Senator Rob Portman

Portman’s Energy Bill Is Grounded By Unrelated Amendments

By M.L. Schultze (WKSU) • Dec 20, 2013

A bipartisan energy efficiency bill sponsored by Republican Ohio Sen. Rob Portman is going nowhere this year.The Shaheen-Portman bill sets targets and establishes programs to boost energy efficiency for government and commercial buildings, and manufacturers. It has bipartisan support and was considered a major piece of energy legislation that had a chance.

Historic Gay Rights Bill Passes Senate With Portman's Support

By Emily McCord • Nov 7, 2013

The U.S. Senate passed a bill Thursday that bans workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) joined a handful of Republicans in the Senate to support the measure.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, would prohibit employers from hiring, firing or promotion practices based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Portman joined the Democratic majority to back the bill, but only after his amendment was added that exempted religious employers from ENDA.

Sen. Brown: Future Budget Talks Must Include Higher Taxes On Wealthy

By Emily McCord • Nov 1, 2013

The Congressional panel dealing with budget negotiations met this week for the first time to avoid another potential government shutdown and maintain federal funding. The spending bill as it stands now will keep the government open until January 15. U.S.

Ohio Senator Portman Urges Stop to 'Obamacare'

By Associated Press • Oct 24, 2013

Ohio's Republican U.S. senator says website woes are more evidence that President Barack Obama's health care overhaul should be halted.

Sen. Rob Portman, of the Cincinnati area, says the Healthcare.gov site is an indicator of what's ahead in the health care rollout. He says the overhaul is a complex program that will hurt the economy, and the way the website has been plagued by technical malfunctions highlights a system that isn't ready.

Senator Portman: GOP Has More Leverage In Future Budget Talks

By Emily McCord • Oct 17, 2013

The government shutdown is over, and lawmakers agreed to fund it until January 15th* and raise the debt ceiling through February 7th. Republicans like Ohio Senator Rob Portman are now looking towards future negotiations.

In a conference call with reporters, Portman called this week’s deal a “mixed bag”. He was happy the country didn’t default on its debts and the government is back in business, and that there’s a new provision to verify income levels for people applying for the Affordable Care Act. But he says the agreement does nothing to address the nation’s long-term debt.

Portman Says He’ll Vote To Defund Affordable Care Act

By Nick Castele (WCPN) • Sep 13, 2013

A new energy bill and a move to defund Obamacare, those were topics of conversation in a conference call Sen. Rob Portman held with reporters on Thursday.

The House of Representatives has voted dozens of times to defund or otherwise take the wind out of the sails of the Affordable Care Act. Now, there’s talk in the Senate of doing the same.

Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Republican Sen. Rob Portman said he’d support that move.

Portman Says No To Military Attack In Syria

By Emily McCord • Sep 10, 2013

Ohio Senator Rob Portman (R) says he will not support the resolution that authorizes President Obama to use military force in Syria. He made his remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday morning, ahead of Obama's scheduled address to the nation. Portman characterized the President's plan as "strike first, strategy later" and he told the Senate he thought military force wasn’t the answer because it may not prevent future use of chemical weapons and would not bring stability to Syria.

Same Sex Marriage Advocates Launch Campaign

By Brian Bull (WCPN) • Sep 10, 2013

A coalition supporting same-sex marriage announced a new initiative yesterday in Ohio’s three largest cities.

A couple dozen supporters gathered outside Trinity Cathedral in downtown Cleveland, as organizers announced the creation of “Why Marriage Matters Ohio”. Its goal is to educate state residents on marriage equality, and help build support to overturn Ohio’s ban on gay marriage. The ban was approved by nearly two-thirds of voters in 2004.

Ohio Lawmakers Face Decision In Syria And Political Fall Out

By Emily McCord • Sep 9, 2013

Ohio Representatives are expressing a variety of questions and concerns regarding whether or not to support President Obama's call for military action in Syria. The Columbus Dispatch's Jessica Wehrman speaks to Emily McCord in the weekly segment, PoliticsOhio. Werhman reports that this is not the usual party-line disagreement and says she'll be watching Speaker of the House, John Boehner, closely in the next few weeks, as he is the only Republican from Ohio that is backing the President's plan.

Ohio Reps Question Syria Plans As Vote To Use Force Nears

By Emily McCord • Sep 6, 2013

Congress will face a choice about whether to approve President Obama’s call to use military force in Syria when it returns to session next week. Obama made his case for a limited military strike against Syria after mounting evidence that President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons.

The plan is raising concerns from Ohio lawmakers. Republican Senator Rob Portman, says he could support a limited strike, but he think the United States shouldn’t go it alone, if at all.

Senator Rob Portman

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