COLUMBUS — An area state representative penned a column outlining the work that needs to be done in the “lame duck” session between the election and the start of the next General Assembly.
Ohio House of Representatives
Rep. Jim Buchy, R-Greenville: Buchy outlined multiple issues the House needs to address before the beginning of the next General Assembly, focusing on issues such as opioid addiction and unemployment compensation.
“Senate Bill 319 is a comprehensive opioid reform bill that clamps down on dangerous drugs being sold in our pharmacies, provides for resources to help struggling addicts recover, and increases the availability and accessibility of Naloxone, a common antidote for drug overdoses,” he wrote. “House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger and Senate President Keith Faber have recently announced the formation of a joint legislative committee to review the current state of our unemployment compensation laws and make commonsense reforms to keep the system solvent for years to come, with emphasis on Ohio’s labor community, workforce, and businesses.”
U.S. House of Representatives
Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green: On Tuesday, Latta hosted Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly at a broadcaster forum in Perrysburg, touching on the importance of broadcasting in local communities.
“Hearing from Commissioner O’Rielly on the most pressing issues facing broadcasters provided an insightful look into the thinking at the Federal Communications Commission,” Latta said. “The conversation was lively and hearing from the region’s broadcasters will provide important context for me as Congress discusses its role on a number of these topics as well. I want to thank the commissioner for taking the time to come to this event and share his perspective.”
U.S. Senate
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio: On Monday, Brown announced new rules from the U.S. Department of Education to restore Pell Grants to students at ITT Tech and other for-profit colleges that have closed.
“The closure of for-profit colleges creates unfair burdens on students who were simply seeking to obtain a quality education,” Brown said. “Students should not have to pay the price for the fraudulent and deceitful practices perpetrated by these schools. I am glad the administration has taken steps to remedy this wrong, and I encourage students of closed for-profit colleges to reach out to my office or the Department of Education with any questions they may have.”
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio: On Tuesday, Portman received the “Hero of Main Street” award from the National Retail Federation for his support of legislation related to the retail industry. Portman received the award at the Golden Lamb in Lebanon, where he is a small-business owner.
“As the small-business owner of the Golden Lamb, where we stand today, I’ve learned from firsthand experience what policies help Ohioans create jobs and make better products for their customers,” Portman said. “By unleashing the private sector and encouraging innovation and investment in new technologies and workers, Washington can do its part to make life easier, not more difficult, for small-business owners and their workers.”
Portman, along with several other legislators, also received praise this week from the United Steelworkers Union for his work to block the purchase of Cleveland’s Aleris Corp. from Chinese-controlled Zhongwang USA. Portman has raised concerns about potentially unfair imports from that company.
