COLUMBUS — A local state legislator voiced support for legislation addressing food assistance fraud.
Ohio House of Representatives
Rep. Bob Cupp, R-Lima: On Friday, Cupp supported House Bill 50, which requires a color photograph of at least one adult in a household to be included on the front of a Supplemental Nutrition Assisance Program debit card. The goal is to help deter illegal trafficking of cards.
“It is important that all reasonable steps are taken to minimize fraud in government support programs for two reasons. In particular, they help to protect the citizens who genuinely need the food support for themselves and their families. And, second, they also helps to protect the taxpayers who ultimately pay for the program,” Cupp said.
Cupp’s bill eliminating various government boards that are obsolete and non-operational also passed the House this week. The Government Contracting Advisory Council and 11 other defunct boards would be eliminated through this bill.
The bills now go to the Senate for consideration.
U.S. House of Representatives
Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green: On Thursday, Latta introduced legislation that would combat vehicular terrorism, directing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide Congress with feedback on the subject.
The bill would call for a report from DHS outlining its efforts to assess the current threat level for vehicular attacks and strategies to prevent future attacks.
“Seeing the rise of this type of tactic in Europe gave me great concern that it was only a matter of time before terrorists would use similar means in the U.S. to kill and injure Americans,” Latta said. “This week’s tragic attack in New York City shows that this fear is well-founded, and DHS needs to take the appropriate actions to prevent these assaults on innocent lives. The bipartisan Vehicular Terrorism Prevention Act will ensure that steps are taken — and the necessary tools are provided — to prevent these heinous attacks.”
U.S. Senate
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio: On Wednesday, Brown announced a bipartisan agreement to strengthen and expand sanctions against North Korea. The bill would intensify sancations on North Korea as well as allowing state and local governments to prohibit investing in companies that have dealings with North Korea.
“We are sending a clear signal that the U.S. is serious about increasing pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program, and to stop its continuing human rights abuses like those that took the life of Otto Warmbier,” Brown said.
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