Senator Portman - Rob's Rundown: Week of Nov. 26 - Dec. 1, 2017

Excerpts of the interview can be found here and a video can be found here.

Senator Portman again spent his week working tirelessly to improve and advance the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, legislation that would boost the middle class and save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually on their tax bill. Portman delivered three speeches on the Senate floor and made his case for tax reform on national and state TV in an effort to move this legislation forward. On Friday, the once-in-a-generation tax reform legislation passed the Senate. Portman will continue his work with the House to reform our outdated tax code and get this legislation signed into law in order to ease the burden on the middle class, increase jobs and wages for workers, and encourage jobs and investment in America, not overseas. For more information, please see the following:

Sunday, November 26

On NBC’s Meet The Press, Portman Discusses Tax Reform, Congressional Ethics Investigations & More

On Sunday, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) spoke with Chuck Todd on NBC’s Meet The Press about tax reform and several ongoing congressional ethics issues, including the fact that taxpayers have been forced to fund harassment settlements involving members of Congress.  Portman said “It’s outrageous that taxpayers are asked to pay these settlements in the first place, and yeah we should make transparent what has happened.”

Monday, November 27

 After White House Meeting, Portman Expresses Confidence the Senate Will Approve the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act

After meeting with President Trump and several of his Senate Finance Committee colleagues at the White House on Monday, Portman expressed confidence that the Senate will approve the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, which will help the middle class, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers:

“We had a good meeting today and I want to thank the president for supporting our effort to deliver on the promise to cut taxes for middle-class families and reform a broken tax code. I am confident that the Senate will pass this bill and we will have a good bill on the president’s desk before Christmas.  Our tax code is long overdue for reform, and it’s critical we get this done to help middle-class families, to help create more jobs, and to increase wages for American workers.  Under our plan, a median income Ohio family will save $2,375 annually on their tax bill that they can instead use for gas or groceries, a car payment, retirement, college savings, or a family vacation.  I look forward to the debate this week and passing this bill on behalf of middle-class families.”

On Fox News, Portman Discusses Meeting with President Trump, How Tax Reform Will Help the Middle Class

In an interview on Fox News, Portman discussed the tax reform legislation that would save the typical
Ohio family $2,375 annually on their tax bill and help middle-class Ohioans keep more of their paycheck. Portman, who has held six tax reform roundtables in Ohio with local business leaders in recent months, has been vocal on the national stage calling for tax reform, including during recent interviews on Fox News, CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and NBC’s Meet The Press twice, as well as recently in an op-ed in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Excerpts can be found here and a video can be found here.

Portman, Stabenow Lead Bipartisan Great Lakes Task Force Letter Highlighting Importance of Finalizing Critical Asian Carp Study

Senator Portman and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), co-Chairs of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, sent a letter to the Acting Secretary of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers urging the Corps to complete the Brandon Road Study, a critical action-plan for keeping Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, by January 2019.  Great Lakes Task Force Vice Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and members Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also signed the letter.

“It is imperative that the USACE meet the original timeline for completing the Chief’s Report by January 2019,” wrote the Senators. “The USACE initiated the Brandon Road Study in April 2015 after the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basin Study (GLMRIS) identified the Brandon Road Lock & Dam as a location to control the movement of Asian Carp into the Great Lakes.”

“USACE has indicated that implementing the recommended measures in the TSP is unlikely before 2025,” the Senators continued.  “This timeline is particularly concerning given recent findings that demonstrated new ways for Asian carp to enter the Great Lakes…This past June, an eight pound Silver carp made its way up the Illinois River, beyond the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, and was found above the electric barrier – just nine miles from Lake Michigan.”

A PDF of the letter can be found here.

Tuesday. November 28

On CBS, CNN, & Fox Business, Portman Discusses How Tax Reform Will Boost the Middle Class

In interviews on CBS This Morning, CNN, and Fox Business, Senator Portman again discussed how the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act would save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually on their tax bill and help middle-class Ohioans keep more of their paycheck. The CBS This Morning interview can be found here. The Fox Business interview can be found here. The CNN interview can be found here. Excerpts from the interviews can be found here.

Portman, Brown Ask President to Prioritize Reducing Steel Overcapacity

Ahead of the Global Steel Forum, Senators Portman and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) asked the President to prioritize reducing steel overcapacity. The Senators also urged the Administration to take swift action on the 232 investigation, which has been pending for months.

“Until net steel capacity in China and other countries is reduced, unfairly traded steel imports will continue to flood into the U.S. and domestic steel companies and American steelworkers will be at risk for more layoffs and idled facilities,” said the Senators in their letter.

Portman and Brown have teamed up to take on unfair foreign trade to boost the steel industry. In September, the Senators wrote Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross urging a decision on the 232 investigation.

Portman and Brown have teamed up to take on unfair foreign trade to boost the steel industry. Their Leveling the Playing Field Act, signed into law in June 2015, has restored strength to antidumping and countervailing duty statutes that allow businesses and workers in the United States to petition the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission (ITC) when foreign producers, including China, sell goods in the U.S. below market price or receive illegal subsidies. The law led to key wins for Ohio steel companies in major trade cases last year on cold-rolled, hot-rolled, and corrosion-resistant steel, including U.S. Steel, Nucor, ArcelorMittal, and AK Steel, which together employ more than 8,200 Ohio workers.

To read the letter and for more information, go here.

Wednesday, November 29

Portman on Senate Floor: Tax Reform Will Benefit Middle Class

On the Senate floor on Wednesday night, Portman discussed the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, which will reform our outdated tax code to ease the burden on the middle class, increase jobs and wages for workers, and encourage jobs and investment in America, not overseas. Senator Portman, who met with the president earlier this week to discuss tax reform, said, in part: “We’re giving families freedom to spend more of their own money how they see fit. We’re putting faith in American entrepreneurs and businesses to compete in the global market. We’re bringing back some of that money that’s locked out overseas. We’re creating a fairer tax system that encourages jobs and investment here in this country rather than overseas.”

Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here.

On Fox Business, Portman Discusses Senate Tax Bill, How it Will Help Middle Class

During an interview on Fox Business today, Senator Portman discussed how the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act will help boost the middle class, create more and better jobs, and raise wages.

Excerpts can be found here and a video can be found here.

137 Economists Support GOP Tax Reform

In an open letter to Congress on Wednesday, 137 economists backed the GOP tax reform effort, saying:  “Economic growth will accelerate if the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passes, leading to more jobs, higher wages, and a better standard of living for the American people.”  Senator Portman echoed this point on Fox Business earlier in the day, saying the Senate’s Tax Cuts & Jobs Act “will generate more jobs and higher wages because of the increased investment and productivity.”
The full letter can be found at this link.

On Fox News, Portman Discusses Bill to Help Stop Online Sex Trafficking, How Tax Reform Will Boost Middle Class

During an interview on Fox News, Senator Portman discussed his bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, legislation designed to help trafficking survivors get the justice they deserve and hold accountable websites that knowingly facilitate online sex trafficking. The legislation, which was unanimously approved by the Senate Commerce Committee last month, is the result of a two-year Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) inquiry, led by Senators Portman and Claire McCaskill (D-MO), which culminated in a report entitled “Backpage.com’s Knowing Facilitation of Online Sex Trafficking.” The report found that Backpage knowingly facilitated criminal sex trafficking of vulnerable women and children and then covered up evidence of these crimes in order to increase its own profits.

Senator Portman also discussed how the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act will help boost the middle class, create more and better jobs, and raise wages, including saving the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually on their tax bill and helping middle-class Ohioans keep more of their paycheck.

Excerpts can be found here and a video can be found here.

Thursday, November 30

Portman on Senate Floor: Tax Reform Will Lead to Significant Economic Growth

In a second speech on the Senate floor, Portman detailed how the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act would help boost the middle class and save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually on their tax bill. Portman outlined how the Senate tax reform plan, which reforms our outdated tax code, would lead to significant economic growth by encouraging more investment and job creation in America. In his speech, Portman said that the United States must do better than 1.9 percent economic growth and that, through tax reform, Congress can create the kind of economic growth that will give our economy a shot in the arm.

Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here.

Friday, December 1

On Senate Floor, Portman Discusses How Tax Reform Will Help Middle-Class Families

Portman returned to the Senate floor Friday afternoon to discuss how the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act will boost the middle class. Said Portman in his speech, the “middle-class families who have not seen an increase in their wages—not just for the last few years but the last couple of decades—need a little help.” Tax reform give middle-class families the boost they need.

Transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here.

Portman Praises Senate Passage of Historic Tax Reform Bill

Portman issued the following statement after the Senate passed the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, which will help middle-class families and save the typical Ohio family $2,375 annually, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers:

“After decades of talk and years of planning, the Senate today passed landmark reforms that will provide tax relief for middle-class families, create more jobs, and increase wages for American workers,” said Portman. “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act gives families freedom to spend more of their money how they see fit, puts faith in American entrepreneurs and businesses to compete in the global market, and creates a fairer tax system that encourages jobs and investment in the United States. I was proud to play a significant role in developing this bill and improving it on behalf of middle-class families. I want to commend Leader McConnell, Chairman Hatch, and all those involved in passing this historic bill through the Senate, and I’m looking forward to resolving our differences with the House. This is once-in-a-generation tax reform that will improve our economy and expand opportunity for all Americans.”

NOTE: The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act is focused on helping middle-class families. According to the Tax Foundation, under the Senate tax reform bill the average family in Ohio will save $2,375 annually, while nearly one million new American jobs would be created, including more than 35,000 in Ohio.
More information on Senator Portman’s work to improve the Senate-passed Tax Cuts & Jobs Act can be found here.

Ohio Small Businesses, Manufacturers, Farmers & Other Groups Back Senate Tax Reform Bill

After passage of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, Senator Portman highlighted the strong support from Ohio small business leaders, manufacturers, farmers, retailers, restaurants and other state and local organizations for this legislation, which is designed to boost the middle class, increase jobs and wages for workers, and encourage jobs and investment in America, not overseas. You can see what Ohio business leaders are saying about how this bill will help Ohio workers and families here.

On Social Media











Sen. Portman: GOP Has 'Common Goal' of Middle-Class Tax Cuts, Economic Growth
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said he and his GOP colleagues are more united on tax reform than they were on repealing ObamaCare.

Portman said he and the rest of the Republican senators will soon meet as a whole to discuss their proposal.

He said there is a lot more unity than there was within the caucus on ObamaCare repeal-and-replace.
"[We have] a common goal... middle class tax cuts and getting this economy moving," he said. "It's great to see the team working together."

(“Sen. Portman: GOP Has 'Common Goal' of Middle-Class Tax Cuts, Economic Growth,” Staff. Fox News. November 27, 2017)



Sea lamprey, other invasive species continue to threaten Great Lakes

Lake Erie is a treasure for Ohio. In addition to being Ohio’s number one tourist destination, Lake Erie provides drinking water for 3 million Ohioans and jobs for hundreds of thousands of families across the Buckeye State. We need to protect this precious resource.…

There is a growing invasive species risk to the Great Lakes that requires attention now. It’s called the sea lamprey.…

I take pride in working with my bipartisan colleagues to support Lake Erie and deliver results for Ohio. Just last year, four of my bills were signed into law to better preserve the Great Lakes, including measures to provide resources to address Flint-like water crises, prevent inappropriate disposal of dredged materials from the Cleveland Harbor, restore fish and wildlife populations, and renew the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

We have made progress in this endeavor, but we have much work ahead of us. I want the next generation of Ohioans to fully enjoy and experience the beauty of Lake Erie, and I work every day in Congress to protect the future of our lake.

(“Sea lamprey, other invasive species continue to threaten Great Lakes,” Rob Portman. Toledo Blade.
November 20, 2017



Turning tide of addiction in Ohio
Approximately eight Ohioans a day die from unintentional drug overdoses. Tragically, this has become so prevalent that the Stark County Coroner’s Office, and others across the state, have, at times, run out of space trying to keep up with overdose deaths.

There are an estimated 200,000 Ohioans suffering from opioid addiction — a number roughly equal to the city of Akron’s population.

Addiction affects Ohioans regardless of age, area code or economic status. While we have made some progress, we must continue developing better strategies to turn the tide of addiction in our communities.

During recent trips to Ohio recovery homes and treatment centers, I have seen new approaches that treat the root of addiction rather than just the immediate symptoms…
(“Turning tide of addiction in Ohio,” Rob Portman. Canton Repository. November 20, 2017)



Sen. Portman: Both Parties 'Want to Get to Yes' on Tax Reform
Republicans and Democrats both "want to get to yes" on the Senate's tax reform bill, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said Tuesday.

"I think about 90 percent of Republicans who've said they are supportive of it, in fact strongly supportive, and then we've got some folks who are still looking at various aspects, but they all want to get to yes, they all want middle class tax cuts, they all want simplification, they all want the pro-growth policies," Portman told "CBS This Morning."

(“Sen. Portman: Both Parties 'Want to Get to Yes' on Tax Reform,” Joe Crowe. NewsMax. November 28, 2017)