Senator Portman - Rob’s Rundown: Week of March 12-16, 2018

This week, Senator Portman delivered remarks on the Senate floor as the debate began on his bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA). SESTA passed the House overwhelmingly two weeks ago and was endorsed by the White House. Earlier this week, Portman praised the passage of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, a bipartisan bill to update Dodd-Frank regulations to provide relief to smaller community banks and credit unions.  Lastly, he met with community business leaders in Dayton to discuss the positive benefits they are already seeing from tax reform, whether it be more jobs, new investments, higher wages, bonuses, and/or better retirement benefits, among others.

For a more detailed look at Senator Portman’s week, please see the following:

Tuesday, March 13

On Senate Floor, Portman Urges Senate to Vote on Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act

Portman delivered remarks on the Senate floor discussing the growing support for the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) and urged the Senate to vote on the House-passed measure and send it to the president’s desk. SESTA passed the House overwhelmingly two weeks ago and was endorsed by the White House, which Portman discussed further during a floor speech last week.

Said Portman in his speech: “For too long, victims have been denied the justice they deserve. Now we have the opportunity here in the United States Senate, I hope within the next week, to be able to fix that.”


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

Portman Statement on White House Meeting on Human Trafficking

Portman issued the following statement after attending a meeting at the White House on human trafficking with Ivanka Trump, a bipartisan group of members of Congress, anti-trafficking advocates and representatives of the tech community:

“I want to thank Ivanka for convening this meeting today and her leadership on this issue.  The fact that women and children are being sold online for sex is a stain on our national character.  For too long, victims of online sex trafficking have been denied the justice they deserve, and Congress has an opportunity to fix that.  I was pleased to see the House pass the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act as part of its larger anti-trafficking legislation, and I’m hopeful the Senate will act in the coming days.  This bipartisan effort will help stop online sex trafficking, ensure justice for trafficking survivors, and hold accountable websites like Backpage.com that knowingly facilitate these crimes. The Senate should pass this bipartisan bill and send it to the president’s desk immediately.”

Wednesday, March 14

Portman Calls for Bipartisanship at Joint Select Committee on Multiemployer Pensions Meeting

At the first meeting of the Joint Select Committee on Multiemployer Pensions, Portman made a strong case for bipartisanship to ensure the panel adequately addresses the multiemployer pension crisis and delivers results. Portman is hopeful that his colleagues on both sides of the aisle can come together to achieve a comprehensive and permanent solution that protects earned pensions, protects taxpayer dollars, prevents the insolvency of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, and alleviates pressure on employers. The Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans consists of 16 members of Congress: four Republicans and four Democrats in the both the House and Senate. The deadline for the Committee to vote on a statement of findings and recommendations, and proposed legislation that carry out these recommendations, is November 30th. In order to successfully report out legislation, a minimum of five out of the eight members of both parties must support it.

“This is something we have to solve,” said Portman at the meeting. “… This has got to be not just bipartisan but we got to figure out how to do this in a nonpartisan way.”

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

Portman Praises Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill Providing Regulatory Relief to Ohio’s Community Banks & Credit Unions

Portman issued the following statement after the Senate passed the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, a bipartisan bill to update Dodd-Frank regulations and provide relief to smaller community banks and credit unions that have been caught up in the effort to rein in a select-few large financial institutions.

“For years, Dodd-Frank has hurt community banks and credit unions who have been caught up in the broader effort to rein in a select few larger financial institutions. This bill makes it easier for smaller banks and credit unions to extend credit, loans, and mortgages, and provide other products and services to working families in Ohio and around the country. It also provides relief to the regional banks in Ohio that were not a part of the financial crisis but ended up hurt by the onerous Systematically Important Financial Institution (SIFI) rules and regulations. I’m also pleased that the bill includes my legislation to ensure that Habitat for Humanity affiliates and other nonprofits can receive donated appraisals on the homes they build to ensure they remain affordable for families in need.”

Thursday, March 15

Portman, Durbin Introduce Resolution Commemorating 85th Anniversary of the Holodomor

Portman and Dick Durbin (D-IL), co-chairs of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, introduced a resolution marking the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor, Stalin’s intentional starvation of large segments of Ukrainian society from 1932-1933. The resolution would commemorate the anniversary of the Holodomor and recognize the Soviet Union’s role in perpetrating this genocide. The resolution builds on a number of congressional actions to condemn the Holodomor and honor its victims, including the 2015 dedication of the Holodomor Memorial in Washington, D.C. Portman and Durbin were joined in introducing this resolution by a bipartisan group of Senators including Senators Inhofe (R-OK), Casey (D-PA), Rubio (R-FL), Gardner (R-CO), Blumenthal (D-CT), Wicker (R-MS), Brown (D-OH), Johnson (R-WI), Murphy (D-CT), Klobuchar (D-MN), and Shaheen (D-NH).

“This important resolution honors the memory of the millions of Ukrainians who suffered under the Soviets’ policy of using starvation as a weapon to try to break the independence and identity of the Ukrainian nation,” said Portman. “As Ukraine continues to fight today to defend its independence and sovereignty in the face of Russia aggression, this resolution serves as an even more important reminder of the horrible atrocities inflicted upon Ukraine and the perseverance of a people whose spirit cannot be broken.”

Portman Delivers Remarks on Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act as Senate Begins Debate

Portman delivered remarks on the Senate floor discussing the bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) as the Senate began debate on the bill. SESTA passed the House overwhelmingly two weeks ago and was endorsed by the White House, which Portman discussed further during a floor speech earlier this week and a floor speech last week.

Said Portman in his speech: “This legislation is now before this body. We expect to have a vote next week on it. We need to do all we can to address this stain on our national character. We need to do all we can to provide these victims the justice they deserve. We need to do all we can to ensure we stop the selling of women and children online.”

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

Portman Statement on the Appointment of Larry Kudlow as NEC Director

Portman issued the following statement after President Trump appointed Larry Kudlow as the Director of the National Economic Council:

“Larry Kudlow is a good friend, and his wealth of experience in the financial sector and time in the Office of Management and Budget during the Reagan Administration make him a great fit as Director of the National Economic Council.  No one has been a more tireless advocate for more economic growth, jobs and opportunity than Larry, and I’m grateful that he is willing to step into this important role.”

American Farm Bureau Federation, Ohio Farm Bureau Honor Senator Portman

Portman received the Golden Plow Award from Frank Burkett III, president of the Ohio Farm Bureau, and Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). The Golden Plow Award recognizes members of Congress who exemplify agricultural leadership and support of Farm Bureau policies. The award is presented to one House member and one Senate member every year, and is the highest award the American Farm Bureau presents to members of Congress.

“I’m honored to receive the Golden Plow Award because I know how hard farmers work in our state and our country,” said Portman. “Ohio farmers contribute more than $100 billion to our economy and put food on the table not only for Ohio families, but people around the world. That’s why I’ve fought for regulatory and tax reform to provide relief for Ohio farmers while also tackling the prescription drug and heroin epidemic to ensure Ohio farmers and communities have the workforce they need. I will also continue to stand up for Ohio farmers as NAFTA is renegotiated because it is too important to Ohio’s economy to just walk away from the agreement. I’m hopeful that the administration will work to fix what is broken, improve what is working, and stay in this critically important trade agreement.”

Friday, March 16

In Dayton, Portman Discusses Positive Results of Tax Reform at the Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Breakfast

Portman spoke at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs breakfast. Portman, who has been touring the state as part of his Results for the Middle-Class Tax Reform Tour, discussed the positive results he’s witnessing as a result of the passage of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act.

“Throughout my travels around Ohio I have seen firsthand the real, positive difference that tax reform is making for Ohio families, workers, and businesses,” said Portman. “Businesses throughout the state are hiring more workers, making new investments, raising wages, paying bonuses, and expanding benefits for their workers all because of tax reform. This is exactly what Congress intended to accomplish, and I expect these terrific results to continue.”

In Dayton, Portman Joins Federal, Local Law Enforcement to Announce Additional Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis 

Portman along with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local law enforcement officials – announced a stepped-up response to Ohio’s opioid crisis. During a week-long training, ICE Homeland Security Investigations trained more than 300 Ohio law enforcement officials to better investigate and uncover the identify of criminal traffickers selling drugs online, including the use of illicit crypto-currency and financial transactions associated with fentanyl smuggling and distribution networks.  Portman issued the following statement:

“This opioid crisis, and specifically fentanyl, which is being shipped into our country from China through our own Postal Service, is crippling our state.  I want to thank Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for shifting its investigative focus to Ohio and stepping up its efforts to conduct drug trafficking-related probes.  The coordination and collaboration between law enforcement we are seeing this week is encouraging—and it is necessary.

“As chair of the U.S. Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, we conducted a yearlong, bipartisan investigation into illegal online opioid sales.  We found that buying fentanyl online was easy, with hundreds of websites readily available, and sellers whose preferred payment method was Bitcoin.  These emerging technologies make tracking and interdicting drugs purchased online difficult for law enforcement.  My bipartisan STOP Act will require the U.S. Postal Service to get advance electronic data on all international packages entering the U.S., thereby giving law enforcement more of the tools they need—and are asking for—to more effectively stop these drugs from entering our communities.  I’m urging the Senate to act on this bill as quickly as possible.”

Bipartisan Senators Question State & Defense Departments on Funding Delays, Inadequate Staffing for Efforts to Counter Russian Propaganda and Disinformation

Senators Portman, Coons, Murphy, Rubio, Shaheen, Young Respond to New York Times Report of Unspent Money Intended to Counter Russian Aggression

Portman and bipartisan members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee have urged the State Department and the Department of Defense to explain why tens of millions in federal funds designated to counter disinformation and propaganda from foreign governments like Russia have not been spent. The Senators’ letter comes in response to a New York Times report that the State Department has not spent any of the $120 million Congress allocated to the Department to combat foreign meddling in U.S. elections. 

The Global Engagement Center (GEC), which Congress gave the statutory responsibility for countering foreign disinformation in 2016, has still not received congressionally-authorized funds and lacks sufficient staff to execute its mission. Despite the recent signing of an interagency agreement between the State Department and Department of Defense that will serve as a blueprint for conducting operations, the Department of Defense has still not transferred the $40 million to support the effort promised in the agreement and called for by Congress. At the same time, the hiring freeze has handicapped efforts to fully staff the GEC with the personnel it needs to effectively counter Russian and other sources of disinformation and propaganda.  

U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) requested a timeline and spending plan for congressionally authorized funds. 

“[Russia’s] activities form part of an ongoing, long-term effort to undermine American institutions, weaken our alliances, and manipulate public perceptions,” the Senators wrote. “With less than nine months until the 2018 midterm elections and with Russia continuing its extensive influence operations against U.S. allies and interests around the globe, we urge you to take the necessary steps to counter this urgent threat to our nation’s democratic processes, including by fully expending congressionally authorized funds to combat Russian malign aggression.”

On Social Media 


Good News Rolls in from Tax Reform
The tax reform legislation that became law before the first of the year was created with two goals in mind: cut taxes for middle-class families and reopen the American economy as the best place in the world to do business.

Just a few months since becoming law, the results are there, and they are real.
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With lower tax rates and a doubling of the standard deduction and the child tax credit, middle-class families are keeping more of their money rather than it going to Washington. A median-income family of four will save about $2,000 a year on their taxes. For families in the Mahoning Valley, that extra money makes a real difference. Based on what people around the state have told me, it’s being used to help pay for regular expenses like gas, groceries, or health care; to save for retirement or to use for a much needed vacation.
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The tax reform legislation also preserved important tax credits used for community redevelopment projects. The New Markets Tax Credit and Historic Tax Credit were removed in the House-passed tax reform bill, but I successfully fought to include them in the final law. These tax credits are important to Ohio, and they have helped leverage private funds for nine projects in Mahoning County.

The New Markets Tax Credit is a tax incentive to spur economic growth and community redevelopment projects. It was critical for the recent construction of the new University Hospitals Rainbow Center for Women & Children in Cleveland and the renovation of the downtown Youngstown YMCA. The Historic Tax Credit, which is used to preserve and renovate historic buildings, helped leverage funds for the new DoubleTree hotel in downtown Youngstown and will encourage more economic development in the area.
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Before this new law, it had been 31 years since we last updated our tax code in a comprehensive way. I’m proud that the tax reform law is putting money back in the pockets of Ohio families, creating more opportunity for Ohio workers, and helping Ohio’s companies and the American economy.

(Good News Rolls in from Tax Reform. Senator Rob Portman. Youngstown Business Journal. March 15, 2018)



Portman calls on pension panel to shed partisanship
Even before it’s begun its work, a committee aimed at solving a pension crisis that imperils the retirement savings of 1.5 million retirees nationwide and 60,000 Ohioans risks dividing along partisan lines, an Ohio senator warned Wednesday.

Making his first comments before the Joint Select Committee on the Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans Wednesday, Sen. Rob Portman, R–Ohio, said he was concerned about reports that Democrats on the panel met privately beforehand to agree on strategy.

Portman, one of 16 members of the bipartisan, bicameral panel, said he’s worked on similarly structured panels before, only to see them fail to find a solution because they lined up on partisan lines. He said lawmakers serving on the committee have to shed their partisan divisions because if they don’t, “this is done…we might as well not waste our time.”
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“It’s only an opportunity if we really look at this differently… and figure out how to go to the data, go to the information, come up with a longer term solution that works and not be stuck on our individual biases,” Portman said.

(Portman calls on pension panel to shed partisanship. Jessica Wehrman. Dayton Daily News. March 14, 2018.)