 Chairman’s Update
Good Evening, The enthusiasm for President Trump remains unmatched, and I know Ohioans are ready to re-elect him for Four More Years. The D.C. Democrats continue to be hypocrites, calling for criminal justice reform but blocking a GOP bill that laid out a plan for just that. Senator Tim Scott got it right in his powerful speech on the Senate floor when he said, “The actual problem is not what is being offered. It is who is offering it.” Democrats pretend to care about the issues Americans are facing, but when presented with a solution spear-headed by Republicans, they simply reject it. In recent days, both Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi got George Floyd’s name wrong, publicly referring to him as George Taylor and George Kirby, respectively. Top Democrats don’t even care enough to get his name right, yet they pander to Republicans about reforming the system and reject GOP bills. With less than five months until Election Day, we must continue working toward another resounding victory for President Trump. Let’s Keep America Great! Sincerely, Jane M. Timken
Portman Praises Unanimous Senate Passage of Legislation to Rename NASA’s Plum Brook Station Test Facility After Neil Armstrong U.S. Senator Rob Portman announced that the Senate unanimously passed his bipartisan legislation to rename NASA’s Plum Brook Station, the agency’s test facility in Sandusky, Ohio, after Neil Armstrong. Portman introduced the legislation last September. Plum Brook is part of the NASA Glenn Research Center. It houses unique world-class facilities that conduct critical and innovative ground tests for the international aerospace community. Prior to the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing last year, Portman paid tribute to his friend, Ohio-native Neil Armstrong in a video, as well as on the Senate floor. In August 2019, Portman accompanied NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a visit to NASA’s Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland and Plum Brook Station in Sandusky to view progress on the agency’s Artemis Program — its multi-year plan to return American astronauts to the Moon and eventually send manned missions to Mars. Governor DeWine Endorses Dayton for Space Command HQ On Tuesday, Governor DeWine endorsed Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) and the surrounding Dayton region as the ideal location for the new United States Space Command headquarters. “Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Dayton region would be excellent hosts for the U.S. Space Command’s new headquarters,” said Governor DeWine. “This area is already home to the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, and Air Force Material Command. It’s a powerful combination and a synergy that you can’t find anywhere else.” In a letter sent to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Governor DeWine endorsed the nomination submitted by Beavercreek Mayor Bob Stone. A letter signed by 22 area mayors and four county commission presidents was also submitted expressing mutual support for the Dayton region to be considered for the permanent U.S. Space Command headquarters. The Department of the Air Force, in coordination with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, announced in May that it would accept nominations for the headquarters’ location based on specific criteria. WPAFB and the Dayton region met all of the screening requirements. If selected, the new headquarters could bring up to 1,400 personnel to Ohio. Copies of the letters sent can be found at governor.ohio.gov. Lt. Governor Husted Announces $1 Million in Savings Lt. Governor Jon Husted recently announced InnovateOhio’s data analytics platform has saved the state $1 million by flagging erroneous payments. In both large public and private sector organizations, it’s common to have some level of accidental, duplicate payments, but until now, the state did not have a technology tool and relied primarily on the errors being caught by staff. The tool identified the payments and the Office of Budget and Management has been successful in recovering nearly all of the lost taxpayer money. AG Yost: 9 Arrested in Connection with Human Trafficking Ring in Ohio Last week, Attorney General Dave Yost announced that a federal grand jury indicted a Scioto County man and eight of his family members and associates with charges related to a child sex trafficking ring. The man allegedly exchanged drugs for access to the children of drug-addicted parents. “My pledge is that we will continue wherever this investigation leads – and that we will find justice for all the victims that may be out there,” Yost said during a press conference last week. The indictment follows a joint investigation by the FBI and Yost’s Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The Attorney General’s office is prosecuting the case. LaRose Reminds Ohioans to Update their Registration With November approaching, Secretary LaRose and the professionals at each county board of elections throughout the state are preparing for a safe and secure election. Voters will have the traditional three options of early, absentee and in person voting on Election Day. Oftentimes, voters who have moved may forget to update their registration to their new address. Make sure yours is updated by visiting VoteOhio.gov. Auditor of State Keith Faber Hosts Unemployment Roundtable This week, Auditor of State Keith Faber hosted a roundtable to hear from Ohioans affected by the failures of the state’s unemployment system. Throughout the pandemic, thousands of Ohioans have expressed frustrations with the system’s failure to quickly and accurately process unemployment claims. Auditor Faber has been talking with members of the legislature as well as those who have struggled to see how he can use the power of the Auditor’s office to help identify and address issues with the system. Treasurer Sprague Announces Continues Growth for the STABLE Account Program Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague has announced that, on Wednesday, the STABLE Account program set a new single-day record for new accounts opened. June 24th saw a total of 62 new accounts open, and the news comes just weeks after the program set new monthly and weekly records related account openings.
A STABLE account is a specialized savings and investment account for people with disabilities that allows them to save and invest money without losing eligibility for certain means-tested benefits, such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
During his first year in office, Treasurer Sprague oversaw unprecedented growth in the program with enrollment increasing by 51% throughout 2019. Today, there are more than 17,000 active STABLE accounts.
Kennedy Continues to Travel Ohio and Earn Endorsements
Originally set to eclipse all 88 counties by the end of April, Justice Sharon L. Kennedy is back on track to visit all 88 by the end of June. With eight counties touched this week she heads into the home stretch and along the way enjoyed a slice of Americana by enjoying the Pickaway County Fair. In the midst of her travels, she received endorsements from G-Pac, the Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Necessary PAC (FIINPAC), and the second highest rating of vetted candidates from the NAACP Cleveland branch. “I am humbled to have received the support of organizations committed to uplifting their communities,” said Sharon. “As a Justice on the Supreme Court of Ohio, I am committed to honoring my limited role in government by upholding the law, not rewriting it or legislating from the bench. But I believe it was my work beyond the practice of law and the bench that earned the trust of G-PAC, FIINPAC, and the Cleveland NAACP. Throughout my 34 years of service in the justice system I have used my education and experience to solve problems and lead – whether that was a Compass Program, joining forces with Butler County Jobs and Family Services to tear down barriers to employment, or advocating for treatment, in lieu of incarceration – I am eager to continue that work across our great state.” Justice French Visits Ohio Business, Glass Coatings & Concepts
Judi visited Glass Coatings & Concepts this week. Located north of Cincinnati in Monroe, Ohio, GCC is a multi-generation manufacturer of glass coatings for products of all sizes. She’s pictured here with the father-son team of John and Tom Shepherd. Visiting businesses like GCC keeps Judi informed about what’s happening in the business arena and makes her a better justice. |
