Chairman’s Update
Good Evening, The August jobs report was recently released indicating that our Great American Comeback is truly well on its way thanks to President Trump. Throughout the month, 1.4 million jobs were added back to the economy, the unemployment rate dropped to 1.8%, and August marked the 4th largest jobs gain in American history. In addition to the great news about our economy, polling has been trending in President Trump’s favor after the Republican National Convention. Americans know Joe Biden would be detrimental to our nation as its leader. He has vowed that the first thing he will do is repeal the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which many Americans have benefitted from. In addition to spurring our economy, President Trump is the only candidate standing up for law and order across our nation. Ohioans are ready to re-elect a president who has kept his promises and who has proven to be a true leader for our country, putting America First in all that he does. I hope you all enjoy a fun, safe and healthy Labor Day, as we celebrate the social and economic contributions of American workers. Sincerely, Jane M. Timken
In Cincinnati, Portman Highlights Victory in Expanding Paycheck Protection Program Eligibility to Second Chance Business Owners U.S. Senator Rob Portman met with local business leaders last Monday for a discussion led by Innovative Labor and Cleaning Services owner Troy Parker hosted at a Messer construction site at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Parker’s company received a $235,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan in June thanks to Portman’s efforts to expand eligibility to cover Second Chance businesses owned by individuals who have a criminal record in their past but who have turned their lives around. Troy is an example of a Second Chance success story having started Innovative Labor and Cleaning in 2015 after re-entering the community. He hires others returning to the community, many of whom struggle with addiction and mental health issues. The Paycheck Protection Program loan made possible thanks to the bipartisan CARES Act, which Senator Portman supported and was signed into law by President Trump.
DeWine Announces New Traffic-Safety Efforts Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced three new traffic-safety efforts aimed at reducing the number of fatalities on Ohio’s roads and better ensuring that Ohio’s young drivers have the necessary skills to safely navigate the streets.
The new traffic safety efforts are in addition to several other initiatives launched by Governor DeWine since 2019 including the creation of the Intersection Safety Program to improve the safety of 150 rural, urban, and suburban intersections across the state; the development of the “Ohio – Ready, Test, Drive!” program to help enhance the skills of new drivers; and the creation of several distracted driving corridors to reduce distracted driving in Ohio. Governor DeWine also worked with members of the General Assembly to introduce the Hands-Free Ohio bill, which is currently pending in the Ohio General Assembly, to strengthen Ohio’s laws related to the use of wireless devices while driving. Governor DeWine also encouraged Ohio’s drivers to watch their speeds after Ohio recorded 154 traffic fatalities in July – the highest number of traffic fatalities in one month since 2007. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, one in three of those killed in July was involved in a speed-related crash. Husted Announces Grants to Expand High Speed Internet Opportunities Lt. Governor Jon Husted this week announced the state is distributing $50 million in grants to schools across Ohio in order to expand public wifi and hotspot locations, as well as send internet-enabled devices home with students who do not have access to high speed internet. This project will specifically benefit students who may need to engage in distance learning this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of Ohio students will gain internet access as a result of the program. Broadband expansion remains a top priority for the DeWine-Husted Administration with nearly 300,000 households lacking access to high-speed internet, many of which are in rural Ohio. Yost: Columbus Announces Man Indicted on 19 in Human Trafficking Case Attorney General Dave Yost, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien and Columbus Division of Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced that a Columbus man was indicted on 19 felony counts, including involuntary manslaughter and trafficking in persons, last week. Paul Chiles, who was also known as “Tommy Gunz,” faces charges of trafficking in persons, compelling prostitution, possession of cocaine, and involuntary man slaughter, among other charges. The charges stem from an investigation by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which is part of the Ohio Attorney General’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission. You can read more about the felony indictments here. ICYMI: LaRose on Fox News Secretary LaRose joined Fox News this morning explaining the safeguards put in place in Ohio for voting. Check out the full interview here. Ohio does absentee voting the right way including a ban on ballot harvesting, signature matching, verified requests before absentee ballots are sent, and many more important safeguards. Of course, every voter can take advantage of the same three safe and secure choices this election – including in-person voting on Election Day. Follow @FrankLaRose on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to learn more!
Auditor Faber Hosts Roundtable on Ohio’s Unemployment System This week, Auditor of State Keith Faber hosted a bipartisan roundtable with members of the legislature and Ohioans who have continuously struggled to receive unemployment benefits from government. Some of the participants have been waiting more than 4 months to receive their first check since being laid off due to COVID-19 slowdowns in business. Auditor Faber is working with the legislature to identify where the failures are in the system so that this does not happen again in the future.
Treasurer Sprague Visits Columbiana, Ottawa Counties to Fire Up the GOP Last week saw Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague make stops in Columbiana and Ottawa counties to take part in a pair of local party events. On Wednesday, Sprague joined Congressman Bill Johnson and others as a featured speaker at the 2020 Columbiana County Republican Party’s Reverse Raffle event. A day later, he was in Ottawa County for the local GOP’s annual Lincoln Day dinner. There, he was joined by State Senator Theresa Gavarone and Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine for a great event.
Less than 60 days out from the November election, energy remains sky high for President Trump and our Republican candidates!
Kennedy Shares a Labor Day Message
Since 1894, when Congress designated Labor Day a national holiday, we have come together to honor the contributions and achievements of our workers. With cookouts, festivals and parades, we celebrate what it is that makes America so admirable. The success of our country is not defined solely by our leaders, but by the hard working Americans who strive to make their home the greatest in the world. Tomorrow, pay tribute to those who have paved the path for you and your American Dream. And pay tribute to yourself for providing for your family and contributing to the greatness that is the United States of America. I thank you for all that you do.
Justice French Visits Southeast Ohio, NFIB Member
Justice French enjoyed visits in Southeast Ohio this week, hitting Pike, Perry, and Washington Counties. She visited with NFIB member David Whetstone, the longtime owner of Thornville Pharmacy. Judi has earned the support of the Ohio NFIB for her efforts to understand the challenges facing Ohio’s small business owners.
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