This
week,
Senator
Portman’s
focus
was
on
health
care,
where
his
goal
is
to
create
a
more
workable
health
care
system
that
lowers
the
cost
of
coverage
and
provides
access
to
quality
care,
while
protecting
the
most
vulnerable
in
our
society.
He
also
continued
his
work
to
combat
human
trafficking,
hold
Russia,
Iran,
and
North
Korea
accountable
for
their
destabilizing
and
aggressive
behavior,
and
deliver
results
for
Ohio
workers.
For
a
more
in
depth
look
at
Senator
Portman’s
week,
please
see
the
following:
Monday,
July
24
Anti-Trafficking
Organizations
Support
Portman,
McCaskill,
Carper
Backpage
Criminal
Referral
to
Justice
Department
The
country’s
leading
anti-trafficking
organizations
are
applauding
the
actions
of
U.S.
Senators
Rob
Portman
(R-OH),
Claire
McCaskill
(D-MO),
and
Tom
Carper
(D-DE)
in
recommending
the
Department
of
Justice
launch
a
criminal
review
of
Backpage.com.
“Backpage’s
knowing
facilitation
of
human
trafficking
is
abhorrent
and
deserves
universal
condemnation,”
said
Portman.
“As
we
seek
justice
for
the
vulnerable
women
and
young
girls
who
have
been
exploited
through
Backpage
and
work
to
prevent
future
online
sex
trafficking,
I
am
proud
to
have
the
backing
of
prominent
anti-trafficking
organizations
as
well
as
numerous
families
affected
by
these
heinous
crimes.
Alongside
these
groups
and
advocates,
we
will
continue
to
work
to
end
this
tragic
exploitation
once
and
for
all
and
bring
justice
to
those
who
perpetrate
it.”
The
bipartisan
group
of
Senators
recently
said
they
believe
there
is
sufficient
evidence
to
warrant
a
criminal
review
by
the
Department
of
Justice,
following
a
two-year
Permanent
Subcommittee
on
Investigations
inquiry,
led
by
Portman
and
McCaskill,
which
culminated
in
a
report
entitled
“Backpage.com’s
Knowing
Facilitation
of
Online
Sex
Trafficking,”
and
found
that
Backpage
knowingly
facilitated
criminal
sex
trafficking
of
vulnerable
women
and
young
girls
and
covered
up
evidence
of
these
crimes
in
order
to
increase
its
own
profits.
“We
at
NCMEC
know
that
many
victims
and
their
families
around
the
country
are
seeking
their
day
in
court,”
wrote
National
Center
for
Missing
Children
CEO
John
F.
Clark
in
series
of
tweets
applauding
the
announcement.
“The
action
taken
today
by
[the
three
Senators]
amplifies
the
voices
of
these
survivors
and
strengthens
their
effort
to
seek
justice
against
everyone
who
participated
in
their
suffering.”
“We
are
thankful
to
Senators
Rob
Portman
(R-OH),
Claire
McCaskill
(D-MO),
and
Tom
Carper
(D-DE)
for
their
leadership
in
the
exhaustive
investigation
of
Backpage.com’s
role
in
facilitating
online
sex
trafficking,
and
their
clarion
call
for
the
Department
of
Justice
to
proceed
with
a
criminal
investigation,”
wrote
Polaris
Project,
Ending
Child
Slavery
at
the
Source,
Demand
Abolition,
and
Thorn
in
a
joint
statement
applauding
the
Senators’
referral.
“No
child
or
adult
deserves
to
be
sold
online,
on
a
street
corner,
in
a
“massage”
brothel,
or
anywhere
else.”
For
more
information
about
Portman’s
work
to
combat
human
trafficking
and
PSI’s
investigation
into
Backpage,
go
here.
Portman,
Brown
Announce
Positive
Ruling
in
Aluminum
Extrusions
Case
Portman
and
Sherrod
Brown
(D-OH)
announced
that,
at
their
urging,
the
Commerce
Department
has
ruled
that
U.S.
aluminum
extrusions
producers
are
being
harmed
by
unfair
trade
practices
by
foreign
competitors.
Last
month,
Portman
and
Brown
wrote
to
Commerce
Secretary
Wilbur
Ross
in
support
of
the
Aluminum
Extrusions
Fair
Trade
committee
in
support
of
their
case,
urging
them
to
rule
against
Chinese
producers’
use
of
a
new
grade
of
aluminum
extrusions
to
circumvent
duties.
“I
applaud
Commerce’s
decision
to
fight
back
against
Chinese
efforts
to
avoid
our
trade
laws
and
protect
American
jobs,”
said
Portman.
“Ohio
aluminum
producers
can
compete
and
win
against
anyone
if
they
get
a
fair
shake,
and
I
will
continue
to
work
to
ensure
they
are
protected
against
those
who
refuse
to
play
by
the
rules.”
Portman
and
Brown
have
worked
to
give
domestic
industries
the
ability
to
fight
unfair
trade
practices.
In
June
2015,
Portman
and
Brown’s
Leveling
the
Playing
Field
Act was
signed
into
law,
ushering
in
the
most
significant
changes
to
trade
remedy
law
since
2002.
The
text
of
Portman
and
Brown’s
letter
to
Ross
in
June
can
be
found
here.
Tuesday,
July
25
Portman
Votes
to
Start
Debate
on
Health
Care
Reform
Portman
issued
the
following
statement
after
voting
to
begin
debate
on
health
care
reform
on
Tuesday:
“As
I’ve
said
many
times
during
this
debate,
my
goal
is
to create
a
more
workable
health
care
system
that
lowers
the
cost
of
coverage
and
provides
access
to
quality
care,
while
protecting
the
most
vulnerable
in
our
society.
The
Affordable
Care
Act,
or
ObamaCare,
isn’t
working
for
Ohio. Over
the
past
several
years,
because
of
ObamaCare,
families
and
small
businesses
have
seen
their
insurance
costs
skyrocket
as
choices
have
shrunk.
We
now
have
19
counties
in
Ohio
without
any
insurers
in
the
exchanges,
and
27
counties
with
just
one
insurer. With
more
and
more
Ohioans
facing
higher
costs
and
limited
options,
I
am
committed
to
repealing
and
replacing
this
law
with
better
solutions.
But
as
ObamaCare
is
replaced,
it
must
be
done
in
a
way
that
gives
all
Ohioans
access
to
affordable
health
care.
“The
most
recent
version
of
the
Better
Care
Reconciliation
Act
(BCRA)
is
an
improvement
over
the
first
Senate
bill. The
measure
includes
reforms
that
will
help
lower
premiums
on
families
and
small
businesses
and
provide
$45
billion
in
new
resources
for
states
to
address
the
opioid
epidemic
and
give
recovering
addicts
an
opportunity
to
access
treatment
as
they
work
to
get
back
on
their
feet.
I
continue
to
have
concerns,
however,
about
the
Medicaid
policies
in
the bill, and
that’s
why
I’ve
been
working
to
ensure
that
those
on
traditional
Medicaid
will
have
access
to
care
and
those
on
expanded
Medicaid
continue
to
have
good
health
care
options
under
a
new
system,
including
affordable
health
care
options
on
the
private
market.
“Over
the
last
week,
I’ve
continued
to
have
good
conversations
with
the
president,
the
vice
president,
administration
officials
and
my
colleagues
about
ways
to
improve
this
bill
further,
including
a
plan
to
help
those
on
Medicaid
expansion
and
other low-income
Americans
get
access
to
affordable
health
care
on
the
private
market. I
am
pleased
that
I
have
received
a
commitment
that
the
Senate
will
vote
on
this
plan
as
a
central
part
of
this
process.”
On
Senate
Floor,
Portman
Discusses
Health
Care,
New
Effort
to
Help
Low-Income
Americans
Get
Affordable
Care
Portman
delivered
remarks
on
the
Senate
floor
Tuesday
night
following
his
vote
to
begin
debate
on
health
care
reform
earlier
in
the
day.
Portman
discussed
his
goal
to
lower
costs
for
Ohio
families
and
small
businesses
and
a
new
Portman-led
effort
designed
to
help
low-income
Americans
get
access
to
affordable
health
care.
Transcript
can
be
found here and
a
video
can
be
found here.
Portman
Statement
Regarding
Attorney
General
Jeff
Sessions
Portman
released
the
following
statement
regarding
Attorney
General
Jeff
Sessions:
“Jeff
Sessions
is
a
friend,
former
colleague,
and
an
honorable
person.
He
is
a
man
of
deep
conviction
and
principle
who
believes
in
the
rule
of
law.
We
may
not
agree
on
every
policy
issue,
but
I
believe
he
always
has
the
best
interests
of
our
country
at
heart.”
Portman
Presses
Administration
on
Designating
North
Korea
a
State
Sponsor
of
Terrorism
During
a
Senate
Foreign
Relations
Subcommittee
on
East
Asia
hearing
on
Engagement
Policy
with
North
Korea,
Portman
questioned
administration
officials
on
the
steps
the
United
States
is
taking
to
hold
North
Korea
accountable
for
its
dangerous
and
destabilizing
behavior,
including
re-designating
it
a
state
sponsor
of
terrorism.
Portman,
who
recently
introduced legislation
to
tighten
the
United
States’
economic
embargo
on
North
Korea
and
its
enablers,
also
discussed
the
importance
of
working
with
China
and
the
international
community
to
hold
North
Korea
accountable.
Transcript
can
be
found here and
a
video
can
be
found here.
Wednesday,
July
26
Portman
Statement
on
Obamacare
Repeal
Only
Vote
Portman
voted
against
Wednesday’s
Obamacare
repeal
only
amendment,
after
supporting
a
plan
to
repeal
and
replace
Tuesday
evening. He
issued
the
following
statement:
“I
have
said
consistently
that
I
support
repealing
and
replacing
Obamacare,
and
I
voted
to
do
so
last
night. I’m
not
giving
up
on
doing
both
of
those
things.
Because
we
now
have
19
counties
in
Ohio
without
a
single
health
insurer
and
27
with
just
one,
repealing
this
law
without
any
replacement
would
leave
tens
of
thousands
of
Ohioans
stranded
without
health
insurance
and
everyone
with
higher
costs.
We
need
to
roll
up
our
sleeves
and
come
up
with
a
better
health
care
system.
Just
kicking
the
can
down
the
road
adds
more
uncertainty
to
the
failed
status
quo,
and
according
to
all
the
experts
I
talk
to, that
means
higher
premiums,
higher
deductibles
and
more
insurance
companies
leaving
Ohio.
We
need
a
rescue
plan
for
Ohio
families
who
are
suffering
under
the
status
quo,
not
one
that
makes
the
health
care
system
worse
for
Ohio
families.
“I
will
continue
to
fight
for
a
better
health
care
system
that
lowers
the
cost
of
coverage
and
provides
access
to
quality
care,
while
protecting
the
most
vulnerable
in
our
society. I
will
continue
to
work
with
my
colleagues
on
positive
solutions
that
make
our
health
care
system
work
better
for
all
Ohioans.”
Homeland
Security
&
Governmental
Affairs
Committee
Approves
Two
Portman
Bills
Portman
announced
that
the
Homeland
Security
and
Governmental
Affairs
Committee
unanimously
approved
two
of
his
bills:
the
Thrift
Savings
Plan
(TSP)
Modernization
Act
and
the
Federal
Register
Printing
Savings
Act.
The
TSP
Modernizations
Act,
introduced in
April
with
Senator
Tom
Carper
(D-DE),
provides
needed
retirement
flexibility
to
federal
employees
by
modernizing
TSP’s
outdated
withdrawal
rules,
which
are
currently
prompting
many
federal
workers
to
cash
out
of
the
TSP
entirely.
The
Federal
Register
Printing
Savings
Act,
introduced in
May,
would
save
taxpayer
dollars
by
eliminating
the
mandatory
daily
printing
and
delivery
of
the
Federal
Register
to
congressional
offices.
“I
am
pleased
that
two
common-sense,
bipartisan
bills
to
help
make
the
federal
government
more
accountable
have
been
approved
out
of
committee.
The
TSP
Modernization
Act
will
modernize
the
Thrift
Savings
Plan
and
help
federal
employees
maximize
their
retirement
security.
In
addition,
the
Federal
Register
Printing
Savings
Act
will
help
save
taxpayer
dollars
and
make
the
federal
government
more
efficient
and
effective,”
said
Senator
Portman.
“I
urge
my
Senate
colleagues
to
act
quickly
on
this
bipartisan
legislation.”
For
more
information
on
the
bills,
go
here.
Thursday,
July
27
Portman
Supports
Moving
Towards
House-Senate
Conference
on
Health
Care
Reform
Portman
issued
the
following
statement
on
his
support
for
moving
towards
a
House-Senate
conference
on
health
care
reform:
“I
will
support
legislation
to
move
this
process
to
a
House-Senate
conference
because
I
believe
we
need
to
repeal
and
replace
Obamacare. This
law
isn’t
working
for
Ohio
families
and
small
businesses
who’ve
seen
their
premiums
and
deductibles
skyrocket. Throughout
this
debate,
I
have
fought
for
Ohio
priorities,
including
adding
to
the
Senate
replacement
bill
an
unprecedented
$45
billion
in
new
resources
for
opioid
treatment
and
$100
billion
to
help
low-income
Americans get
high-quality,
affordable
health
care.
I
will
continue
to
fight
for
those
priorities
in
a
House-Senate
conference
and
fight
for a
better
health
care
system
that
lowers
the
cost
of
coverage,
provides
access
to
quality
care,
and
protects
the
most
vulnerable
in
our
society.”
Portman
Praises
Senate
Passage
of
Iran,
Russia,
and
North
Korea
Sanctions,
Urges
President
to
Sign
Bill
Portman
praised
Senate
passage
of
Iran,
Russia,
and
North
Korea
sanctions
legislation
and
urged
the
president
to
quickly
sign
the
bill:
“The
United
States
Congress
has
voted
to
hold
Iran,
Russia,
and
North
Korea
accountable
for
their
aggressive
and
destabilizing
behavior.
I’m
pleased
my
priorities
to
counter
Russian
propaganda
and
disinformation
are
included
in
the
bill.
These
countries
actively
undermine
U.S.
allies
and
interests
and
this
legislation
sends
a
clear
signal
that
their
actions
have
consequences.
The
important
sanctions
and
policies
included
in
this
legislation
will
also
provide
constructive
guidance
to
the
administration
as
it
continues
to
formulate
its
policies
and
demonstrate
the
depth
of
the
support
in
Congress
for
a
firm
and
principled
approach
to
Russia,
Iran,
and
North
Korea.
I
strongly
urge
President
Trump
to
sign
this
legislation.”
NOTE:
The
policy
portion
of
the
Russia
sanctions
component
is
based
on
the
Countering
Russian
Influence
in
Europe
and
Eurasia
Act,
sponsored
by
Senators
Portman,
Cardin
and
Coons,
which
passed
the
SFRC
by
a
vote
of
20-1.
The
bill
also
includes
a
Portman
initiative
to
counter
Russian
influence
and
disinformation,
which
passed
by
a
bipartisan
vote
of
18-3.
For
more
information
about
Portman’s
priorities,
go
here.
Portman
Statement
on
Tax
Reform
Consensus
Portman
issued
the
following
statement
on
the
consensus
statement
on
tax
reform
released
by
House
Speaker
Paul
Ryan
(R-WI),
Senate
Majority
Leader
Mitch
McConnell
(R-KY),
Treasury
Secretary
Steven
Mnuchin,
National
Economic
Council
Director
Gary
Cohn,
Senate
Finance
Committee
Chairman
Orrin
Hatch
(R-UT),
and
House
Ways
and
Means
Committee
Chairman
Kevin
Brady
(R-TX):
“Tax
reform
is
about
more
jobs
and
better
wages,
and
this
is
a
sign
that
we
are
making
progress
with
our
friends
in
the
House
and
the
Trump
Administration. Tax
reform
will
give
our
economy
a
shot
in
the
arm,
and
I’m
committed
to
working
with
my
colleagues
to
get
this
done
to
benefit
Ohio
and
our
country.”
Portman
Welcomes
Small
Business
Administration
Regulatory
Roundtable
in
Cleveland
Portman
announced
that
he
welcomes
the
Office
of
Advocacy
of
the
Small
Business
Administration’s
regulatory
roundtable
in
Cleveland
next
week
and
encourages
all
small
businesses
in
Ohio
to
join
the
discussion. The
purpose
of
this
event
is
for
the
Office
of
Advocacy
of
the
Small
Business
Administration
to
gain
valuable
insight
into
which
specific
federal
regulatory
burdens
present
the
biggest
barriers
to
small
business
growth.
With
these
recommendations,
the
Office
of
Advocacy
of
the
Small
Business
Administration
can
better
assist
federal
agencies
in
complying
with
President
Trump’s
directives
to
reduce
burdensome
regulations.
“When
I’m
back
home,
whether
it’s
at
a
small
auto
body
shop,
or
a
big
steel
plant,
or
a
soybean
farm,
I
hear
the
same
thing:
burdensome
regulations
from
Washington
are
hurting
their
efforts
to
grow
their
business
and
create
jobs.
People
are
frustrated
and
they
should
be;
the
regulatory
process
hasn’t
been
significantly
reformed
in
70
years.
That’s
why
I
introduced
the
bipartisan
Regulatory
Accountability
Act,
which
will
help
give
our
economy
a
shot
in
the
arm,
create
more
jobs
and
raise
wages
for
Americans
all
across
our
country,”
said
Portman.
“I
am
pleased
that
the
SBA
Office
of
Advocacy
is
coming
to
Ohio
to
listen
to
small
business
owners
and
discuss
the
kinds
of
common-sense
reforms
found
in
our
bill
that
will
provide
them
with
relief
and
put
more
people
back
to
work.
I
encourage
all
small
businesses
in
Ohio
to
join
the
discussion.”
“A
main
priority
of
the
Office
of
Advocacy
is
to
become
increasingly
accessible
to
all
small
businesses,”
said
Major
L.
Clark
III,
Acting
Chief
Counsel
for
Advocacy.
“Holding
these
regional
roundtables
to
hear
concerns
directly
from
small
business
owners
is
a
key
component
in
our
efforts
to
help
lessen
the
heavy
regulatory
burden
on
small
business.”
This
event
is
open
to
the
public.
If
you
would
like
to
attend,
please
register
here.
Portman
on
the
Opioid
Epidemic:
“We
Have
a
Real
Crisis
on
Our
Hands”
During
an
interview
on
C-SPAN,
Senator
Portman
discussed
the
heroin
and
prescription
drug
crisis
devastating
communities
across
Ohio
and
our
country.
Portman,
who
is
author
of
the
bipartisan
Comprehensive
Addiction
and
Recovery
Act
(CARA),
has
been
a
national
leader
in
combating
this
epidemic.
He
is
now
urging
action
on
his
bipartisan Synthetics
Trafficking
&
Overdose
Prevention
(STOP)
Act, legislation
designed
to
help
prevent
dangerous
synthetic
drugs
like
fentanyl
from
being
shipped
through
our
borders
to
drug
traffickers
here
in
the
United
States.
Transcript
of
the
interview
can
be
found
here and
a
video
can
be
found
here.
Friday,
July
28
Portman
Statement
on
Health
Care
Portman
issued
the
following
statement
on
health
care
after
the
failed
vote
in
the
Senate
Friday
morning:
“I
am
disappointed
that
the
Senate
was
unable
to
proceed
towards
a
House-Senate
conference.
Throughout
this
debate,
I’ve
consistently
fought
for
a
better
health
care
system
that
lowers
the
cost
of
coverage
and
provides
access
to
quality
care,
while
protecting
the
most
vulnerable
in
our
society.
“Obamacare
isn’t
working
for
Ohio
families
and
small
businesses,
many
of
whom
have
seen
their
premiums
and
deductibles
skyrocket,
and
they
need
relief. That’s
why
I
supported
legislation
earlier
this
week
to
repeal
and
replace
this
law. That
legislation
included
a
number
of
proposals
I
fought
for,
including
$45
billion
to
address
the
opioid
epidemic,
a
glide
path
to
avoid
pulling
the
rug
out
from
under
Ohioans
on
Medicaid
expansion,
and
$100
billion
for
an
innovative
approach
to
providing
low-income
Americans
with
access
to
affordable
health
care.
“I
know
some
may
want
to
throw
in
the
towel
and
do
nothing,
but
I
don’t
believe
that
is
the
responsible
course
of
action. Doing
nothing
would
leave
tens
of
thousands
of
Ohioans
stranded
without
health
insurance
and
everyone
with
higher
costs.
“We
can
do
better,
and
I’m
not
giving
up.
I
will
continue
working
with
my
colleagues
on
both
sides
of
the
aisle
on
common-sense
solutions
on
behalf
of
Ohio
families
who
are
suffering
under
the
failed
status
quo.
I
hope
the
Senate
Finance
Committee,
on
which
I
serve,
will
announce
a
series
of
health
care
hearings.
“People
are
rightly
frustrated
on
both
sides
of
the
aisle.
We
must
come
together
as
an
institution
and
do
better
for
Ohioansand
all
Americans.”
On
Social
Media
Sen.
Portman:
Redesignate
North
Korea
as
a
State
Sponsor
of
Terrorism
Sen.
Rob
Portman
(R.,
Ohio)
urged
the
State
Department
to
redesignate
North
Korea
as
a
state
sponsor
of
terrorism
during
a
Senate
Foreign
Relations
committee
hearing
concerning
United
States
strategy
toward
the
regime.
The
designation
was
removed
in
2008
when
North
Korea
agreed
to
shut
down
its
plutonium
factories.
The
agreement
was
not
kept.
Relabeling
the
state
as
a
sponsor
of
terrorism
would
increase
the
pressure
the
United
States
has
been
putting
on
North
Korea
since
the
death
of
University
of
Virginia
student
Otto
Warmbier
and
the
successful
July
4
ballistic
missile
test,
Portman
said.
"North
Korea's
record
with
sharing
dangerous
nuclear
technology
with
state
sponsors
of
terrorism,
including
Iran
and
Syria
continues
to
pose
a
serious
threat
not
just
to
the
U.S.
but
to
the
security
environment
in
East
Asia
and
elsewhere,"
he
said.
(“Sen.
Portman:
Redesignate
North
Korea
as
a
State
Sponsor
of
Terrorism,”
Nic
Rowan.
Washington
Free
Beacon.
July
26,
2017)
Capito,
Portman
Priorities
Right
If
there
is
one
thing
certain
to
get
the
hackles
of
West
Virginians
and
East
Ohioans
up,
it
is
telling
us
that
trying
to
do
the
right
thing
is,
well,
wrong.
Two
of
our
U.S.
senators
are
being
accused
of
just
that.
It
has
proved
so
difficult
to
repeal
and
replace
the
Obamacare
health
insurance
law
that
some
in
Congress
are
thinking
of
repealing
now
and
replacing
later.
That
is,
they
want
to
enact
a
bill
that
would
do
away
with
Obamacare
within
two
years,
but
without
having
a
replacement
plan
in
place.
Among
senators
who
have
said
they
cannot
go
along
with
that
are
Shelley
Moore
Capito,
R-W.Va.;
and
Rob
Portman,
R-Ohio.
Both
have
said
such
action
would
be
a
disservice
to
many
of
their
constituents.
Portman,
Capito
and
Sen.
Lisa
Murkowski,
R-Alaska,
have
become
targets
of
critics
who
hope
to
pressure
them
into
changing
their
minds.
The
three
have
one
thing
in
common:
In
2015,
all
voted
for
a
proposal
to
repeal
Obamacare.
They
are
being
called
hypocrites
for
refusing
to
go
along
with
simple
repeal
now.
But
this
is
not
2015.
The
political
realities
are
much
different.
For
one
thing,
the
outlook
two
years
ago
was
that
if
Obamacare
was
repealed,
it
could
be
succeeded
quickly
by
a
reasonable
replacement
(“Capito,
Portman
Priorities
Right,”
Editorial.
Wheeling
Intelligencer.
July
27,
2017)
Ohio
senator
wants
website
investigated
for
sex
trafficking
Ohio
Senator
Rob
Portman
recently
spoke
on
the
Senate
floor
about
his
desire
to
have
the
sex
trafficking
site
backpage.com
investigated.
Portman
recommended
the
Department
of
Justice
do
an
investigation
of
the
site
for
many
reasons.
The
request
follows
a
two
year
permanent
subcommittee
after
a
report
found
that
backpage.com
knowingly
facilitates
criminal
sex
trafficking.
The
report
also
found
that
backpage
covered
up
evidence
of
the
sex
trafficking
crimes
in
order
to
increase
its
own
profits.
Backpage.com
alone
has
an
estimated
revenue
of
more
than
150
million
dollars
a
year,
making
it
a
market
leader
in
commercial
sex
trafficking.
The
site
has
been
linked
to
hundreds
of
reported
cases
of
sex
trafficking
and
Senator
Portman
has
seen
enough.
(“Ohio
senator
wants
website
investigated
for
sex
trafficking,”
Joseph
Sharpe.
Lima
Your
News
Now.
July
24,
2017)
Opioid
epidemic
affects
all
of
us
It
is
perplexing
that
some
citizens
continue
to
have
so
little
compassion
for
victims
of
the
heroin
and
opioid
epidemic.
It
is
not
unusual
to
hear
of
addicts
being
dismissed
as
dregs
of
society
and
of
the
drug
crisis
as
“not
my
problem.”
It
is
a
problem
for
all
of
us.
The
epidemic’s
widespread
impact
was
hammered
home
last
week
when
a
Cleveland
police
officer
was
hospitalized
after
being
exposed
to
fentanyl
while
executing
a
warrant.
He
is
not
the
first.
An
East
Liverpool,
Ohio,
officer
nearly
died
after
coming
into
contact
with
fentanyl
in
May.
Four
doses
of
Narcan
were
used
to
save
him.
Three
drug-sniffing
dogs
in
Florida
overdosed
last
year
during
a
drug
sweep.
A
10-year-old
Florida
boy
died
on
June
23
from
a
toxic
mixture
of
heroin
and
fentanyl.
The
sad
and
scary
stories
go
on
and
on
and
on.
Fentanyl,
a
synthetic
opioid,
is
50
times
stronger
than
heroin,
and
a
grain
of
it
can
be
fatal.
When
it
becomes
airborne,
it
can
be
unknowingly
ingested
by
officers,
their
dogs,
even
nearby
children.
The
opioid
epidemic,
and
fentanyl,
specifically,
has
become
a
crusade
for
Sen.
Rob
Portman
(R.,
Ohio).
In
February,
he
co-authored
the
Synthetics
Trafficking
&
Overdose
Prevention
Act,
which
is
intended
to
increase
scrutiny
of
overseas
packages
being
delivered
through
the
U.S.
Postal
Service.
Fentanyl
and
the
even
stronger
carfentanil
are
often
shipped
from
unregulated
pharmacies
in
Mexico,
China,
and
India
.
(“Opioid
epidemic
affects
all
of
us,”
Editorial.
Toledo
Blade.
July
24,
2017)
Energy
Secretary
Rick
Perry
will
visit
Piketon
plant
July
31
Senator
Rob
Portman
released
the
following
statement
announcing
that
Secretary
of
Energy
Rick
Perry
will
visit
the
Portsmouth
Gaseous
Diffusion
Plant
and
former
American
Centrifuge
Project
facility
in
Piketon
on
July
31st:
“I’m
excited
to
announce
that
Secretary
Perry
has
accepted
my
invitation
to
visit
the
cleanup
site
of
the
Portsmouth
Gaseous
Diffusion
Plant
to
get
a
firsthand
look
at
the
cleanup
work
and
to
see
the
importance
of
the
work
to
local
economy.
Secretary
Perry
made
a
personal
commitment
to
me
that
he
will
use
his
executive
experience
to
better
manage
the
work
at
Piketon
to
ensure
the
site
can
be
cleaned
up
faster
and
reindustrialized
for
a
new
purpose
that
will
benefit
the
Piketon
economy
(“Energy
Secretary
Rick
Perry
will
visit
Piketon
plant
July
31,”
Staff.
Portsmouth
Daily
Times.
July
25,
2017)
###
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