Rob's Rundown: Week of September 18 - 22, 2017

This week, Senator Portman testified before the Senate Commerce Committee during a hearing on his Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act. Also testifying was Yvonne Ambrose, whose daughter, Desiree Robinson, was trafficked on Backpage.com and tragically murdered. The hearing demonstrated there is a strong bipartisan consensus for passing this narrowly-crafted bill. Also this week, Portman secured key victories for Lima, Toledo, Dayton and others as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. For more on Senator Portman’s week, please see the following:
bipartisan

Monday, September 18

Portman Helps Secure $15 Million for New Toledo Air Base Hangars as Part of Senate-Passed NDAA

Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced that the Senate-passed FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizes $15 million to support the construction of upgraded fighter aircraft hangars for the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo, Ohio. Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) included this funding after Portman sent a letter earlier this year urging them to do so. The 180th Fighter Wing, which Portman visited just last month as part of his Ohio Defense Tour, carries out the critical Aerospace Control Alert (ACA) mission to protect America’s airspace.

“Last month, I saw firsthand how our Airmen at the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo are carrying out one of our nation’s most important homeland defense missions: protecting our skies through the Aerospace Control Alert,” said Portman. “Defending the homeland remains the number one national security mission for our military, so it is critical that the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo has the best equipment available. The current ACA hangars are outdated and don’t provide the protection needed for the aircraft and the airmen maintaining them. They must be replaced. I am pleased the Senate has authorized funding to upgrade these hangars as part of the NDAA. I will continue to work to ensure that the men and women serving our country in Toledo have the resources they need.”

For more information, go here.

Portman Helps Secure Funding to Modernize Stryker Vehicles, Increase Production of Abrams Tanks

The NDAA also authorizes funding for the Abrams Tank and Stryker Vehicle. Critical work is done on both systems at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima, where Portman hosted an employee town hall just last month as part of his Ohio Defense Tour. The NDAA includes more than $1.8 billion to increase the rate of production of the newest upgraded Abrams tanks that are just starting production at the JSMC and 695.5 million in funding to modernize Stryker vehicles. The funding, included by Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) in the NDAA following a letter sent by Senators Portman and Gary Peters (D-MI), builds on last years’ NDAA which included $652 million to support modifications to the Abrams Tank and $579 million for the Stryker Vehicle.

“In today’s dangerous global security environment, it is critical that we give our troops the tools they need to accomplish our national security objectives. Manufactured at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, the Stryker is the Army’s most versatile and deployable combat vehicle and the Abrams Tank is the world’s most capable battle tank. By providing the funding to make important upgrades to Stryker vehicles and increase the rate of production of the Abrams tank, Congress will ensure our forward deployed soldiers have the vehicles they need to be effective and keep them safe,” said Portman. “This funding will also benefit Lima, the local economy, and the skilled employees I met with just last month who are providing a unique capability to support and strengthen America’s national security. I look forward to this funding being put into action.”

For more information, go here.

Portman, Murphy Build on Efforts to Counter Foreign Propaganda

Portman and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) announced that the NDAA includes their language to improve the ability of the United States to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation from our enemies. The language builds on their Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, legislation signed-into-law last year, by helping them to promote more seamless coordination between the Department of Defense and the State Department in countering foreign propaganda and disinformation.

“Last year, the United States took a critical step towards confronting the extensive, and destabilizing, foreign propaganda and disinformation operations being waged against us by our foreign adversaries by passing the bipartisan Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act. But more must be done,” said Senator Portman. “By better coordinating and synchronizing our government’s response to foreign propaganda and disinformation, the United States will be more successful in ensuring that our ideas win. I am confident that, with the help of our bipartisan bill and proper coordination between government agencies, the disinformation and propaganda used against us, our allies, and our interests will fail.”

For more information, go here.

Portman Ukraine Security Assistance Amendment Passes Senate as Part of FY 2018 NDAA

Portman, as founder and co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today announced that key elements of the amendment boosting security assistance for Ukraine passed as part of the NDAA. As amended by Portman’s provisions, the FY 2018 NDAA authorizes $500 million in security assistance, including lethal and non-lethal equipment, training, and technical assistance. For the first time, the amendment authorizes assistance to bolster Ukraine’s naval capabilities, which were severely degraded following Russia’s seizure of Crimea. The amendment also conditions U.S. aid on progress towards key reforms including instituting civilian control of the military, cooperation and coordination with Ukrainian parliamentary efforts to exercise oversight of the Ministry of Defense and military forces, and improvements in sustainment capabilities, inventory management, and security of sensitive foreign technologies. This year’s Ukraine security assistance package maintains the framework that Portman’s previous amendments to the FY 2016 and FY 2017 NDAAs helped build.

“There is longstanding bipartisan agreement on the policy tools that the United States should utilize as part of its comprehensive strategy to support Ukraine, deter future aggression against our allies and interests, and uphold the fundamental principles of the U.S.-led international system that Russia’s actions ultimately threaten. Now, the United States Senate is taking a critical step forward in its support for Ukraine,” said Senator Portman.  “As Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine persists, and as it continues to utilize hybrid warfare techniques such as propaganda and disinformation, it is critical that the U.S. and NATO provide the sustained economic, political, and military support necessary to allow Ukraine to secure its democratic future. An independent Ukraine is critical not just to Eastern Europe, but it also impacts broader U.S. interests in the region and beyond.”

For more information, go here.

Portman, Brown Push Amendments to Support Jobs, Research at Wright-Patt’s Air Force Research Lab

Portman and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) offered three bipartisan amendments to the NDAA that will support jobs and the important research mission at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's Air Force Research Lab. All three of the Senators’ amendments passed along with the full NDAA.

“Wright-Patt’s Air Force Research Lab supports a highly-skilled workforce in the greater Dayton region and produces cutting edge research for our military and the Department of Defense,” said Brown. “I’m working with Senator Portman to support and expand that work, and the men and women on the job at the Lab.”

For more information, go here.

Portman Statement on the Passage of the NDAA

Portman released the following statement after passage of the NDAA:

“The Constitution guarantees that we provide for the common defense, but that mission is carried out every day by brave men and women in uniform who risk their lives to protect the values we hold dearest as a nation. Today, the Senate took a big step forward toward ensuring that our armed forces receive the funding they need to carry out their critical national security objectives. Ohio is home to some of the best and brightest serving our country, and is home to some of our nation’s premier defense installations. I was proud to have the opportunity to thank many of our Ohio servicemembers and see many of those facilities during my defense tour last month. I am pleased that the NDAA includes my amendments that provide necessary resources for the Buckeye State’s military installations, and I look forward to this funding being put to action.”

For a list of Portman initiatives includes as part of the NDAA, go here.

Portman & Blumenthal Welcome Support from Hewlett-Packard for the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act

Ahead of their hearing on the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, U.S. Senators Portman and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) welcomed support for their legislation from Hewlett-Packard, one of the world’s largest information technology companies.

“Hewlett-Packard grew out of a one-car garage into a multinational tech giant. This is a company that understands what real barriers to innovation look like – and our narrowly tailored legislation isn’t it. We welcome Hewlett-Packard’s support for our bipartisan bill, and look forward to working together to close a loophole in the law that has allowed online sex traffickers to escape justice for far too long,” said Portman and Blumenthal. “With growing support for this legislation and tomorrow’s hearing, momentum is building for this important legislation.”

The full text of Hewlett-Packard’s letter of support can be found at this link.

Tuesday, September 19

Portman: “Congress Can Fix this Injustice” of Online Sex Trafficking

Portman testified before the Senate Commerce Committee on Tuesday during a hearing on his bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act. Said Portman in his testimony, “the fact that instances of human trafficking and sex trafficking are actually increasing in this country—in this century—is an outrage. It’s a disgrace, and I believe history is going to judge us on how we respond to it.” Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found below:

Mother of Sex Trafficking Victim Testifies in Support of Bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act

Yvonne Ambrose, whose daughter, Desiree Robinson was trafficked on Backpage.com and tragically murdered, also testified during the hearing. Yvonne, in his testimony, said, “My name is Yvonne Ambrose. I am the mother of the late Desiree Robinson, and I’m asking you, the U.S. Senate, to change section 230 and support the bipartisan legislation to Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act. Not only for my baby, but for the protection of yours and others to come.”

Video of Yvonne’s remarks can be found below:

Anti-Trafficking Advocates, Law Enforcement, Tech & Media Companies & Faith-Based Groups Support the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act

Portman highlighted the strong support from anti-trafficking advocates and law enforcement for SESTA.  This bipartisan measure will help ensure justice for victims of sex trafficking and ensure that websites such as Backpage.com can be held liable and brought to justice. The legislation is the result of a two-year Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) inquiry, led by Senators Portman and Claire McCaskill, which culminated in a report entitled “Backpage.com’s Knowing Facilitation of Online Sex Trafficking,” which found that Backpage.com knowingly facilitated criminal sex trafficking of vulnerable women and young girls and then covered up evidence of these crimes in order to increase its own profits. Here’s what anti-human trafficking leaders and law enforcement are saying about how this bill will help combat human trafficking.

Wednesday, September 20

What They’re Saying About the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act Hearing

The hearing on SESTA demonstrated that there is a strong bipartisan consensus for passing this narrowly-crafted bill.

Here are highlights of coverage on the hearing.

Thursday, September 21

Portman Announces New Drug Free Communities Grants to Combat Drug Crisis in Ohio

Portman welcomed the announcement of 27 Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant recipients in the state of Ohio.  In 1997, Portman co-authored the Drug-Free Communities Act, which supports evidence-based, community-oriented drug prevention program. The program is designed to be optimally effective and accountable by capping the amount spent on administrative and overhead expenses, requiring all coalitions that receive grants to have experience in drug abuse prevention, as well as matching federal funding with dollar-for-dollar local funds.  No other drug prevention program has achieved the same reductions in youth drug use that have been achieved consistently by the DFC program. This program is working well at a time when America desperately needs more drug abuse prevention and education. Portman issued the following statement on today’s announcement:

“The Drug-Free Communities program is a proven, evidence-based, community-oriented and accountable program that reduces substance abuse among our nation’s youth. Sadly, amidst the worst drug crisis our nation has ever seen, it is needed now more than ever. These 27 grants will help those on the frontlines in Ohio combat this crisis as we work together to turn the tide of addiction. I’m pleased that my Drug-Free Communities legislation is working to address the comprehensive challenge of combating addiction.”

The grant awards for Ohio can be found here.

Portman Praises Trump Announcement on North Korea and Its Enablers

Portman praised the announcement from President Trump that would pave the way for additional sanctions on entities that do business with North Korea.  He issued the following statement:

“I strongly support the president’s actions today. It is unacceptable that many Chinese companies continue to do business with North Korea, enabling its dangerous and destabilizing actions. We must tighten sanctions further on these entities, and make clear that if they continue to do business with North Korea they cannot do business with the United States.  I’ve also joined with my bipartisan colleagues in introducing legislation that would accomplish this goal and I would urge the Senate to pass it as quickly as possible.”

NOTE: In July, Portman and a group of bipartisan colleagues introduced legislation that would ban any entity that does business with North Korea or its enablers from using the United States financial system and to impose U.S. sanctions on all those participating in North Korean labor trafficking abuses. The legislation, called the North Korean Enablers Accountability Act, would:

• Require the President to block all transactions that are property of the North Korean government, affiliates, or those that do significant business with North Korea.
• Require the President to block any entity or financial institution implicated in any significant trade in goods or services with North Korea from the U.S. financial system. Entities include the top 10 Chinese importers of goods from North Korea.
• Require the President to prohibit any goods made with North Korean labor from entering the United States and to impose sanctions of all entities implicated in North Korean labor trafficking.

In Columbus, Portman and U.S. Small Business Administrator Host Roundtable Discussion with Ohio Small Businesses

Portman and U.S. Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon visited Burton Metal Finishing where they toured the facilities and hosted a roundtable discussion with local small business owners. During the roundtable, Senator Portman and Administrator McMahon listened to small business owners and received input on a host of issues – such as our outdated tax code, burdensome regulations, and skyrocketing health care costs – all of which impact their ability to grow, create jobs and increase wages. Portman released the following statement:

“I want thank Administrator McMahon for coming to Ohio, and joining me in listening to the concerns of our Ohio small businesses owners.  Today we heard from small business owners who are facing serious roadblocks to growing their businesses, creating more jobs and boosting wages. The government should be a partner to these small businesses, not an obstacle to progress by imposing higher taxes and burdensome regulations.  Ohio is the proud home of more than 900,000 small businesses that employ more than two million workers. I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress and the administration to help Ohio’s small business owners and workers grow and thrive.”

NOTE: Portman’s top priority in the Senate continues to be boosting Ohio jobs and the economy. In recent interviews, Portman has described the urgent need to simplify our tax code and reform our burdensome regulatory system to encourage more job creation and investment in America. He recently introduced bipartisan legislation – the Regulatory Accountability Act – designed to make federal regulations smarter and more effective so they better support businesses, families, and jobs. Portman has been named a “Hero of Main Street” and “Fiscal Hero” for his work on these issues.

Photos of the event can be found here.

Friday, September 22

New Video Recaps Hearing on Bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act

Portman released the following video recapping Tuesday’s Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, during which he testified along with Yvonne Ambrose, whose daughter, Desiree Robinson, was trafficked on Backpage.com and tragically murdered.  The hearing demonstrated that there is a strong bipartisan consensus for passing this narrowly-crafted bill, which will amend the Communications Decency Act to hold accountable companies like Backpage that knowingly facilitating the trafficking of women and children online. Portman released the following statement:

“Stories like Yvonne Ambrose’s are heartbreaking, but they need to be heard. Her courage to come forward and talk about the tragedy her family experienced demonstrates why Congress must act to fix this outdated law. The Senate must act with urgency to hold online sex traffickers accountable for their crimes against women and children, and ensure that victims and their families get the justice they deserve.”

On Social Media










Slain teen's mom urges passage of Sen. Rob Portman's bill to fight online sex trafficking

Yvonne Ambrose's 16-year-old daughter, Desiree Robinson, had a tattoo on her arm that said "Be the change you would like to see in the world."

After tearfully telling a U.S Senate Committee how Robinson was murdered on Christmas Eve by a man who used Backpage.com to buy her for underaged sex, the Chicago mother asked Congress make that change by passing Sen. Rob Portman's legislation to hold websites accountable for sex trafficking.

"She was beaten, raped, strangled and if that wasn't bad enough, he slit her throat," a weeping Ambrose told the Senate Commerce Committee. "Desiree's death should never have happened. The sex trafficking of minors should not be happening in our country... If there were stricter rules in place for postings on these websites, my child would still be alive with me today."

Arguing that sex trafficking has migrated from street corners to smartphones, Portman told the committee the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act he introduced would ensure that courts don't interpret the Communications Decency Act as legal protection for sex trafficking websites like Backpage.com…

(“Slain teen's mom urges passage of Sen. Rob Portman's bill to fight online sex trafficking,” Sabrina Eaton. Cleveland Plain Dealer. September 19, 2017)



History will judge those who don't stop sex trafficking

On Christmas Eve 2016, while Yvonne Ambrose should have been enjoying the company of her family and celebrating the holiday, she was instead grappling with the news that her 16-year-old daughter, Desiree, was found murdered in a parking garage that morning.

As the heartbroken mother has described, Desiree was being sold for sex on Backpage.com – the leading website for online sex trafficking – when she was murdered. Yvonne is, sadly, one of many mothers whose daughters have been exploited on the internet.

For too long, websites like Backpage, that knowingly run ads selling underage girls, have escaped liability and justice. Courts have ruled that the website is protected by broad immunity from a 1996 law called the Communications Decency Act. When the law was enacted, the goal was to protect website operators acting in good faith who lacked knowledge that third parties were posting harmful or illegal content on their sites. Now it protects knowing sex traffickers… (“History will judge those who don't stop sex trafficking,” Rob Portman. UK Guardian. September 19, 2017)



Internet Giants Face New Political Resistance in Washington

Last month, Facebook and Google came out forcefully against a bill that would hold companies accountable for hosting sex trafficking on their websites. They said that while they worked hard to combat sex trafficking, changing the law “jeopardizes bedrock principles of a free and open internet” that have been crucial to innovation for decades.

By this week, the two companies were hoping to reach a compromise with lawmakers, an acknowledgment that they could not stop the bill entirely because of strong political headwinds…
The bill being debated, written by Senator Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio, and Mr. Blumenthal, would allow state and local authorities to prosecute sites that host content related to sex trafficking. Their bill, which has bipartisan support from dozens of members in the Senate, would also enable people to sue websites…

Starting about two weeks ago, as politicians stepped up their attacks against their businesses, Facebook and Google realized that the political landscape had changed, according to two people with knowledge of the decisions who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the internal corporate decisions were private. So instead, the companies began trying to negotiate changes to the bill with Mr. Portman and other senators instead of trying to stop it entirely.

As of Tuesday, Facebook and Google were still trying to negotiate changes with Senate staff members. One effort, by Google, would block state attorneys general from prosecuting web platforms for hosting any third-party sites that aided sex trafficking. Google said the Justice Department should be the sole agency in charge of enforcing sex trafficking laws.

Mr. Portman has viewed enforcement by state attorneys general as the centerpiece of the legislation. He will not agree to weakening the enforcement role of local and state prosecutors, according to his spokesman, Kevin Smith…

(“Internet Giants Face New Political Resistance in Washington,” Cecilia Kang. New York Times. September 20, 2017)

 

Legislatures seek to protect Whirlpool from unfair trade

Ohio legislatures continue fighting against companies they believe are hurting American jobs in manufacturing plants like Whirlpool Corp. in Clyde.

Senator Rob Portman, R-Ohio, testified before the United States International Trade Commission asking for the ITC to implement safe-guard preventing companies from producing mass volumes of residential washing machines in foreign countries.

Portman and Senator Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, have both spoken out against Samsung and LG's practice of producing clothes washing machines overseas and importing them to America at a fraction of the cost because of lower labor costs called dumping.

Product dumping though, Portman said, threatens jobs and manufacturers like Whirlpool because of lower market prices threatening companies like Whirlpool to adjust production and possibly cut jobs to remain competitive.

Portman said on two occasions, Samsung and LG washing machine production overseas have been halted.

In recent years, the USITC has sided in favor of Whirlpool in anti-dumping cases where Samsung and LG were producing machines in Mexico, South Korea and China.

"But the problem persists," Portman said during his testimony.

"You would think that the decisions from those prior investigations would have resulted in fair trade and a level playing field for American businesses. But unfortunately, I am back here today because two foreign producers –– Samsung and LG –– have found a way to continue this trade malpractice by simply moving their production facilities," Portman said… (“Legislatures seek to protect Whirlpool from unfair trade,” Craig Shoup. Freemont News-Messenger. September 19, 2017)