COLUMBUS — A local legislator is leading a task force examining the state’s poverty and education issues.
Ohio House of Representatives
Rep. Bob Cupp, R-Lima: Cupp held his first meeting Thursday as chair of the Ohio House Speaker’s Task Force on Education and Poverty. The task force is comprised of state representatives as well as representatives from educational organizations in the state.
The group’s purpose is to examine the achievement gap in education as related to state poverty. The hope is that these discussions will help guide future policy to address these issues.
“I am grateful for all of the individuals who have agreed to be a part of this task force, and I look forward to getting started,” Cupp said. “We will be delving into one of the most significant issues currently facing education in Ohio, and I am confident that the ideas and insights shared during our task force meetings will help the legislature when addressing these issues moving forward.”
U.S. House of Representatives
Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green:On Thursday, legislation authored by Latta to establish a federal regulatory framework on self-driving car development, testing and implementation was approved unanimously by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The SELF DRIVE Act would, according to the committee, prioritize consumer protection, update Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to account for technological advancements, and maximize opportunities for U.S. research and development in this field.
“Self-driving cars have the potential to reduce traffic accidents and deaths, increase mobility, and improve quality-of-life,” Latta said. “The legislation passed by committee was the result of a bipartisan effort, which involved over 250 meetings with interested stakeholders in 2017 alone. Congress can’t get caught flat-footed on this new technology, and this bill ensures that a definitive framework is in place as industry develops, tests, and deploys autonomous vehicles.”
U.S. Senate
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio: On Wednesday, Brown announced improvements to the farm safety net for Ohio dairy farmers, namely, the reduction of premiums for farmers’ first 5 million pounds of milk, changing the margin calculation from bimonthly to monthly to be more responsive to market conditions, and the waiving of the administrative fee for underserved farmers.
“The current farm safety net is falling short for Ohio dairy farmers who’ve been hard hit by excess production and tough market conditions,” Brown said. “This change would mean better and cheaper coverage for many Ohio dairymen, which will help Ohio’s rural communities and local economies.”
On Friday, Brown announced the approval of $22.5 million in grant funding for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership, a program to help local and state law enforcement obtain such vests for officers. The approval came from the Senate Appropriations Committee and must still be approved by the full Senate.
“While the rest of us run away from danger, law enforcement runs toward it,” Brown said. “Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line each day to protect us, and this funding is an important investment that will help protect those who work every day to keep Ohio communities safe.”
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio: On Wednesday, Portman announced the approval of two bills he authored by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The Thrift Savings Plan Modernization Act would provide flexibility to federal employees by modernizing withdrawal rules, according to Portman’s office. The Federal Register Printing Savings Act would eliminate the mandatory daily printing and delivery of the Federal Register to congressional offices, saving taxpayer dollars.
“I am pleased that two common-sense, bipartisan bills to help make the federal government more accountable have been approved out of committee,” Portman said. “The TSP Modernization Act will modernize the Thrift Savings Plan and help federal employees maximize their retirement security. In addition, the Federal Register Printing Savings Act will help save taxpayer dollars and make the federal government more efficient and effective.”
