millions of able-bodied adults on the sidelines of our strong economy. Meanwhile, the farm portion of the farm bill expands subsidies to corporations and “off-site” farmers. The conferenced farm bill contains language that will significantly increase access to farm subsidies, allowing extended-family members of farmers who are “actively engaged” in farming operations to qualify to collect farm subsidies. Language in the farm bill will also expand an existing loophole that, according to the Government Accountability Office, would allow 10 percent of farmers, corporations, and agribusinesses to receive 70 percent of federal subsidy payments. Many of these recipients are millionaires living in places such as New York City. This is fiscally irresponsible and callously unfair to the small family farmers the subsidies were meant for. Our nation is more than $21 trillion in debt. Failure to hold recipients of taxpayer dollars accountable only exacerbates America’s spending crisis. Finally, the House-passed language helped Ohio farmers by providing a clear legal definition of the term “waters of the United States” (a.k.a. “WOTUS”), over which the EPA has jurisdiction. The Obama administration used rule-making based on this phrase to massively expand federal jurisdiction over all the nation’s waterways. This action was so expansive that it was blocked by the federal courts as unconstitutional. Unfortunately, this leaves the Trump administration to make a new rule. While the new rule accomplishes similar results as the House-passed language, it will prove temporary and be subject to future executive redefinition. Congress should have provided legislative clarity by passing the House’s binding legal definition of WOTUS. Instead, Senate Republicans surrendered to Democrats. As representatives of the American people, we have a responsibility to enact policies that will help and benefit everyone, not just a select few. Elected officials must steward taxpayer dollars responsibly. As leaders, we must help those in need to rise out of difficult circumstances. At every level, this bill undermines the ideals of the American people who sent us here in the first place, and we have done them a disservice by passing it in its current, weakened form. Congressman Warren Davidson represents Ohio’s eighth district in the House of Representatives and serves on the House Financial Services Committee. He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:11:43Z https://gibbs.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/gibbs-statement-farm-bill-passage,Gibbs Statement on Farm Bill Passage,2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Bob Gibbs,G000563,gibbs.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Shortly after passage of HR 2, the Farm Bill, Congressman Bob Gibbs released the following statement: American farmers have faced several years of a difficult agriculture economy with depressed crop prices. This bill helps America continue to grow and raise the world's safest, most abundant food supply. This Farm Bill maintains the agricultural safety net without adding any net new spending. Additionally, some improvements were made to the SNAP program, including initiatives to assist beneficiaries find work. I was also successful in adding anti-abuse provisions to shorten length of time SNAP benefits are frozen for lack of use, and reduces from twelve to nine months the amount of time before unused SNAP benefits are removed from an account. I was also able to include a provision to promote responsible fertilizer application modeled after Ohio's successful 4R program to protect water quality. This Farm Bill was not perfect, but included conservative reforms while preserving nutrition assistance and insurance support. I am glad to see this strong bipartisan effort pass the House. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=30110D16-3BCD-41E9-8309-99DE8DB9F873,Portman Statement on the Conflict in Yemen,2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,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 on the conflict in Yemen and his support for a resolution authored by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN): I strongly support efforts to halt the fighting in Yemen and that's why I support, and have cosponsored, a resolution authored by Chairman Corker. The Corker resolution expresses our firm belief that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has acted in ways that undermine not only its security, but also our strategic relationship. It states clearly that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and urges the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to ensure appropriate accountability for all those responsible. It also strongly urges the Saudi Coalition to lead the effort in negotiating an immediate ceasefire in Yemen and take concrete steps toward ending this humanitarian crisis. There must be a negotiated end to the fighting in Yemen, and the Saudi government must clearly understand that as a strategic ally of the United States, it has a responsibility to act in ways that promote democracy, human rights, and stability in the region. There is no doubt that the United States-Saudi Arabia relationship is important to United States national security and economic interests, but I believe we must send a message to the administration that we need a stronger response on this issue, one that supports holding the government of Saudi Arabia accountable for its actions and supports an end to the conflict in Yemen. That's why I support the Corker resolution. Text of the resolution is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=45342F2A-DCF9-4E6D-A258-4A6C036FA9EF,"On Fox News, Portman Talks China Trade, Border Security, & the Ongoing Mueller Investigation",2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In an interview with Fox News'Neil Cavutoyesterday afternoon, Senator Portman discussed the ongoing trade negotiations with China and how to hold the country accountable when it cheats on trade. He highlighted the need for a bipartisan agreement on tighter border security and discussed his hope for a resolution rather than a government shutdown. He also made clear we should allow Mueller to finish his investigation without any political interference. Excerpts of his interview can be found below and a video can be found here: PORTMAN ON A POTENTIAL TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CHINA: When I was U.S. Trade Representative, we had our battles with China. We won some and lost some but I think you're right, that things are going better. The last couple of weeks they've been better because we have a process now and we have one person in charge, and that's the current USTR Bob Lighthizer. But second, you're right to be skeptical because sometimes we hear announcements of great progress and then the reality doesn't follow. I think it's trust but verify. Overall, the market reacted properly by going up some today. PORTMAN ON HOW TO HOLD CHINA ACCOUNTABLE ON TRADE: Just follow up. We're not the greatest on following through on being sure that the commitments are kept. Second, it has to be based on market conditions. So the fact that they're saying they're going to buy more soybeans should make us happy only because our soybeans, on a question of price and quality, are the best in the world. So yeah, we can trust that because it's in their interest to buy our soybeans. They had wisely put a lot of soybeans in and other commodities in storage. So they had the ability not to buy from us. Yeah, they bought some from other countries, but frankly, we're still producing a quality at a price that makes it advantageous for them. That's in all of our interests and generally speaking in trade, that's when it works better. The market condition, generally, ends up being the thing that leads to a better result for both parties. PORTMAN ON THE NEED FOR MORE BORDER SECURITY: The reality is, the Secure Fence Act in 2006, Democrats and Republicans supported it. More recently, in the appropriations process, senators on both sides of the aisle, including some that are now saying they can't support a secure border, have voted for more funding for the border, so I think we sort of have to back up and say, What's the real issue here?' Most Americans agree that we have to have a more secure border. Since 2006, by the way, we have built about 700 miles of fence or wall. This whole proposal would be about another 330 miles, as I see it. We still have a 2,000 mile border. Much of it would not have a wall. I agree, in some parts it doesn't make sense to do itin the Rio Grande Valley or Big Bend where you have these huge canyonsbut it does makes sense to do it in places like Laredo, Texas, where you have an urban area. I think we should be talking about the facts. In the past, Democrats have supported this kind of funding, we all want a secure border. We can do it in a way that is not a wall all across the border. That was never what the administration supported or has proposed and we need to do it in a smart way. I just think there's a way forward here, I really do. If we get back to the facts and sort of get away from the rhetoric and the talking points. PORTMAN ON A POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: No, I think it's more likely there will be a short-term continuing resolution, which is not good policy but I think that's more likely. If we focus on what we're all interested in, I hope, which is a secure borderby the way, not just for immigration, but also for drugs and traffickingthere's a reason you want to have a secure southern border, then I think we can get there. If it's about politics, then it's much harder. We have to focus on the reality that our immigration system is broken and one part of it that's broken is not having a secure border. There's also another way to get at this, and I proposed this in past, but let's do something on the DACA young people who are herein addition to the secure borders since there seems to be a bipartisan consensus around that. PORTMAN ON THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION: Look, I support Mueller getting to the bottom of it. Let's let him follow the facts where they may lead but let's get on with it. In other words, it's been too long and that's typical with these special counsels or independent counsels before this. So we need to wrap things up. I do think that would be good for the country to move forward. Yes, allow him to do his work without political interference but let's wrap this up. We have to find out what the Russians did with regard to the 2016 elections and what we can do to prevent it from happening in the 2020 elections. To me, that is the core issue that was supposedly the start of this: how to keep the Russians from interfering in our democratic process. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4F06DAED-2126-448C-8908-FF5325B05955,"On Fox Business, Portman Pushes GM to Bring New Production to Lordstown & Highlights Reduced Price for Overdose Reversal Drug",2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"During an interview with Fox Business' Varney & Company this morning, Senator Portman discussed his frustration and disappointment over General Motors' decision to close down the plant in Lordstown, Ohio, and urged the company to bring production of one of its upcoming electric vehicles to the plant. He released a statement earlier this month on the company's decision and met with GM CEO Mary Barra to press her to keep the plant open. Portman also discussed his report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which he chairs, into drug manufacturing company kalo, how it increased the price of its life-saving overdose reversal drug by more than 600 percent, and then its decision to reverse course and reduce the price to $178, down from $4,100 per unit. Excerpts of his interview can be found below and a video can be found here: PORTMAN ON CHANCES OF GM REVERSING THEIR DECISION TO CLOSE LORDSTOWN PLANT: Well I hope it's good because that plant has been terrific for GM. As you may know, Stuart, JD Power 2018this yearsaid it was GM's best plant in terms of quality, with the least defects, so the plant has produced well for General Motors. It's a huge asset and I can't believe they would just walk away. So we think workforce deserves to have a chance to build a new product. I understand that the Chevy Cruze isn't selling well, that's a market condition. We get that but we also understand the fact that this community and these workers have done their part for GM and we want to have the opportunity to show it again. So my hope is, as GM is talking about building 20 new electric vehicles, that's 20 new models, in the next five years alone, that they give us a chance to build one or more of those models in Youngstown. So we're continuing conversations with them and I hope they'll be successful. The other part of this, you and I both strongly support tax reform because our tax system was broken and part of it was to increase investment in America, by the way General Motors did very well with that. In other words, they have a lower rate, they have the ability to immediately expense their investment in the plant, and so the tax bill encourages them to do the right thing and so does the regulatory reforms we've put in place. So all we've done in terms of policy here in Washington should encourage them to do right thing by Ohio. They've always made cars inOhioand this would be first time they weren't assembling a car inOhio. PORTMAN ON HIS PSI REPORT RESULTING IN DRUG MANUFACTURER KALEO LOWERING THE PRICE OF ITS NALOXONE DRUG: It is the miracle drug that reverses the effects of overdoses and sadly in my state and so many states, the number one public health crisis is these overdoses so people need this [Evzio], which is a name of naloxone. The first responders need it, the hospitals need it, and yet unbelievably in the last two and a half years this drug has increased by about 600 percent. The cost of this drugwhy? Because they could do it because they worked out a deal with Medicare and doctors to have this deemed a medically necessary drug, and so they just raised the price dramatically. It cost the taxpayers, it absolutely cost a lot of people who are trying to use this miracle drug to reduce the effects of the overdose. And so we took them on and issued a reportand sure enough this week they reduced the cost. I'm pleased they did it. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=854D9251-B37D-480B-A46C-973BF84B2FFA,Portman Praises Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Reform Process for Workplace Harassment & Discrimination Claims in Congress,2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) applauded the Senate for passing bipartisan legislation to reform the process for pursuing claims of sexual harassment or other workplace discrimination experienced on Capitol Hill. The House of Representatives also passed the legislation and it is now ready for the president's signature. Portman issued the following statement: The American people have every right to expect the highest standards of ethical conduct from their elected leaders, and I'm pleased that both parties worked together to pass this important legislation. Taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize harassment settlements that involve members of Congress, and this bill ensures that members are held personally accountable for their misconduct. It goes without saying that harassment of any kind has no place in our society and should not be tolerated. This bill will improve the policies and procedures in place to increase transparency, strengthen accountability, and better protect victims of harassment in the workplace. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398958,Latta Applauds Veterans Legislation Approved by U.S. House of Representatives,2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) is applauding the passage of legislation he supported, the Veterans Benefit and Transition Act, to authorize a host of veterans programs. The bill passed by voice vote and now heads to the Senate. Included in the bill are reforms and fixes that will help veterans in the transition process out of the military and increase benefits. It also would aide veterans, service members, and family members with issues that often arise due to military service. For instance, the legislation prohibits schools from placing penalties or burdens on students as a result of the VA failing to pay GI bill payments on time. The bill also allows military members to end cell phone, cable, and Internet contracts if they are forced to move as part of their military service. It also would allow leases to be broken for the spouses of service members who were killed as a result of their service. The Veterans Benefit and Transition Act contains numerous provisions to help our service members, veterans, and their family members, said Latta. Our country asks many of these men and women to move to different parts of the country and the world, and that can often result in unforeseen costs and hassles. This legislation will help our troops with many of the issues that these moves bring. It also reauthorizes veteran education programs, improves programs to combat veteran homelessness, and outlines ways to improve VA medical facilities. Our veterans and service members serve our country with honor, and this bill will help us keep the promises made to them. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398959,Latta Helps Pass Legislation to Address Maternal Mortality,2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) joined his colleagues yesterday inpassing H.R. 1318, the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act, to address the high rate of maternal mortality in the United States. This bipartisan billwould establish a Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRCs) in each state toidentify trends and risk factors, and develop recommendations for appropriate interventions to reduce maternal deaths in the future. Latta recentlyquestioned expertsat an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing about the high maternal mortality rate in the U.S. and specifically women that live in rural areas with less access to hospital obstetric services. The witnesses testified that both maternity care deserts and the opioid crisis are issues that need to be addressed. The loss of a young woman because of pregnancy or childbirth complications is heartbreaking, said Latta. Tragically, the United States is the only developed country in the world where the maternal mortality rate is trending upwards. We need to understand why this is occurring and take action to find solutions. This legislation will help us better grasp why the maternal mortality rate is so high, what communities are most at risk, and what actions would be most effective to reversing this alarming trend. The United States is ranked 47th globally for its maternal mortality rate, and theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that 60% of all maternal deaths are preventable. The CDC also found that the U.S. maternal mortality rate has increased from 7.2 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1999 to 18 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2014. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://davidson.house.gov/2018/12/davidson-applauds-more-money-going-opportunity-zones,Davidson Applauds More Money Going to Opportunity Zones,2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Warren Davidson, member of the Financial Services Committee, applauded President Trump’s executive order creating the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. “I look forward to this new Council expediting dollars to low-income communities to spark business growth and create jobs. Opportunity Zones are another example of a tax reform win that benefits Ohio families and American businesses. These Zones are an opportunity for distressed communities to tap a multitrillion-dollar pool of capital to support a wide range of opportunities for economic development. I applaud President Trump for creating this Council and for appointing HUD Secretary Carson to lead these efforts.” In April, Congressman Davidson submitted a list of census tracts in Ohio to the IRS in which he recommended for designation as Opportunity Zones. These included tracts located within the cities of Piqua, Middletown, Hamilton, Fairfield, and Springfield. You can read the letter here. Background: President Trump hosted an event at the White House today where he signed an executive order to create the new Council, which will be led by HUD Secretary Ben Carson. Opportunity Zones were created by a provision in last year’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The goal of Opportunity Zones is to attract investment for new businesses and jobs in underserved areas. The purpose of the new Council is to improve revitalization efforts by streamlining, coordinating, and targeting existing Federal programs to economically distressed areas, including Opportunity Zones. Read more about the new Council here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:11:43Z https://turner.house.gov/2018/12/turner-works-for-central-state-university-access-to-federal-funding,TURNER Works for Central State University Access to Federal Funding,2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,,0,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-works-for-central-state-university-access-to-federal-funding,TURNER Works for Central State University Access to Federal Funding,2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm Bill conference report, including language Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) pushed for to allow Central State University to receive equal federal funding. The language is the first step in ensuring a level playing field between all historically black 1890 land-grant institutions. Without this fix, Central State University was disadvantaged and unable to receive the same level of federal funding as other historically black colleges. Central State was missing out on federal funding due to the inequality of how the university was being recognized in a funding formula, said Congressman Turner. Obviously, that was an injustice. Due to my advocacy, the Farm Bill now corrects that error and increases the amount of the formula funding Central State will be able to receive from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I want to thank Senators Brown and Portman for our great teamwork to accomplish this. I'm proud this bill is going to the President's desk, and now more federal dollars will be invested in our community. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wenstrup.house.gov/updates/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400554,Wenstrup Statement on Passage of Farm Bill,2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Brad Wenstrup,W000815,wenstrup.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Brad Wenstrup (OH-02) released the following statement after the House passed the Farm Bill, as agreed upon by the House and Senate. This legislation works to address the decline in farming stability over the last five years and makes reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to encourage work: House Republicans created great opportunities for able-bodied Americans seeking to break beyond generational poverty through employment and job training. Traditionally poorly-structured federal poverty assistance programs have held many Americans back. While I am disappointed that not all of the House-passed reforms are included in the final package, this bill did include many reforms that will enhance opportunities. As well, this legislation cracks down on program abuses and increases the focus on Americans seeking to join the workforce. Importantly, this legislation will give American farmers greater certainty and stability. Positively, this legislation strengthens crop insurance and other programs that farmers in Ohio's Second District need to continue feeding our nation and the world, said Congressman Brad Wenstrup. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=72C28EAB-4EFC-464B-BDBA-27B7567549AC,"Senate Passes Portmans 21st Century IDEA Act, Now Headed for Presidents Signature",2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) applauded the Senate for passing legislation he authored the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience (IDEA) Act with a unanimous vote last night. It will now head to the president's desk to be signed into law. The legislation is designed to improve citizens' interaction with the federal government online, while reducing the cost of assistance from federal agencies. This bill will modernize the way the federal government delivers services online, increase efficiency, and reduce costs for taxpayers, and I'm pleased it passed the Senate unanimously, said Senator Portman. NOTE: The House companion bill was introduced by Reps. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) and Ro Khanna (D-CA). It passed the House with an unanimous vote in November. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=75D19C73-8330-4BD4-9913-623951DBEA9C,"Portman, Leahy Announce Second Chance Reauthorization Act to Help Ex-Offenders Incorporated into Criminal Justice Reform Package",2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) announced that their bipartisan Second Chance Reauthorization Act, has been incorporated into the First Step Act, bipartisan legislation to reform America's criminal justice system authored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The Second Chance Reauthorization Act reauthorizes and amends the Second Chance Act, a law that supports state and local reentry programs to reduce recidivism. Then-Congressman Portman originally authored the Second Chance Act with the late-Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones in 2005, and it was later signed into law in 2008.Since 2009, more than 850 Second Chance Act grant awards have been made to government agencies and nonprofit organizations from 49 states for reentry programs serving adults and juveniles. As of June 2018, more than 164,000 individuals have participated in these programs.In total, Ohio has received more than $23 million in Second Chance Act grants since 2009, which includes funds to assist Ohioans re-entering the community with services such as job training, drug rehabilitation, case management and mental health treatment. I'm pleased that my legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Second Chance Act has been incorporated into the bipartisan criminal justice reform bill. This important law helps break the cycle of incarceration through drug treatment and job training programs, and it helps former inmates live up to their God-given potential. It also makes our communities safer and saves taxpayer dollars, Portman said. This law has changed thousands of lives in Ohio and across the country showing that the mistakes of our past should not define the potential for our future. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the First Step Act so we can renew and strengthen the Second Chance Act and help more ex-offenders become productive members of our society. The First Step Act is historic legislation representing years of bipartisan work to address some of the most egregious outcomes in our criminal justice system. The inclusion of our Second Chance Reauthorization Act is an acknowledgement that a justice system that doesn't offer ex-offenders a second chance is anything but just. America is a nation of fairness, opportunity, and second chances. I'm proud to continue partnering with Senator Portman to reauthorize these critical programs which will reduce recidivism and help ex-offenders reenter society and build productive lives, said Leahy. NOTE: The Second Chance Reauthorization Act will strengthen state and local grant programs to promote successful prisoner reentry and improve public safety while reducing Bureau of Prison costs and saving taxpayer dollars. Specifically, the legislation will: Continue targeted funding through 2021 for reentry programs at the state and local level that have been proven to reduce recidivism, lead to better outcomes for those released from prison, and save prison costs. Provide separate planning and implementation grants to ensure that projects are well developed at each stage and informed by research and best practices. Add nonprofit organizations as allowable grantees for grants for programs promoting family-based substance abuse treatment and career training. Repeal several provisions calling for studies that have been completed and removes support for programs for which other funding sources have been identified. It also consolidates the reentry court program into the Adult and Juvenile Offender State and Local Demonstration projects. Require new rigorous evaluation and audits of grantees to ensure that federal dollars are spent wisely. This legislation has been endorsed by the National Criminal Justice Association, the International Community Corrections Association, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, FreedomWorks, the American Bar Association, the American Correctional Association, The Prison Fellowship, the American Probation and Parole Association, the Association of State Correctional Administrators, and The Sentencing Project. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=ADB22014-E3CC-4E5E-AC21-FFAEA0D0E221,"After Portman-Carper PSI Investigative Report Exposed Price Hikes of More Than 600 Percent, Drug Manufacturer Kalo Reduces Price of Naloxone Drug",2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Drug ManufacturerKaloPlans to Take Steps to Lower the Price of its Naloxone Auto-Injector to $178 WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Tom Carper (D-DE), the chairman and ranking member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), today reacted to the news that drug manufacturer kaloplanned to take steps to reduce the price of its naloxone auto-injector to $178, down from $4,100 per unit. Portman and Carper previously led an investigation into the cost of the company's naloxone product which is a naloxone delivery device used to revive individuals who overdose on opioids. This news is a positive step forward and I'm hopeful that it will increase access to naloxone, a critically-important overdose reversal drug that has saved tens of thousands of lives,saidSenator Portman.The Subcommittee will continue its efforts to lower prescription drug costs and protect taxpayer-funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Life-saving drugs should not be out of reach for those that need them most, especially in the midst of a deadly public health crisis,said Senator Carper. The news that Kaleo will make their naloxone drug more affordable, following our investigation, is a step in the right direction, and this step should serve as a teachable moment for other drug manufacturers. This move also reinforces the importance of substantive and bipartisan investigations that help to ensure that the public has the full picture when it comes to such important and costly issues. I'm pleased that Senator Portman and I can work together to get at the truth, and I am confident we will continue to do the work necessary to ensure that loopholes in our system cannot be exploited at the expense of patients and taxpayers. On November 18, Portman and Carper released the findings of a new investigative report, which were also highlighted on CBS News'60 Minutes, detailing how drug manufacturer kaloexploited the opioid crisis by increasing the price of its naloxone drug EVZIO by more than 600 percent by 2016 (from the initial price of $575 per unit in July 2014 to $3,750 in February 2016 and then to $4,100 11 months later in January 2017), launching a new distribution model planning to capitalize on the opportunity of opioid overdose at epidemic levels. The company's sales force focused on ensuring doctors' offices signed necessary paperwork indicating that EVZIO was medically necessary, ensuring the drug would be covered by government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. The plan worked, resulting in increased costs to taxpayers, to date, totaling more than $142 million in just the last four years, despite the fact that less costly versions of naloxone exist. KEY FINDINGS IN THE NOVEMBER 18 PSI REPORT With sluggish sales of its EVZIO drug at its initial list price of $575, kalo implemented a new distributionmodel proposed by consultant Todd Smith that increased the price by more than 600 percent by 2017 (from $575 per unit in July 2014 to $3,750 in February 2016 and then to $4,100 in January 2017 11 months later). Mr. Smith previously installed his distribution model at Horizon and Novum pharmaceutical companies, where he drastically raised drug prices at those companies. According to company documents, Mr. Smith's new distribution model for EVZIO was designed to capitalize on the opportunity of opioid overdose at epidemic levels. As part of the distribution model, the company's sales force focused on making sure doctors' offices signed necessary paperwork indicating that EVZIO was medically necessary, which ensured the overdose reversal drug would be covered by government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Before kalo increased the price of EVZIO, industry experts recommended a price between $250-$300 for the product, telling the company it would own the market at that price. One of the industry experts advising kalo to charge a lower price for EVZIO went on to work with Adapt to price Narcan at $125, which has now cornered the market at that price. Kalo states its cost for an EVZIO is roughly $174, which includes $52 in manufacturing, $29 in overhead and $93 in obsolescence. Kalo's new distribution model worked. EVZIO fill rates jumped from 39 percent to 81 percent. While kalo said its new model focused on commercially-covered patients, the majority of its initial revenues were from Medicare and Medicaid, and the resulting cost to taxpayers, to date, has been $142 million despite the fact that much less costly alternatives are available. Kalo paid Mr. Smith and his partner Mr. Bove (through their consulting firm Underhill) more than $10.2 million for around two years of work. The rate was based on revenue generated by their distribution model. LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should review its policies governing physician use of medical necessity formulary exceptions for Medicare Part D to prevent companies from inappropriately influencing prescribing. Congress should mandate a three-day limit on opioid prescriptions, consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations. Congress should require all states to utilize prescription monitoring programs (PDMPs) for opioids and other dangerous drugs that are authorized to freely share data among states. Congress should require CMS to improve transparency regarding the total amount spent for drugs purchased by government health care programs. Congress should allocate funding for research to develop innovative, more potent opioid overdose reversal drugs and non-opioid pain relief drugs. Congress should allocate funding for state and local governments to train members of the public on the use of generic and brand name naloxone products. States should consider changing laws to authorize and train emergency medical technicians and other first responders to administer naloxone. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://billjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399573,Bill Johnson Statement on New WOTUS Rule,2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Bill Johnson,J000292,billjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) released the following statement of support for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new proposed definition of waters of the United States: share: f t Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) released the following statement of support for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new proposed definition of waters of the United States: When the Trump Administration announced in 2017 they were repealing the onerous Obama-era WOTUS rule, I had a simple request - that the EPA would go back to the drawing board, and write a rule that protects our water, while at the same time protecting small businesses (such as farms) and the rights of individual land owners. With today's announcement by the EPA, that has happened. The new proposal, completed with much consultation and input from key stakeholders, presents a commonsense approach that provides clarity for landowners, farmers, energy producers, and more. Additionally, the new straightforward regulations make it much easier for the public to understand where the Clean Water Act applies and where it does not. States authorities already regulate waters within their borders. This proposal gives the states more clarity, and recognizes and respects their rights to regulate and manage their water resources. For instance, the Ohio EPA does a great job, because they live and work here in Ohio where they depend on the cleanliness of our water resources - they want to protect their families and neighbors, and they know the area best. The bottom line is that the people of Eastern and Southeastern Ohio, especially our farmers, don't need federal bureaucrats in Washington inspecting and regulating their puddles and ditches. President Trump, Administrator Wheeler, and Assistant Secretary James get that.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398957,Latta-Authored Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act Included in Farm Bill,2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, legislation authored by Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) to help Northwest Ohio farmers, has been included in Farm Bill legislation agreed to by a Conference Committee. The legislation was included in the House-passed Farm Bill, H.R. 2, earlier this year. The Conference Committee was created to negotiate and iron out the differences in the Farm Bills passed by the House and Senate. The Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act will expand access to rural broadband so more farmers can use technology that is safer, more efficient, and sustainable.Precision agriculture is the use of cutting-edge innovation like self-driving machinery, the Internet of Things (IoT), drones, and satellite imagery to more efficiently and effectively farm. The bill begins the process of identifying and recommending policies to help the agricultural community use this innovation by expanding access to rural broadband. I've talked with farmers throughout Ohio's 5th Congressional District that are utilizing advanced technologies to improve farm productivity and sustainability, and it's making a big difference, said Latta. However, it's clear that the agricultural community is at a disadvantage compared to other sectors because they are in rural areas that often have limited access to high-speed Internet. It's critical that we close the Digital Divide' to ensure that the agricultural community can fully utilize this cutting-edge technology. I'm glad to see this legislation included in the Farm Bill compromise that was ironed outbetween the House and Senate. The bill establishes the Task Force for Meeting the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States, which will operate under the direction of the FCC and in collaboration with USDA. The Task Force must be comprised of agricultural producers, Internet service providers, satellite industry, precision agriculture equipment manufacturers, and local and state government representatives. The duties of the Task Force include: Identifying and measuring current gaps in broadband coverage on agricultural land; Developing policy recommendations to promote the rapid, expanded deployment of broadband Internet access service on agricultural land, with a goal of achieving reliable service on 95 percent of agricultural land by 2025; Recommending steps the FCC should take to obtain reliable and standardizeddatameasurements of broadband Internet access service availability as may be necessary to target funding support to unserved agricultural land in need of broadband Internet access service; and Recommending steps the FCC should consider to ensure that the expertise of USDA and available farm data are reflected in developing future programs of the Commission to deploy broadband Internet access service and to direct available funding to unserved agricultural land where needed. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://chabot.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398859,Congressional Freedom of the Press Caucus Recognizes TIME Magazines 2018 Person of the Year,2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steven Chabot,C000266,chabot.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington DC Today, the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Freedom of the Press Caucus, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), released a joint statement in recognition of TIME Magazine's 2018 Person of the Year: At least 52 journalists have been murdered in 2018. This year TIME Magazine honors reporters who fought to preserve freedom of thought. Their courage, and ultimate sacrifice, must never be forgotten. We must continue to support Guardians around the world and our nation's First Amendment. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6035037A-B3CC-46A2-8B1F-500E2DBB3B7B,"Portman, Brown Press For Answers From GM on Future of Lordstown Plant, Supply Chain Impacts",2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Both Ohio Senators have Committed to Continuing to Push GM to Keep Workers on the Job WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today penned a letter to General Motors CEO Mary Barra in which they demanded answers on the future of the Lordstown plant. The Senators have continually urged GM to invest in this highly productive facility, rather than shutter its doors. In the letter, they demanded answers on the potential job and supply chain impacts should GM decide to pursue its disastrous decision to close the plant. The Senators argued that Lordstown workers, their families, and the impacted communities need to have the information necessary to prepare for any consequences of GM's announcement. As GM continues to evaluate the company's next steps with respect to the Lordstown plant, it is critical that the workers and communities affected by any company decisions understand the short- and long-term implications of the announcement and its full impacts. Only with complete information can the Mahoning Valley as well as the numerous Ohio businesses and communities who stand to lose jobs and investment as part the Lordstown closure effectively respond to, and recover from, changes to production at Lordstown, Portman and Brown wrote in their letter. Portman and Brown met with Barra last week following GM's announcement that it would lay off its final shift of workers and close its Lordstown plant in March of 2019. Both Ohio Senators have urged GM to work with them to save these Lordstown jobs. Earlier this year, GM announced plans to build the new Chevy Blazer in Mexico on the same day the company ended the second shift at a plant. GM has eliminated nearly 3,000 jobs at the plant over the last two years. A copy of Portman and Brown's letter to GM appears below: December 11, 2018 Mary Barra CEO General Motors Company Detroit, Michigan 48232 Dear Ms. Barra: Thank you for meeting with us last week. We are pleased that you committed to keeping an open mind about Lordstown's future, and we are committed to working with you to find a way forward that would bring another product or products to the Lordstown plant. As we discussed, we are deeply disappointed in GM's announcement to discontinue vehicle production at the plant. For more than 50 years, Lordstown has been an important part of GM's success, and just this year J.D. Power ranked the plant number one for the highest quality production among GM's facilities. Given Lordstown's history and effectiveness, we disagree that this facility should be shuttered simply because the product is uncompetitive. Instead, we believe this makes Lordstown an excellent candidate for a more competitive vehicle and urge GM to invest in this facility. We note with concern that GM has increased its Mexican-based production in recent years, including of the Blazer, and we ask you to consider Lordstown as an alternative assembly facility for vehicles intended for U.S. consumers. We believe Lordstown is well-suited to manufacture SUV or cross-over vehicles or next generation cars. As GM continues to evaluate the company's next steps with respect to the Lordstown plant, it is critical that the workers and communities affected by any company decisions understand the short- and long-term implications of the announcement and its full impacts. Only with complete information can the Mahoning Valley as well as the numerous Ohio businesses and communities who stand to lose jobs and investment as part the Lordstown closure effectively respond to, and recover from, changes to production at Lordstown. To that end, we request that GM provide comprehensive answers to the following questions. Current Status of the Lordstown Plant Given the high rankings earned by Lordstown, what factors other than poor sales of the Chevy Cruze contributed to GM's decision to unallocate this facility in particular? Given that GM made the decision to unallocate Lordstown unilaterally, why has GM suggested which you reinforced in our meeting that GM cannot unilaterally reverse this decision? What is the average amount of time that unallocated GM facilities remain in that status? What factors will GM take into consideration in determining whether to allocate another vehicle to Lordstown? Will Lordstown's status as GM's top performing plant for quality according to J.D. Power 2018 data be taken into consideration? If GM ultimately makes the unfortunate decision to close Lordstown, how much will it cost the company to shut the facility? How long is that process expected to take? Job and Supply Chain Impacts In our meeting, you mentioned that there are only 1,000 laid off employees company-wide. This seems inconsistent with the data we have on the second and third shift Lordstown workers. Please provide a breakdown of the status of the currently laid off Lordstown workers (i.e. whether they have retired, were relocated to another plant, or are still looking for work). All suppliers to Lordstown will be affected by this announcement in some way, therefore what are the names and locations of the Chevy Cruze Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers that GM expects to be adversely affected, and in particular those disproportionately so, by the decision? What is GM's estimate of the number of layoffs at those supplier companies as a result of Lordstown's upcoming unallocated status? In our meeting, you agreed to keep us up to date on Lordstown's status. Will you commit to communicating openly to Lordstown employees, the Cruze supply chain companies, and the affected communities about the future of the plant throughout the unallocation process? How many Ohio workers will lose their jobs both at GM and throughout the supply chain if GM goes through with the 8,000 announced layoffs in 2019? Future of the Lordstown Plant GM has justified the layoff announcement by saying the company plans to move away from small cars and increase its focus on next generation vehicles, like electric and autonomous cars. Does GM expect to produce electric vehicle sedans or will it focus on producing electric SUVs or crossover vehicles? What would be the cost, if any, of retooling the plant to produce an electric vehicle of comparable size to the Chevy Cruze? We have seen a video of the groundbreaking of the brand new paint shop being built at GM's Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico, presumably for the Blazer. What is the cost of building that new paint shop? Will you commit to producing in the United States all of GM's electric vehicles for sale in the United States? Please respond to these questions no later than December 21, 2018. We want Lordstown workers, their families, and the impacted communities to have the information they need to prepare for any consequences of GM's announcement. We appreciate your willingness to keep an open mind about the future of Lordstown. GM could decide today that Lordstown will remain an important asset in the company's future, and we hope you do so. We are committed to working with you to keep the plant open. Sincerely, ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A52AD836-CD25-40FC-9247-574906F347CF,Portman Praises Senate Passage of Farm Bill Conference Report,2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) voted to pass the Farm Bill Conference Report today. The measure passed by bipartisan margin of 87-13. The House passed its version on June 21, and the Senate passed its version on June 28. The two measures were then reconciled by House and Senate negotiators, and the bill approved by the Senate today will go to the president for his signature after it passes the House of Representatives. Agriculture is one of Ohio's most important industries, contributing more than $100 billion to our economy and putting food on the table for thousands of Ohio workers and people around the world, said Senator Portman. This Farm Bill will help provide Ohio farmers with the certainty and predictability they deserve and promote economic development and job creation in our rural communities.Of particular importance to Ohio, it includes my amendments to promote rural broadband access and to ensure that Central State University in Wilberforce has access to federal funding under the Farm Bill like other 1890 land-grant institutions. This Farm Bill will also keep Lake Erie clean and our drinking water safe by increasingfunding for many conservation programs used by Ohioans to reduce nutrient runoff into waters like Lake Erie. This includes tripling funding for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) from $100 million to $300 million for the next five years.Finally, it prioritizes funding for addiction treatment for rural areas, another important step forward at the federal level in our effort to overcome the opioid crisis. I look forward to President Trump signing this legislation into law to support Ohio's farmers and our agriculture industry. NOTE: The final text of the Farm Bill Conference Report includes two amendments offered by Senator Portman during Senate consideration of the bill in June, including: An amendment by Portman and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to ensure that Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, can access funding under the Farm Bill that is available for 1890 land-grant institutions. Central State University is currently unable to receive the same level of federal funding as other historically black colleges, and this amendment would ensure that all 1890 land-grant institutions are treated equal. An amendment by Portman and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)to promote rural community economic development, innovation, and broadband integration. Specifically, the Portman-Cortez Masto amendment would codify the Council on Rural Community Innovation to help promote policies that use technological innovation to resolve challenges related to health care, law enforcement, housing, and telecommunications. The amendment would also establish a Rural Broadband Integrated Working Group within the Council to identify regulatory barriers to broadband deployment, encourage public private partnerships, and support competition. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=C0927489-C250-48CF-8664-C225F09596E5,"Senate Passes 2018 Farm Bill With Portman, Brown Provision to Assist Central State University",2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senators Secured Provision That Would Ensure Central State Receives Increased Funding From USDA That It Was Previously Denied Bill is Set to Pass House, Then Head to President's Desk for Final Signature WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that they secured a provision in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, more commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill, to increase research funding for Central State University. For more than 100 years, Central State University was denied 1890 Land Grant status, meaning it was ineligible for funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its innovative scientific research. Portman and Brown's provision corrects that oversight and increases the amount of formula funding that Central State will be able to receive from USDA, while not jeopardizing the funding of any other 1890 Land Grant. The House is set to pass the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, then it heads to the President's desk for final signature. Central State University serves an important role in food and ag research and development in Wilberforce and throughout Ohio, said Portman. Central State deserves to be treated in the same way as other historically black colleges when it comes to accessing federal funding under the Farm Bill, and I was pleased this important amendment was included. Our amendment is a commonsense fix to a historical oversight, and it will ensure that one of Ohio's great universities gets its fair share of federal education dollars,said Brown. Learn more about the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398956,Latta Statement on FBI Arrests in Toledo,2018-12-10,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) released the following statement after arrests were made in connection with national security threats in Lucas County. I commend the actions by law enforcement that may have saved lives in Toledo. The early reports indicate that the planners of these proposed attacks were seeking to kill and injure innocent people. These planned attacks are alarming in their callousness and depravity, and we are thankful for the actions of the FBI, the Toledo Police, and the Northwest Ohio Joint Terrorism Task Force. In light of the fact that one of the suspects was targeting local Synagogues, we stand with the Jewish Community in the face of these threats. After the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh and other recent anti-Semitic actions, we understand the pain and worry that many in this community are feeling. Anti-Semitism has no place in our country, and we will stand firm in our resolve to prevent hateful attacks. We must stay vigilant. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399704,Choosing to Serve,2018-12-10,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"In the late 1830s, an Ohioan who would go on to be a Civil War hero and President of the United States was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point. There was just one issue: he did not know that his father had submitted his name for consideration. share: f t From left to right: John VerDow, Jacob Nauman, Tyler Goodwin, Jason June, Emma Wood, Rep. Steve Stivers, Kennedy Turnbull, Joseph Orlando, Gavin Shafer, Kieran Place, Andrew Dombrowski. Not Pictured: Jacob Hamilton, William Ciesinski, Abigail BallIn the late 1830s, an Ohioan who would go on to be a Civil War hero and President of the United States was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point. There was just one issue: he did not know that his father had submitted his name for consideration. Despite this situation and less than superior grades Ulysses S. Grant became a cadet and received a degree from West Point, later becoming a pivotal figure in the Union's efforts against the Confederacy and a renowned President of the United States. While times have changed and parents are no longer sending their kids without their knowledge, the rich tradition of our military academies has continued with students across the country making the choice to serve. Last week, I got to participate in one of the highest honors I have as a Member of Congress by nominating 13 students to West Point, the Air Force Academy, the Merchant Marine Academy, and the Naval Academy. Students from four counties and 10 different schools were nominated, and now go on to the next step of selection with the academies. I believe these students represent some of the brightest and best across our country. These are students who are choosing to undertake some of the most rigorous coursework you can at the university level. They are choosing to stay in shape and complete challenging physical fitness tests. Most importantly, they are choosing to serve choosing to serve at least five years after graduation and choosing to serve whether in wartime or peace. These students are role models for all of us, and I want to thank each one from this year's class. As confident as I am in this year's class, I know there are more in high schools in Ohio's 15th District who want to answer the call to service and apply to a military academy. Basic requirements to apply for a nomination from my office to a military academy include: Residency in Ohio's 15th District Applicant must be at least 17 years of age, but not yet reached their 23rd birthday on July 1st of the year admitted to an academy Must never have been married and have no legal obligation to support a child Must be a citizen of the United States Must be men and women of excellent moral character who are trustworthy, emotionally stable and motivated The best time to begin the application process is spring of the applicant's junior year of high school. However, if you, or someone you know, are interested in learning more about the process, I encourage you to visit my website at https://stivers.house.gov/constituentservices/serviceacademynominations.htm or call my Lancaster District Office at 740-654-2654. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399720,Stivers to serve as House Municipal Finance Caucus co-chair,2018-12-10,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, will co-chair the House Municipal Finance Caucus, according to a statement released on Dec. 10 by current caucus co-chairman Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md. share: f t Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, will co-chair the House Municipal Finance Caucus, according to a statement released on Dec. 10 by current caucus co-chairman Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md.Stivers replaces Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-Ill., who failed to win re-election this fall. More than 10 national associations representing the full spectrum of municipal finance stakeholders, including the American Public Power Association, issued a statement congratulating Stivers on his new position as co-chair. Congressman Stivers is particularly suited to join in leading the caucus, with years of experience in finance through his work in the private sector, the Ohio State Senate, and the U.S. House, the statement said. Formed in 2016 by Ruppersberger and Hultgren, the caucus has grown to more than 40 members of the House of Representatives, including Stivers. Thanks to the leadership of Congressmen Hultgren and Ruppersberger, the caucus has continually engaged the legislative process to ensure that states and local government have access to robust financing tools, the associations said in their statement. The caucus and its leaders fought to preserve tax-exempt financing during debate of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and are expected to play a key role as Congress turns to legislation to help in the funding and financing of our nation's core infrastructure. Municipal bonds are the single most important tool in the country for financing new schools, hospitals, roads, fire stations and more, Ruppersberger said. Stivers has already championed efforts to refine municipal advisor regulations and I look forward to working with him to protect common sense, job-creating tools that our communities need. The Association also joined a letter of support for Stivers released by the Public Finance Network, a coalition of bond issuer and issuer-aligned associations, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Counties, National League of Cities, and Government Finance Officers Association. State and local governments use municipal bonds to finance public infrastructure investments that enable their communities to function and thrive. Tax-exempt municipal bonds have financed $2 trillion in new investments in infrastructure over the last decade, including $96 billion in new investments in electric power generation, transmission, and distribution.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wenstrup.house.gov/updates/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400553,House Passes Wenstrup Sponsored VA Legislation,2018-12-10,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Brad Wenstrup,W000815,wenstrup.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Wenstrup (OH-02) released the following statement after the House passed the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, including two bipartisan bills introduced by Congressman Wenstrup (H.R. 4451, H.R. 5882): Our nation made a promise to support our troops from the day they take their oath of office through their post-service careers, and the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 makes good upon that promise. The Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4451) makes critical eligibility changes to VA housing programs, empowering homeless veterans to re-enter the workforce and regain self-sufficiency. The Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act (H.R. 5882) ensures that Gold Star families can quickly terminate a residential lease after the death of a service member. I thank my colleagues for supporting these bills to assist our veterans and their families, said Congressman Brad Wenstrup. Watch Rep. Wenstrup's floor remarks on the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=79633F94-4DC9-4873-ACB1-172B2388D739,Portman Praises Law Enforcement After Terrorism-Related Arrests in Toledo,2018-12-10,2018,2018-12,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 the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Justin Herdman and the FBI Cleveland Field Office today announced the arrest of two individuals who were actively planning terrorist attacks on U.S. soil: I'm profoundly grateful for the FBI, the Department of Justice, our U.S. Attorney in Cleveland Justin Herdman, and all of our Ohio law enforcement partners who worked for months to apprehend these suspects and stop these terrorist attacks before they happened. These threats and attacks we've seen across our country are attacks on our values. As I've said many times, there is no place for hatred, antisemitism, bigotry, threats, or attacks of any kind on our fellow citizens, and we must all work together to live up to our values of tolerance and respect for others. NOTE: Senator Portman has been working to ensure Jewish facilities across Ohio have access to federal security grants to help improve the safety at their facilities. On October 30, Portman sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) urging the Senate to pass the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Authorization Act and provide appropriate resources to help better protect synagogues and other nonprofit institutions around the country that are vulnerable to acts of terrorism. In March, the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee approved two amendments to the DHS Authorization Act authored by Senator Portman. The measure has stalled since then and Portman has called on the bipartisan Senate leadership to prioritize these efforts before the end of the year. Portman visited the Jewish Community Center in Youngstown on October 30 to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community following the horrific attack in Pittsburgh on Saturday, October 27. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=AF1ACCF2-F9F4-4CFB-9C6A-1DC75A8184A9,Portman Offers Summer Internship Program for Ohio Students,2018-12-10,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Deadline for Applications is February 15, 2019 WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) is accepting applications for internship opportunities in his Washington, D.C. and state offices. I began my career in public service as a congressional intern and know firsthand the benefits of offering college students an exciting introduction to Congress and the workings of a Senate office said Portman. These young men and women will earn valuable experience as they assist me and my staff on our work to make a difference for Ohio. Internships are designed primarily for Ohio students who have completed at least one full year of collegiate undergraduate coursework. Interns are assigned to work alongside staff responsible for the Senator's legislative, press, and administrative operations. Session 1 of the summer internship runs from May 13th, 2019to June 21st, 2019 and Session 2 of the summer internship runs from June 24th, 2019 to August 2nd, 2019. Students who wish to apply for a summer internship may find application information on Senator Portman's website in the section titled Students. The deadline for applications for summer internships is Friday, February 15, 2019. Please contact Senator Portman's office at Portman_Internships@portman.senate.gov or 202-224-3353 for more information. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://billjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399572,Johnson Applauds Department of Transportation Award of BUILD Grant to Monroe County,2018-12-07,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Bill Johnson,J000292,billjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) released the following statement after the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a $20 million grant to Monroe County through the BUILD Grant program (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Developments): share: f t Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) released the following statement after the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a $20 million grant to Monroe County through the BUILD Grant program (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Developments): I was thrilled to learn Monroe County received this award, said Bill Johnson. This BUILD grant will help fund the county's Appalachia NGL Hub-Rail Transloading Project, allowing for safe and efficient transfer of natural gas from pipeline to rail. This is a major, major deal for Monroe County and Southeastern Ohio and another sign that Appalachia Ohio is on the upswing, adding good-paying jobs, and no longer a forgotten region. Earlier this year, Johnson made a personal phone call and sent a letter of support for the Monroe County BUILD Grant application to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398953,Latta Statement On Anniversary Of Pearl Harbor Attack,2018-12-07,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) released the following statement on the 77th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Just before 8 a.m. on December 7, 1941, Imperial Japanese forces launched an attack on Pearl Harbor that cost thousands of lives and plunged the United States into World War II. Seventy-seven years to the day, we honor the lives lost and remember their sacrifice. In a week that saw us lose President George H.W. Bush, a member of the Greatest Generation, we also recognize the countless other Americans of that era that answered the call to defend our nation, fight in Europe, the Pacific, North Africa, and other regions around the world, and change the course of human history at a moment's notice. As the years and decades pass since the Pearl Harbor attack, may we always remember those that fought bravely that day and never forget those that perished. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398954,Latta Statement On the November Jobs Report,2018-12-07,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) released the following statement on the November jobs report which showed the creation of 155,000 jobs and the unemployment rate holding steady at 3.7%. While November's jobs report doesn't quite reach the level of the banner reports released over the past few months, there is still much to like in terms of wage growth and labor participation. The creation of 155,000 jobs is a sustainable number that will help extend the current economic expansion into the future. The report also shows wage growth of more than 3% from a year ago. That means Americans continue to see bigger paychecks and higher incomes. The African-American unemployment rate is now the lowest on record and unemployment for women is near its historic low. Manufacturing jobs grew by 27,000, continuing strong growth in that sector. This jobs report shows that our economy remains strong, but we can't rest on our laurels. More can still be done to reduce burdensome regulations, add more permanency to our tax code, and prepare Americans for the workforce of tomorrow. As we head into a split Congress, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to work with us to continue passing pro-growth policies that have led to this booming economy. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://latta.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398955,Latta: U.S. Net Oil Exporter Status a Cause for Celebration,2018-12-07,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Robert Latta,L000566,latta.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) is applauding the announcement that the U.S. became a net oil exporter last week for the first time in 75 years. The U.S. sold a net of 211,000 barrels a day of crude and refined products last week. The U.S. energy boom has been a result of pro-energy policies and technological advancements that have led to increased oil production across the country. Reclaiming net exporter status after 75 years as a net importer is a massive achievement for our country and yet another result of how the U.S. energy renaissance is making a difference for our economy, job creation, and American foreign policy. While this is another milestone on the path to energy security, the fact that we are selling more oil than we are buying has huge implications. It means less dependence on oil-rich countries and more money that is staying here at home. We are already hearing from soon-to-be Members of Congress that see the boom in domestic energy production as a bad thing. The new Democratic majority in the House are rolling out proposals that would be devastating for American energy production and are threatening to reverse the progress we've made. This doesn't just pose a threat to our economy, but it would mean relying on other countries to meet our energy needs. I'm committed to ensuring we stay the course on the policies that have gotten us to this point and continuing our embrace of American technological innovation that has made this energy boom possible. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wenstrup.house.gov/updates/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400552,Wenstrup Statement on the Passing of President George H.W. Bush,2018-12-07,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Brad Wenstrup,W000815,wenstrup.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Wenstrup (OH-02) released the following statement after the passing of President George H.W. Bush: America has lost a great statesman and a true patriot in George H.W. Bush. From the skies over the Pacific in the Second World War to the halls of Congress, the UN, the CIA, and the White House, his life of service was a testament to his deep love for America and his dedication to making our nation and our world a better place. My prayers and deepest condolences are with George, Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Dorothy, and all of the Bush family, saidCongressman Brad Wenstrup. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=77713601-A6F7-4A50-BDB6-1DF4CF774A46,"In Eaton, Portman Tours Henny Penny, Participates in Employee Town Hall With Workers and Members of the Center for Innovative Food Technology",2018-12-07,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"EATON, OH Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) toured Henny Penny World Headquarters, an employee-owned manufacturer of premium commercial food equipment based in Eaton, Ohio.Following the tour, Portman participated in an employee town hall with Henny Penny employees and members of the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT). CIFT is a membership consortium comprised of food industry businesses, suppliers, and academic institutions, to enhance the economic viability of Ohio's food and agricultural sector through advanced technology, research projects, and job creation. I enjoyed visiting Henny Penny today and hearing from their leadership as well as from members of CIFT regarding workforce development and what they, as business leaders, are doing to help boost their local economy, said Portman. We had very productive discussion, and I will take their ideas, feedback, and the good-work I saw here back to Washington because we need more like it. I will continue my work at the federal level to make sure that Washington is an effective partner with local communities in providing Ohioans with the skills training they need to succeed. As co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus, Portman has led efforts in the Senate to strengthen CTE programs and help Ohioans find meaningful employment. In July, the president signed Portman's Educating Tomorrow's Workforce Act, legislation he crafted with Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) to allow states and localities to use Perkins grant funding to establish CTE-focused academies. He has also worked on other measures to strengthen CTE programs, including introducing the bipartisan CTE Excellence and Equity Act to support re-designing the high school experience to include courses more relevant to the 21st century workforce to better prepare students for future careers. He introduced the bipartisan JOBS Act to expand Pell Grant eligibility to cover high-quality and rigorous short-term job training programs so workers can afford the skills training and credentials they need for today's job market. Lastly, he introduced the Creating Quality Technical Educators Act to create a teacher residency grant program to help address the CTE teacher shortage in schools. Photos from the event are below: ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/rob-s-rundown?ID=C0D8A408-38ED-4BD3-9E17-FB1F27A997F1,"Robs Rundown: Week of December 3-7, 2018",2018-12-07,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"This week, Senator Portman met with General Motors CEO Mary Barra to discuss the company's decision to shut down its plant in Lordstown, Ohio. Portman urged Barra to bring new production to the plan and help save these jobs. In addition, Portman honored the life of his friend and mentor, President George H. W. Bush by paying his respects in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, where the president lied in state, attending the funeral services at the National Cathedral and through his remarks on the Senate floor. Portman announced that the Pentagon has decided to locate the F-35 Hybrid Product Support Integrator (HPSI) Organization at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The new mission will mean at least 400 new jobs in Ohio, with the potential for more to be located at the base over the next several years. In addition, the Senate passed Portman's bill honoring Larry Doby, the first African American to play in the American League, with the Congressional Gold Medal for his career and contributions to the American civil rights movement. Portman announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded three BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Developments) grants to boost infrastructure investment in Ohio: $10.8 million to Youngstown, $20 million to Monroe County,and $9.6 million to the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA). Lastly, Portman toured Henny Penny World Headquarters, an employee-owned manufacturer of premium commercial food equipment based in Eaton, Ohio, where he participated in an employee town hall with Henny Penny employees and members of the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT). For a more detailed look at Senator Portman's week, please see the following: Monday, December 3 On CNN & MSNBC, Portman Honors the Life of His Friend and Mentor, President George H.W. Bush On Saturday, Senator Portman joined CNN's Jake Tapper and MSNBC's David Gura to discuss the passing of his dear friend and mentor, President George H.W. Bush. In a statement after his passing, Portman said: An early boss and mentor, President Bush was one of the most decent and honorable menI've ever known, and a model that I have tried to follow in my years in public service. The CNN interview can be viewed here and MSNBC interview can be viewed here. Portman, Brown to Meet With GM CEO Mary Barra This Week, Will Press Company to Save Lordstown Plant U.S. Senators Portman and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that they will meet with General Motors CEO Mary Barra on Wednesday afternoon, December 5, 2018, of this week. The meeting will take place in Senator Portman's office. Both Ohio Senators have spoken with Barra, proposed solutions, and urged GM to work with them to save the Lordstown jobs. Last week, GM announced it would lay off its final shift of workers and close its Lordstown plant in March of 2019. Earlier this year, GM announced plans to build the new Chevy Blazer in Mexico on the same day the company ended the second shift at a plant. GM has eliminated nearly 3,000 jobs at the plant over the last two years. We have the best workers in the world in Ohio, and I'm proud of the workers at Lordstown, said Portman.They have proven themselves time and again, and Senator Brown and I will continue to fight on their behalf. I look forward to continuing our engagement with GM. I hope the company sees the incredible potential in this plant, by keeping it open and bringing other production back to the Valley. Tuesday, December 4 Portman Applauds President for Signing Coast Guard Reauthorization Bill to Help Protect Great Lakes Portman, co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, applauded President Trump for signing the Frank Lobiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act, which includes language he negotiated to establish a rulemaking framework for vessel discharge regulations to ensure the Great Lakes are protected against pollution and the spread of invasive species while creating regulatory certainty for the competitive shipping industry across the region. Today is a great day for those who enjoy the natural beauty of Lake Erie and our freshwater treasures as well as those who make a living on the Great Lakes, said Portman. This law helps protects the Great Lakes against the spread of invasive species and pollution while ensuring that our shipping industry in Ohio and across the region is competitive. It is the product of bipartisan work and is a balanced legislative solution to ensure the regulations regarding vessel discharges protect the ecosystem in the Great Lakes. I'm proud of this legislation and want to thank Senator Stabenow for working with me to get it across the finish line. On Fox Business, Portman Discusses Trade News at G20 Summit & GM's Decision to Close Lordstown Plant In an interview with Fox Business, Portman highlighted the positive news on trade at the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina last week. Senator Portman, who was the U.S. Trade Representative during the George W. Bush administration, has been a leading voice in the Senate on U.S. trade policy and serves on the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over trade issues. Last week, Portman issued a statement applauding the signing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Portman also discussed General Motor's decision to shut down its plant in Lordstown, Ohio in March of 2019. Portman is scheduled to meet with GM CEO Mary Barra tomorrow to urge her to keep the plant open. Excerpts of his interview can be found here and a video can be found here. Portman, Brown, Turner Announce Air Force Has Selected Wright-Patterson For Critical New Mission That Will Bring At Least 400 Jobs to Base Portman and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and U.S. Congressman Mike Turner (R-OH-10) announced that the Pentagon has decided to locate the F-35 Hybrid Product Support Integrator (HPSI) Organization at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The new mission will mean at least 400 new jobs in Ohio, with the potential for more to be located at the base over the next several years. In April, Portman, Brown, and Turner led the entire Ohio congressional delegation in writing a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson. The lawmakers made the case for Wright-Patt and said the base was uniquely qualified to handle the new mission. In June, Portman, Brown, and Turner, along with other members of the Ohio delegation, met with Secretary Wilson in Washington, where they made the case for Wright-Patt in person. The Air Force's decision to locate the F-35 Hybrid Product Support Integrator at Wright-Patt is great news for the Dayton region and more than 400 new jobs at the base, said Senator Portman. This decision is a testament to our incredible work force and reinforces the Miami Valley's critical role in supporting our national defense. In addition to bringing high-paying jobs to Dayton, this Support Integrator will help contribute to the effectiveness of our F-35 program. Wright-Patt's highly qualified workforce supports the Air Force's critical national security mission and the base is further supported by the broader Dayton defense community, which is full of engineering and contracting specialists. The lawmakers said that Dayton's research industry and universities have long been the center for developing, acquiring, and sustaining the next level of air superiority to counter U.S. adversaries and, therefore, locating HPSI at Wright-Patt was the best choice for the Air Force. On Senate Floor, Portman Honors Memory of President George H.W. Bush Portman delivered remarks on the Senate floor in memory of his friend and mentor, President George H.W. Bush, who passed away last Friday at the age of 94. Jane and I send our condolences to the entire Bush family and to his many, many close friends. At the close of this truly great American life, this guiding light, let us honor his legacy by following his example of patriotism, public service, and civility. Godspeed, George Bush. Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here. Wednesday, December 5 On Bloomberg, Portman Discusses How Tax Reform is Strengthening the Economy, GM's Decision to Close Lordstown Plant In an interview with Bloomberg, Portman highlighted the current economic growth in the United States due in part to tax reform. He also stressed the need for balanced trade and providing a level playing field for all countries. Senator Portman, who was the U.S. Trade Representative during the George W. Bush administration, has been a leading voice in the Senate on U.S. trade policy and serves on the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over trade issues. Portman also discussed General Motors' decision to shut down its plant in Lordstown, Ohio in March of 2019. Portman is scheduled to meet with GM CEO Mary Barra to urge her to recommit to Lordstown and bring new production to the plant. Excerpts of his interview can be found here and a video can be found here. Portman Remarks Following Meeting With GM CEO Mary Barra Portman delivered remarks to the media following the joint meeting he hosted with Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and General Motors (GM) CEO Mary Barra. For video of the remarks click here, and the text follows: Senator Brown and I just had a meeting with GM CEO Mary Barra about their decision a couple of weeks ago to put the plant in Lordstown, Ohio, on unallocated status. And she can talk more about what that means, but we're very disappointed by that decision. We believe that the workers and the community of Lordstown have proven themselves time and time again for almost five and a half decades. Those workers have done their part. Just as the workforce has stood with General Motors over the years, we expect General Motors now to stand with this workforce and give them a chance. We talked a lot about the possibility of bringing another product into the plant and that's what we'd like to see. General Motors has made an announcement that they plan to build 20 new electric vehicles in the next five years, 20 new models. We want one or more of those models to be built in Lordstown, Ohio. That's where it belongs. We had a good, very candid discussion. We are going to continue to work at every level. The local level, working with state government, Sherrod has spoken with Governor Kasich and I spoke with Governor-elect DeWine, we're ensuring that we're working closely with the state. The local community, the Drive It Home campaign is UAW and the Chamber of Commerce working together to show the support we have locally. We've also talked at the federal level. I spoke to President Trump today on this issue. He's very committed to helping us keep this assembly plant in Ohio. I've also spoken to Secretary Acosta as recently as today. He is eager, wants to be helpful. We're trying everything we can to ensure that these workers in Lordstown get the support they deserve now and are able to build another product. We're not asking for charity. What we're asking for is to give the community and workforce the opportunity to once again show what they can do. This is the commitment that we've received so far: one as Senator Brown said, they are ongoing negotiations, I think there's a September or fall deadline for the UAW contract. Both of us want to be sure that both the company and UAW expedite that as much as possible to get to a decision so there is less uncertainty. She agreed that was a potential opportunity. Also, she has said to us that she is going to keep an open mind but does not want to raise expectations. Thursday, December 6 On Fox News, Portman Honors the Legacy and Memory President George H.W. Bush Portman joined Fox News' Dana Perino to discuss the legacy of his dear friend and mentor, President George H.W. Bush. In a statement after his passing, Portman said: An early boss and mentor, President Bush was one of the most decent and honorable menI've ever known, and a model that I have tried to follow in my years in public service. Portman attended the funeral services for President Bush at the National Cathedral. Excerpts of his interview can be found here and a video can be found here: Portman, Hassan Introduce Bipartisan Public-Private Cybersecurity Cooperation Act to Bolster Cybersecurity Senators Portman and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) have introduced the bipartisan Public-Private Cybersecurity Cooperation Act, which would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a cyber-vulnerabilities disclosure program (VDP) so that vulnerabilities in DHS' cyber systems can be easily reported and fixed. This is a companion bill to legislation sponsored by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the Public-Private Cybersecurity Cooperation Act (H.R.6735,) which passed the House earlier this year. At a time when cyber threats are on the rise, the United States government must protect itself. Doing so involves drawing upon the vast expertise of hackers and security experts in our country to identify vulnerabilities and report them to the people in a position to fix those flaws in our systems. This bill complements my work with Senator Hassan on our HACK DHS Act and I look forward to working with her and my colleagues to swiftly enact this common sense, bipartisan proposal, said Senator Portman. Portman Announces Youngstown Awarded $10.8 Million Federal Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Portman announced that Youngstown has been awarded a $10.8 million BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Developments)federal grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The BUILD grant will be used to make improvements to the Central Business District in Youngstown that includes Fifth Avenue, Park Avenue, Rayen Avenue, Commercial Street, Federal Street, Phelps Street, and Front Street. This is great news for Youngstown, said Portman. This enhancement of the Central Business District and nearby manufacturing plants will provide great multimodal access between key employers in the Mahoning Valley. I'm excited that this grant will invest in job creation through transportation improvements, which is vital to strengthening the economy in Northeast Ohio. I also commend the Youngstown leaders for how they came together to raise an impressive non-federal match, which is now at $10.9 million, over 50 percent. Portman, Brown Bill Honoring Baseball Legend and Civil Rights Pioneer Larry Doby With Congressional Gold Medal Set to Become Law The Senate passed U.S. Senators Portman and Brown's (D-OH) bill honoring Larry Doby, the first African American to play in the American League, with the Congressional Gold Medal for his career and contributions to the American civil rights movement. It now heads to President Trump's desk to be signed into law. In joining the American League, Doby effectively integrated all of professional baseball. As the first African American player in the American League, Larry Doby broke down barriers with his remarkable skill and competitive spirit and forever changed the game of baseball, said Portman. Through sheer determination, Doby became a symbol for the fight for equality in our country and encouraged thousands of Ohioans and kids across our country to push the boundaries of what they thought possible. I'd like to thank my colleagues in the Senate for approving this bill and especially my colleague Jim Renacci for his leadership to get this bill done in the House. Lawrence Eugene Larry Doby joined the Cleveland Indians in July 1947, becoming the first African American to play in the American League. During his 13-year career in the American League, Doby tallied 1,533 games, batting .283, with 253 home runs and 970 runs batted in. He played in two World Series, leading the 1948 Cleveland Indians to a World Championship over the Boston Braves. He was the first African-American player to hit a home run in a World Series game, led the American League in home runs twice, and was voted to seven All-Star teams. In 1978, the Chicago White Sox hired Doby as their manager and he became the second African-American manager in Major League history. He later served as Director of Community Relations for the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association. He was inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2013. Doby was born in Camden, South Carolina, in 1923 and moved to Paterson, New Jersey, in 1938, where he became a standout athlete at Paterson Eastside High School. He attended Long Island University on a basketball scholarship before enlisting in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was discharged in 1946 and went on to play baseball in the Negro National League for the Newark Eagles. Doby passed away in 2003. Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum support the bill. Portman Announces Monroe County Awarded $20 Million Federal Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Portman announced that Monroe County was awarded a $20 million BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Developments)federal grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The BUILD grant will be used to fund Monroe County's Appalachia NGL HubRail Transloading Project. This multi-modal, project will construct a rail yard and pipeline transloading facility to transfer propane and butane from pipeline to rail to be sent for export in the most efficient and safest way possible. This is great news for Monroe County and its economy, said Portman. By increasing energy exports from the Marcellus and Utica Shale, this project will create more jobs in Southeast Ohio and help make America less dependent on foreign energy sources. Portman Announces Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency Awarded $9.6 Million Federal Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Portman announced that Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) was awarded a $9.6 million BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Developments)federal grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The BUILD grant will be used for Geauga County's Amish safety improvements. This project aims to create safer roadways by widening roadway shoulders, establishing detection systems, and posting school zone and pedestrian signage and flashers at appropriate roadside locations. This is great news for the Amish community in Northeast Ohio, said Portman. As the center of the fourth largest Amish settlement in the U.S., I know that the leaders of Geauga County are working to maintain the safe use of the Amish buggy and pedestrian accessible roads. This grant will help the county create safer roadways for the Amish and non-Amish alike. Friday, December 7 In Eaton, Portman Tours Henny Penny, Participates in Employee Town Hall With Workers and Members of the Center for Innovative Food Technology Portman toured Henny Penny World Headquarters, an employee-owned manufacturer of premium commercial food equipment based in Eaton, Ohio.Following the tour, Portman participated in an employee town hall with Henny Penny employees and members of the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT). CIFT is a membership consortium comprised of food industry businesses, suppliers, and academic institutions, to enhance the economic viability of Ohio's food and agricultural sector through advanced technology, research projects, and job creation. I enjoyed visiting Henny Penny today and hearing from their leadership as well as from members of CIFT regarding workforce development and what they, as business leaders, are doing to help boost their local economy, said Portman. We had very productive discussion, and I will take their ideas, feedback, and the good-work I saw here back to Washington because we need more like it. I will continue my work at the federal level to make sure that Washington is an effective partner with local communities in providing Ohioans with the skills training they need to succeed. As co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus, Portman has led efforts in the Senate to strengthen CTE programs and help Ohioans find meaningful employment. In July, the president signed Portman's Educating Tomorrow's Workforce Act, legislation he crafted with Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) to allow states and localities to use Perkins grant funding to establish CTE-focused academies. He has also worked on other measures to strengthen CTE programs, including introducing the bipartisan CTE Excellence and Equity Act to support re-designing the high school experience to include courses more relevant to the 21st century workforce to better prepare students for future careers. He introduced the bipartisan JOBS Act to expand Pell Grant eligibility to cover high-quality and rigorous short-term job training programs so workers can afford the skills training and credentials they need for today's job market. Lastly, he introduced the Creating Quality Technical Educators Act to create a teacher residency grant program to help address the CTE teacher shortage in schools. Photos from the event can be found here. On Social Media Ohio GOP Sen. Rob Portman recalls George HW Bush as a mentor, friend When the ceremony for the arrival of the casket bearing the body of the late President George H.W. Bush began Monday night in the Capitol Rotunda, many grieved the passing of a commander-in-chief. Sen. Rob Portman grieved the passing of the man who helped launch him on a career of public service. Portman, an Ohio Republican, first worked for Bush in 1979, when the Cincinnati resident volunteered for his presidential campaign while still in college. He performed advance work, and did a good enough job that when Bush became vice president, Portman, then just a young lawyer, was assigned to do volunteer advance work to China, France as well as the U.S. After Bush became president, he hired Portman for his Office of Legislative Affairs. Though he had worked briefly for then-Rep. Bill Gradison, he was, frankly, very inexperienced. Portman worked hard and was rewarded with a view to history: He sat behind Bush in the Cabinet Room when the president, legislators and Cabinet members before the beginning of the Gulf War in 1990. Portman said many in the room advised him not to seek congressional approval for the war, fearing that Congress would not support it. But Bush insisted on a vote, and it passed the Senate narrowly. But in the end, the public and Congress were united behind the effort. He did the right thing because he brought the country together, Portman said. Bush, he said, gave me my start. He showed me how things could be done in an honorable way. Later, when Bush's son George W. was elected president, Portman called the elder Bush before he took the job as U.S. Trade Representative. He was very supportive, Portman said. In later years, Portman visited Bush, often in Kennebunkport. Bush asked him for the political gossip and descriptions of current players. Portman asked for advice, but Bush, ever humble, was often reluctant to give it. This summer, Portman visited again, bringing a Bush '88 campaign hat to amuse the former president. He just loved it, Portman said. He made you a better person by being around him, Portman said. I think that's one of the reasons you see all of these glowing tributes to him. (Ohio GOP Sen. Rob Portman recalls George HW Bush as a mentor, friend. Jessica Wehrman. Columbus Dispatch. December, 3, 2018.) Brown, Portman push to keep GM Ohio plant open Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman on Wednesday met with General Motors CEO Mary Barra to discuss ways to keep a manufacturing plant operating in the state. The plant is one of five in the U.S. and Canada that GM plans to shutter. The lawmakers ""will continue to fight to get a decision quicker rather than later on putting, whether it's electric vehicles or some other the Chevy Blazer or something else in this plant,"" Brown told reporters after the meeting. The two emphasized they want to see the company bring production for models of next-generation electric vehicles to the Lordstown Assembly in Warren, Ohio. Talks with Trump: Portman said he spoke with President Donald Trump on Wednesday and the president remains ""very committed to helping us keep this assembly plant in Ohio."" Trump has been a vocal critic of GM's plan, saying the U.S. ""has done a lot for"" the company. The company didn't directly link its original announcement with Trump's tariff policies, but previously expressed concern that potential auto tariffs, combined with the administration's tariffs on China, steel and aluminum, could lead to higher prices and lower sales. (Brown, Portman push to keep GM Ohio plant open. Sabrina Rodreiguez. Politico Morning Trade. December 6, 2018.) ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399700,Stivers Nominates Ross County Students to Military Academies,2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Steve Stivers (R OH) this week announced his nomination of two Ross County students to the United States military academies. share: f t From left to right: Kieran Place, Rep. Steve Stivers, Andrew DombrowskiWASHINGTON Congressman Steve Stivers (R OH) this week announced his nomination of two Ross County students to the United States military academies. One of my highest honors in Congress is to nominate students who want to serve their country to the United States military academies, Stivers said. We had an impressive group of candidates this year, and I am confident that each one of these nominees would serve our country well and make Ohio's 15th District proud. Stivers nominated the following students: Andrew Dombrowski was nominated to the Air Force Academy, West Point, and the Naval Academy. Dombrowski attends Soli Deo Gloria Academy. He is the son of Michael and Kristel Dombrowski. Kieran Place was nominated to West Point, the Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy. He attends Zane Trace High School and is the son of Matthew and Angela Place. To receive a service academy nomination from Congressman Stivers, candidates must be unmarried residents of Ohio's 15th Congressional District, United States citizens and between the ages of 17 and 23. In pursuit of a nomination, students submitted an application and were interviewed by Congressman Stivers' Military Academy Review Board. The Board evaluates the students on the basis of academic performance, leadership ability, and community involvement. Congressman Stivers is exceedingly grateful to all of the nominees for their willingness to serve, and to the Military Academy Review Board for all their time in interviewing the students and making recommendations. He encourages qualified persons interested in pursuing a nomination to one of the United States Service Academies in the future to visit www.stivers.house.gov for more information, or contact his Lancaster Office at (740) 654-2654. -30- Congressman Stivers represents the 15th Congressional District. He has also served more than 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard, currently holding the rank of Brigadier General.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399701,Stivers Nominates Fairfield County Students to Military Academies,2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Congressman Steve Stivers (R OH) this week announced his nomination of four Fairfield County students to the United States military academies. share: f t From left to right: Kennedy Turnbull, Tyler Goodwin, Rep. Steve Stivers, Jacob Nauman, John VerDowWASHINGTON Congressman Steve Stivers (R OH) this week announced his nomination of four Fairfield County students to the United States military academies. One of my highest honors in Congress is to nominate students who want to serve their country to the United States military academies, Stivers said. We had an impressive group of candidates this year, and I am confident that each one of these nominees would serve our country well and make Ohio's 15th District proud. Stivers nominated the following students: John VerDow was nominated to the Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Merchant Marine Academy. VerDow attends Fairfield Union High School and is the son of David and Julie VerDow. Jacob Nauman was nominated to the Merchant Marine Academy, West Point, and the Naval Academy. Nauman attends Lancaster High School and is the son of Jay and Kim Nauman. Tyler Goodwin was nominated to the Air Force Academy, West Point, and the Merchant Marine Academy. He attends Pickerington North High School and is the son of Gregg and Julie Goodwin. Kennedy Turnbull was nominated to the Air Force Academy and the Naval Academy. She is the daughter of Jeff and Brittany Turnbull and attends Pickerington North High School. To receive a service academy nomination from Congressman Stivers, candidates must be unmarried residents of Ohio's 15th Congressional District, United States citizens and between the ages of 17 and 23. In pursuit of a nomination, students submitted an application and were interviewed by Congressman Stivers' Military Academy Review Board. The Board evaluates the students on the basis of academic performance, leadership ability, and community involvement. Congressman Stivers is exceedingly grateful to all of the nominees for their willingness to serve, and to the Military Academy Review Board for all their time in interviewing the students and making recommendations. He encourages qualified persons interested in pursuing a nomination to one of the United States Service Academies in the future to visit www.stivers.house.gov for more information, or contact his Lancaster Office at (740) 654-2654. -30- Congressman Stivers represents the 15th Congressional District. He has also served more than 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard, currently holding the rank of Brigadier General.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399702,Stivers Nominates Perry County Student to Naval Academy,2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Congressman Steve Stivers (R OH) this week announced his nomination of Abigail Ball to the United States Naval Academy. Abigail graduated from Sheridan High School and currently attends the Naval Academy Prep School. She is the daughter of Joe and Jessica Ball. share: f t WASHINGTON Congressman Steve Stivers (R OH) this week announced his nomination of Abigail Ball to the United States Naval Academy. Abigail graduated from Sheridan High School and currently attends the Naval Academy Prep School. She is the daughter of Joe and Jessica Ball. One of my highest honors in Congress is to nominate students who want to serve their country to the United States military academies, Stivers said. We had an impressive group of candidates this year, and I am confident that Abigail would serve our country well and make Ohio's 15th District proud. To receive a service academy nomination from Congressman Stivers, candidates must be unmarried residents of Ohio's 15th Congressional District, United States citizens and between the ages of 17 and 23. In pursuit of a nomination, students submitted an application and were interviewed by Congressman Stivers' Military Academy Review Board. The Board evaluates the students on the basis of academic performance, leadership ability, and community involvement. Congressman Stivers is exceedingly grateful to all of the nominees for their willingness to serve, and to the Military Academy Review Board for all their time in interviewing the students and making recommendations. He encourages qualified persons interested in pursuing a nomination to one of the United States Service Academies in the future to visit www.stivers.house.gov for more information, or contact his Lancaster Office at (740) 654-2654. -30- Congressman Stivers represents the 15th Congressional District. He has also served more than 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard, currently holding the rank of Brigadier General.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399703,Stivers Nominates Franklin County Students to Military Academies,2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Steve Stivers,S001187,stivers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Steve Stivers (R OH) this week announced his nomination of six Franklin County students to the United States military academies. share: f t From left to right: Gavin Shafer, Emma Wood, Rep. Steve Stivers, Jason June, Joseph Orlando. Not Pictured: Jacob Hamilton, William CiesinskiWASHINGTON Congressman Steve Stivers (R OH) this week announced his nomination of six Franklin County students to the United States military academies. One of my highest honors in Congress is to nominate students who want to serve their country to the United States military academies, Stivers said. We had an impressive group of candidates this year, and I am confident that each one of these nominees would serve our country well and make Ohio's 15th District proud. Stivers nominated the following students: William Ciesinski was nominated to West Point. Ciesinski graduated from Bishop Watterson High School, and currently attends Marquette University. He is the son of David and Patricia Ciesinski. Jacob Hamilton was nominated to the Naval Academy, West Point, and the Air Force Academy. Hamilton graduated from Grove City High School, and currently attends Hillsdale College. He is the son of R. Kelly and Traci Hamilton. Jason June was nominated to the Air Force Academy and the Naval Academy. He attends Grove City High School and is the son of James and Kimberly June. Emma Wood was nominated to the Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and West Point. She attends Hilliard Davidson High School and is the daughter of Timothy and Lisa Wood. Joseph Orlando was nominated to the Air Force Academy and West Point. He attends Upper Arlington High School and is the son of George Orlando and Jackie Lawless. Gavin Shafer was nominated to the Naval Academy, West Point, the Air Force Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy. He attends Upper Arlington High School and is the son of Scott and Natalie Shafer. To receive a service academy nomination from Congressman Stivers, candidates must be unmarried residents of Ohio's 15th Congressional District, United States citizens and between the ages of 17 and 23. In pursuit of a nomination, students submitted an application and were interviewed by Congressman Stivers' Military Academy Review Board. The Board evaluates the students on the basis of academic performance, leadership ability, and community involvement. Congressman Stivers is exceedingly grateful to all of the nominees for their willingness to serve, and to the Military Academy Review Board for all their time in interviewing the students and making recommendations. He encourages qualified persons interested in pursuing a nomination to one of the United States Service Academies in the future to visit www.stivers.house.gov for more information, or contact his Lancaster Office at (740) 654-2654. -30- Congressman Stivers represents the 15th Congressional District. He has also served more than 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard, currently holding the rank of Brigadier General.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://davidson.house.gov/2018/12/rep-davidson-supports-kraninger-head-cfpb,Rep. Davidson Supports Kraninger as Head of CFPB,2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Warren Davidson,D000626,davidson.house.gov,davidson,https://davidson.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Warren Davidson released the following statement today announcing his support for Kathy Kraninger to become Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. “I am thankful that Director Kraninger has finally been confirmed and is on the job working to protect consumers. There was a different structure under former Director Cordray whose leadership of the CFPB had a very pernicious effect on the economy. I believe that Director Kranigner will follow Mick Mulvaney's efforts to bring about change at the Bureau; and that she will continue working with Congress to restore constitutional governance to CFPB. Ultimately, I think that Director Kranigner will do a great job working to implement the goals of the office and I look forward to working with her.” Congressman Davidson sits on the House Financial Services Committee which has oversight of the CFPB.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:11:43Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=2CDBF282-4D6E-4CA5-925E-C0B896942425,"Renacci, Pascrell Celebrate Senate Passage of Congressional Gold Medal to Baseball Pioneer Larry Doby",2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Jim Renacci (R-OH-16), Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rob Portman (R-OH), and their colleagues celebrated the passage in the Senate of H.R. 1861, legislation that will award the Congressional Gold Medal to Larry Doby, a star baseball player who helped break the Major League Baseball color barrier. With today's passage, the legislation now heads to the President's desk for signature into law. Larry Doby joined the Major Leagues shortly after the great Jackie Robinson and faced the same struggles and barriers without the same recognition. Every time I walk through Progressive Field, I am reminded of his contribution to Cleveland and America's favorite pastime, said Rep Renacci. I am proud that members of House and Senate could rally around recognizing Larry Doby's incredible life and career and get our efforts on the President's desk. Today is a joyous day for sports and for this country, said Rep. Pascrell. Larry Doby endured horrendous racism and malice on and off the field to move America forward. The vitriol he had thrown at him would've crushed most people, but Larry was an incredibly courageous man who understood the importance of helping to break the color barrier in baseball. For too long, Larry Doby's courageous contributions to American civil rights have been overlooked. Awarding him this medal from our national legislature will give his family and his legacy more well-deserved recognition for his heroism. Lawrence Eugene Larry Doby (1923-2003) broke through racial barriers by becoming the first African American to play professional baseball in the American League. Doby served in the United States Navy in the Pacific during World War II. Upon his honorable discharge in 1946, Doby played baseball in the Negro League for the Newark Eagles, taking groundballs as an infielder at the old Ruppert Stadium, and nearby at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey. In 1947, Doby's contract was purchased by the Cleveland Indians shortly after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the National League. Doby played his first Major League game on July 5, appearing as a pinch hitter in a Saturday game at Comiskey Field against the Chicago White Sox. That game would mark the start of a remarkable career. Appearing in 1,533 games as a player, Doby was an excellent hitter, batting .283, with 253 home runs and 969 runs batted in. Despite coming up as a second baseman and shortstop, Doby would excel in the field as a center fielder, setting an American League outfielder record for 164 consecutive errorless games. Over a 13-year career, Doby was voted to seven All-Star squads. After his playing career, Doby became the manager of the White Sox in 1978, just the second black Major League club manager. Doby was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998. In addition to being the first African American to hit a home run in a World Series, Larry Doby was deeply committed to his community. In an expression of this commitment, Larry served as the Director of Community Relations for the NBA's New Jersey Nets. This position granted Larry the opportunity to leverage his character and stature to participate in and influence youth in many of New Jersey's inner cities. H.R. 1861 is sponsored by Reps. Renacci and Pascrell and 293 of their House colleagues. Companion legislation in the Senate, S. 802, is sponsored by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Rob Portman (R-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Tim Scott (R-SC) and 67 other cosponsors.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://renacci.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=71974CD7-36DB-44B2-9141-B83B468573B1,"Renacci says ""After Eight Years We Have Gotten Good at Kicking the Can Down the Road""",2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Jim Renacci,R000586,renacci.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Jim Renacci (OH-16) urges members to stop kicking the can down the road and fix spending now. Over the last eight years,Congress has continued to put on blinderswhen it comes to our growing debt and deficit. Again, this year, right before Christmas break, Congress will once again be faced with kicking the can down the road or voting on a spending bill which should be our first step to start solving our debts and deficits.Members have a choice but today's decision shows that they are heading for what they do best. Kicking the can and pushing these tough decisions off for the next group of elected of officials. ""The problem in Washington is that legislators think taxpayers are providing Monopoly money down here and fail to realize that our country's spending problems and ever-growing debt will have lasting consequences for the next generation of Americans. Congress must get serious about our spending problems and find a way to work in a bipartisan way to address the fiscal cliff that our country faces. Here are the facts. By 2023 the United States will be spending more on paying down the interest on the country's debt than on our national defense. In 2025, we will be paying more on interest than all nondefense discretionary spending. And in the next decade, our country's debt to GDP ratio will be the highest it has been since the end of World War II. This is unsustainable. A strong first step would be to have Congress require the Comptroller General of the United States to come before a joint session of Congress to provide a Fiscal State of the Nation in order to provide lawmakers and the country a true understanding of the challenges we face as a nation. Congress has a moral obligation to fix this problem and put the country on a pathway to fiscal responsibility. The House should pass a spending bill and send it to the Senate. Get our work done, show the American people we are serious, and then go home.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://turner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/turner-leading-house-members-in-urging-trump-to-uphold-733b-for-dod-in,TURNER Leading House Members in Urging Trump to Uphold $733B for DoD in FY20,2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,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 is currently leading a letter to President Donald J. Trump strongly urging his administration to uphold its commitment of $733 billion to restore our nation's military as they complete the fiscal year 2020 President's Budget. The letter, which currently has 70 signatures of House members, will be sent to the President at the end of next week. We are strongly urging the President to follow his original budget plan of $733 billion for the Department of Defense as he prepares his presidential budget for Fiscal Year 2020, said Chairman Turner. President Trump cannot claim he is rebuilding our military while cutting the funds necessary to do so. We've seen the devastating effects on readiness when our military is forced to make arbitrary cuts as our adversaries continue to aggressively invest in their national security operations. The full text of the letter and a list of its current signers is below. President Donald J. Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President, We, the undersigned, strongly urge you to uphold your commitment of $733 billion to restore our nation's military as you complete the fiscal year 2020 President's Budget. Cuts to defense spending will have disastrous consequences for our military readiness, as was proven by sequestration. Recently, the Congressionally-directed Commission on the National Defense Strategy warned: America's ability to defend its allies, its partners, and its own vital interests is increasingly in doubt. If the nation does not act promptly to remedy these circumstances, the consequences will be grave and lasting. This erosion of American military strength is a direct result of the Obama Administration's sequestration. Since sequestration went into effect, dwindling resources have negatively affected our servicemembers and military readiness. Our military has shouldered the burden of this harmful and failed political budgetary tactic, and it has had severe consequences for our national security. To remedy this, Congress authorized and appropriated $716 billion and $700 billion for the current and last fiscal years, respectively. We must continue to adequately fund the military and allow for responsible growth to protect our national interests at home and abroad. A core tenant of your agenda has been renewing American's military strength. In August, you remarked: The National Defense Authorization Act is the most significant investment in our military and our warfighters in modern history. We are going to strengthen our military like never ever before and that's what we did. Furthermore, the National Security Strategy states: We are making historic investments in the United States militaryThe whole world is lifted by America's renewal and the reemergence of American leadership. Our nation and the world are safer when America's military is preeminent. We cannot afford to repeat past mistakes. We encourage you to join with us and build a stable future for our armed forces. Current House members who have signed the letter: Chairman Mike Turner (OH-10) of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces Rep. Ralph Abraham (LA-5) Rep. Mark Amodei (NV-2) Rep. Brian Babin (TX-36) Rep. Don Bacon (NE-2) Rep. Jim Banks (IN-3) Rep. Andy Barr (KY-6) Rep. Jack Bergman (MI-1) Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-1) Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-5) Rep. Larry Bucshon (IN-8) Rep. Bradley Byrne (AL-1) Rep. Liz Cheney (WY) Rep. Chris Collins (NY-27) Rep. Mike Conaway (TX-11) Rep. Paul Cook (CA-8) Rep. Rick Crawford (AK-1) Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13) Rep. Scott DesJarlais (TN-4) Rep. Neal Dunn (FL-2) Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-8) Rep. Bill Flores (TX-17) Rep. Matt Gaetz (FL-1) Rep. Michael Gallagher (WI-8) Rep. Bob Gibbs (OH-7) Rep. Sam Graves (MO-6) Rep. Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) Rep. Jody Hice (GA-10) Rep. Clay Higgins (LA-3) Rep. Duncan Hunter (CA-50) Rep. Will Hurd (TX-23) Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-6) Rep. Mike Johnson (LA-4) Rep. John Katko (NY-24) Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-3) Rep. Trent Kelly (MS-1) Rep. Pete King (NY-2) Rep. Steve King (IA-4) Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) Rep. Steve Knight (CA-25) Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-5) Rep. Debbie Lesko (AZ-8) Rep. Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2) Rep. Tom Marino (PA-10) Rep. Roger Marshall (KS-1) Rep. Brian Mast (FL-18) Rep. Martha McSally (AZ-2) Rep. Paul Mitchell (MI-10) Rep. John Moolenaar (MI-4) Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-4) Rep. Tom O'Halleran (AZ-1) Rep. Pete Olson (TX-2) Rep. Bill Posey (FL-8) Rep. David Rouzer (NC-7) Rep. Steve Russell (OK-5) Rep. John Rutherford (FL-4) Rep. Austin Scott (GA-8) Rep. Bill Shuster (PA-9) Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-4) Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21) Rep. Chris Stewart (UT-2) Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15) Rep. Jackie Walorski (IN-2) Rep. Brad Wenstrup (OH-2) Rep. Roger Williams (TX-25) Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-2) Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-1) Rep. Don Young (AK)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=42D7F4F6-65FB-4417-A8DB-85816F87CEBF,Portman Announces U.S. Senate Page for Spring 2019 Program,2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced on Monday that he has appointed Caleb Shriver, a junior at Riverview High School in Warsaw, to serve as a U.S. Senate Page for the Spring 2019 program. Caleb will have the opportunity to work in the Senate chamber and assist with day-to-day operations at the Capitol. Caleb is a fantastic, dedicated student, said Portman. I'm excited to bring him on board with the U.S. Senate. Pages have the unique opportunity to see our government at work up close, and I know he's going to learn a lot during his time here. ""I am really excited for this once in a lifetime experience! I can't wait to start working with Senator Portman and his staff and becoming familiar with capitol hill. I hope to be a great asset to Senator Portman and learn how to make a difference in this world, said Shriver. Page responsibilities include delivery of correspondence and legislative materials within the congressional complex, taking messages for members, preparing the chamber for Senate sessions, and carrying bills and amendments to the desk. Pages are also required to attend classes each morning at the Page School beginning at 6:15am. The Senate Page Program is administrated by the Sergeant at Arms, the Secretary of the Senate, and the party secretaries. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6782CF36-9925-4C78-9584-3BA2AF86D23D,"Portman, Brown Bill Honoring Baseball Legend and Civil Rights Pioneer Larry Doby With Congressional Gold Medal Set to Become Law",2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Doby Was the First African American to Play in the American League, Effectively Integrating All of Professional Baseball WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, the Senate passed U.S. Senators Portman (R-OH) and Brown's (D-OH) bill honoring Larry Doby, the first African American to play in the American League, with the Congressional Gold Medal for his career and contributions to the American civil rights movement. It now heads to President Trump's desk to be signed into law. In joining the American League, Doby effectively integrated all of professional baseball. As the first African American player in the American League, Larry Doby broke down barriers with his remarkable skill and competitive spirit and forever changed the game of baseball, said Portman. Through sheer determination, Doby became a symbol for the fight for equality in our country and encouraged thousands of Ohioans and kids across our country to push the boundaries of what they thought possible. I'd like to thank my colleagues in the Senate for approving this bill and especially my colleague Jim Renacci for his leadership to get this bill done in the House. Larry Doby seldom receives credit for his role in integrating all of professional baseball and its past time to honor his contributions to both civil rights and America's game, said Brown, who displays in his Washington, D.C. office a replica of the statue of Doby that stands at Progressive Field. Doby's heroism surpasses his remarkable skill he overcame discrimination and hostility to break barriers, leading Cleveland to victory and moving our country in the right direction."" Lawrence Eugene Larry Doby joined the Cleveland Indians in July 1947, becoming the first African American to play in the American League. During his 13-year career in the American League, Doby tallied 1,533 games, batting .283, with 253 home runs and 970 runs batted in. He played in two World Series, leading the 1948 Cleveland Indians to a World Championship over the Boston Braves. He was the first African-American player to hit a home run in a World Series game, led the American League in home runs twice, and was voted to seven All-Star teams. In 1978, the Chicago White Sox hired Doby as their manager and he became the second African-American manager in Major League history. He later served as Director of Community Relations for the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association. He was inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2013. Doby was born in Camden, South Carolina, in 1923 and moved to Paterson, New Jersey, in 1938, where he became a standout athlete at Paterson Eastside High School. He attended Long Island University on a basketball scholarship before enlisting in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was discharged in 1946 and went on to play baseball in the Negro National League for the Newark Eagles. Doby passed away in 2003. Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum support the bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=9813C20B-18C3-4679-9759-4D375EB20E75,Portman Announces Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency Awarded $9.6 Million Federal Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation,2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced that Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) was awarded a $9.6 million BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Developments)federal grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The BUILD grant will be used for Geauga County's Amish safety improvements. This project aims to create safer roadways by widening roadway shoulders, establishing detection systems, and posting school zone and pedestrian signage and flashers at appropriate roadside locations. This is great news for the Amish community in Northeast Ohio, said Portman. As the center of the fourth largest Amish settlement in the U.S., I know that the leaders of Geauga County are working to maintain the safe use of the Amish buggy and pedestrian accessible roads. This grant will help the county create safer roadways for the Amish and non-Amish alike. NOTE: Portman sent a letter of support to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao for the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) Grant application in July of this year. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z