LIMA — The year 2017 has come and gone, and the congressmen representing the region had a full schedule. As a way to inform our readers about the work of our national representatives, we’ve put together a fact sheet of their legislative actions this past year. Keep in mind that a legislator’s job isn’t purely defined by the following statistics, but they provide a quantitative look into a congressman’s actions this past year.
Rep. Bob Latta (R – 5th District)
• Missed 0 of 710 votes
• In line with Trump’s agenda: 97%
• Co-sponsored 119 bills
• Sponsored 18 bills
Two of Latta’s 18 bills passed the House floor, and both are currently sitting in a Senate sub-committee. They are H.R. 590: Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act and H.R. 3388: SELF DRIVE Act. H.R. 590 ensures that the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission can collaborate well and have access to similar resources and research. H.R. 3388 creates some of the basic regulatory framework for self-driving cars as the technology continues to advance.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R – 4th District)
• Missed 21 of 710 votes
• In line with Trump’s agenda: 87.7%
• Co-sponsored 85 bills
• Sponsored 2 bills
Both of Jordan’s bills have been introduced and no action has been taken on them since. One of the bills, H.R. 1436, dealt with aspects of health care that have since been incorporated into the latest congressional budget talks. Jordan’s second bill, known as the Welfare Reform and Upward Mobility Act, limits social welfare programs and puts a number of high requirements on both states and individuals to be able to use the programs. According to Skopos Labs, a strategic policy software company, the bill has a three percent chance of being enacted.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D)
• Missed 0 of 325 votes
• In line with Trump’s agenda: 28.8%
• Co-sponsored 303 bills
• Sponsored 42 bills
Two of Brown’s 42 sponsored bills made it to the Senate floor and were passed. Both were simple resolutions, which typically are used to express support for particular groups. The first declared Feb. 28, 2017, as Rare Disease Day, which expresses support for finding cures to rare diseases. The second declared Sept. 16, 2017, as “Isaac M. Wise Temple Day,” which recognizes a particular temple in Cincinnati as being important to Jewish life.
Sen. Robert Portman (R)
• Missed 3 out of 325 votes
• In line with Trump’s agenda: 93.9%
• Co-sponsored 141 bills
• Sponsored 33 bills
Out of Portman’s 33 sponsored bills, 10 ended up passing the committee process, and one was signed into law. The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2017 expands a standing program that tests the hearing of newborns and infants to also include the testing of young children. The bill also provides further training and education to family members of deaf children as well as training to health care providers and personnel.
Of the other nine bills, four have been reported and are waiting to be heard in the full chamber, four were simple resolutions and the final bill’s provisions have been incorporated into other bills.
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