This week, Senator Portman, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), unveiled a new bipartisan report about the lack of progress made by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to protect unaccompanied alien children (UACs) from human trafficking and other forms of abuse. In addition, Portman delivered remarks on the Senate floor discussing the opioid epidemic gripping Ohio—and our country—and his legislative efforts to help combat the crisis. Portman highlighted how funding he fought for through the 21st Century CURES legislation enacted in December 2016 has provided $1 billion over two years to fight the heroin and prescription drug epidemic. Earlier in the week, Portman appeared at the America First Policies “Tax Cuts to Put America First” event in Cincinnati where he discussed the positive results from tax reform he has seen traveling around Ohio. Lastly, Portman announced that President Trump signed into law the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes a number of his key initiatives to support Ohio’s military installations. 

For a more detailed look at Senator Portman’s week, please see the following: 

Monday, August 13 

Key Portman Initiatives for Ohio Defense Installations To Be Signed Into Law 

Portman announced that President Trump will sign into law the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes a number of his key initiatives to support Ohio’s military installations. He released the following statement: 

“This defense law provides needed resources to rebuild our military, to support our troops, and to provide upgrades and support to Ohio’s defense installations. Our country faces significant security threats around the world, and this bipartisan legislation helps ensure that our soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Marines have the vital resources they need to accomplish their national security missions.  Ohio is home to some of the best and brightest serving our country, and some of our nation’s premier defense installations.  This important measure authorizes additional funding for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Camp Ravenna and the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Northeast Ohio, Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, and Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base.  I’m proud of the work we’ve accomplished in this measure for the Buckeye State’s military installations, and I will continue to support our men and women in uniform.” 

Portman Announces President Will Sign Into Law Funding for Camp Ravenna and Youngstown Air Reserve Station 

Portman announced that President Trump will sign into law the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report, which includes $7.4 million to expand training capabilities at the Ohio National Guard’s Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center with a new automated machine gun range. Portman sent a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this year requesting this investment in Camp Ravenna. The law also includes $8.8 million to relocate the main gate at Youngstown Air Reserve Station.  Portman discussed the importance of this project with the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber last month. Portman released the following statement: 

“This bipartisan law includes important funding to help our National Guard units training at Camp Ravenna. A new automated multi-purpose machine gun range will give the Ohio Army National Guard an important, new, and much-needed training capability. It will provide our soldiers a realistic environment to meet their training requirements that currently is not available to them in the state of Ohio. 

“Securing funding for the Youngstown Air Reserve Station main gate relocation in this law is also a real benefit to the base and the region.  This will both improve security and the flow of people and cargo on and off this busy facility. I applaud the president for signing it into law so these resources can head to the Mahoning Valley as quickly as possible.” 

Portman Announces President Will Sign Into Law Funding for Abrams Tanks and Stryker Vehicles 

Portman announced that President Trump will sign into law the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes $1.5 billion in funding to upgrade 135, or 1.5 brigades worth, of Abrams tanks — increasing the rate of production of the newest upgraded Abrams tanks in Lima in order to ensure that our forward deployed tanks have the most cutting-edge capabilities.  The measure also includes $225 million for upgrading Stryker Vehicles, a $203 million increase over the president’s budget request for these upgrades.  Earlier this year, Portman led a letter to Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) urging them to increase funding for modernizing Stryker Vehicles in the NDAA. 

Portman released the following statement: 

“This bipartisan law is a big win for Lima and the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC), which supports our troops both at home and around the globe.  The newest Abrams tank is a vital investment for our soldiers to meet the realities highlighted in the latest National Defense Strategy and they have already started coming off the line at JSMC in Lima.  This is important for our armored formations and for Lima and its irreplaceable workforce.” 

“I am also pleased this measure authorizes additional funding for producing Stryker A1 vehicles.  The budget request from the Army would have left a gap in production and was not aligned with their vision to outfit all nine Stryker Brigades with this upgraded version.  We’ve increased that funding, but I’m hopeful we can do more to provide long-term stability to the industrial base and to keep our soldiers from waiting too long to be fielded with the most capable and survivable vehicle coming off the line.”

 Portman Announces President Will Sign Into Law Funding for Wright Patterson Air Force Base’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center 

Portman announced that President Trump will sign into law the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report which authorizes $182 million for phase one and two of the modernization effort at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) located at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.  The measure authorizes $61 million for the first year to begin construction.  Portman had urged the Armed Services Committee’s leadership to authorize the project. NASIC’s main campus facilities are overcrowded and require modernization to meet today’s missions. With significant total force growth that has outpaced their facility growth, NASIC has been forced to utilize antiquated World War II era facilities on base and temporary structures. This investment in NASIC infrastructure will provide the command with much-needed secure spaces that meet the demands of the growing workforce and the associated information technology requirements of modern facilities. Portman released the following statement: 

“This bipartisan defense law supports the critical mission of NASIC and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and authorizes the necessary funding to begin the modernization effort so that they can continue their important work. These new facilities are critical for NASIC to fulfill its increasingly important intelligence analysis mission for our Air Force and national policymakers, and I applaud the president for signing it into law.” 

Tuesday, August 14 

Portman in Cincinnati: Tax Reform is Working 

Portman appeared at the America First Policies “Tax Cuts to Put America First” event in Cincinnati where he discussed the positive results from tax reform he has seen traveling around Ohio. Portman says that tax reform is working and the proof is that the economy is growing, businesses are expanding, more jobs are being created, wages are rising, and there is record optimism among workers. 

Portman states in the video: “I’m going all over the state of Ohio. I’ve been to over 20 businesses, we’ve had over a dozen roundtable discussions with small businesses. This thing is working! People are seeing higher wages, they’re seeing bonuses, they’re seeing higher 401(k)s, they’re seeing better health care. They’re seeing investments in them, in their training, in their plants and equipment so that they can be more productive and efficient. I mean, it’s really exciting what’s going on, and the numbers are coming in. We just had another report from the Congressional Budget Office this week saying they’re estimating now another $4 trillion is going to come to our economic growth, our GDP, over the next 10 years compared to what they just estimated before the tax cuts. Think about that. So, yes, it’s going to generate more economic activity, more revenue, but the good way—through growth. Every family in Ohio is affected by this. Ninety percent of people who work in Ohio got a paycheck that said, ‘you know what? Uncle Sam is going to take less out of it.’ That was kind of nice wasn’t it?” 

To watch the video, click here. 

Wednesday, August 15 

How Senator Portman Has Worked to Protect the Great Lakes 

Senator Portman, who serves as co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, has led efforts in the U.S. Senate to protect Lake Erie, which provides drinking water for three million Ohioans and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs.  He holds a roundtable discussion with federal, state, and local water quality experts on the shores of Lake Erie every summer and will do so again this summer.  Portman has led efforts in the U.S. Senate to secure full funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.  Two years ago, he saw four of his bills to protect the Great Lakes signed into law as part of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act.  And he has continued that progress with important initiatives included in the America’s Water Infrastructure Act that was approved unanimously by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in May and now awaits a vote on the Senate floor. 

Here’s a brief summary of Portman’s record of delivering results that help protect and preserve the Great Lakes: 

• Securing Full Funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.  Portman has led efforts to fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a results-driven program to address the most serious issues that threaten the ecological and economic wellbeing of the Great Lakes basin, including invasive species, pollution, and toxic contamination.  Portman has steadfastly opposed attempts by the Obama administration to cut funding for GLRI and the Trump administration’s attempts to eliminate it altogether.  Each and every time, Portman worked with his colleagues to ensure GLRI was fully funded at its authorized level of $300 million.  It’s the largest investment in the Great Lakes’ health, ecosystem, and water quality, and has already helped combat harmful algal blooms, invasive species, and pollution in the Great Lakes.  

• Reauthorizing Funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.  Portman co-authored legislation with former Illinois Senator Mark Kirk to reauthorize GLRI at $300 million for five years, which was signed into law in 2016 as part of the WIIN Act. Building on that success, in May, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works passed legislation that will increase the authorization level for GLRI from $300 million in FY 2018 to $330 million in FY 2019, $360 million in FY 2020, and $390 million in FY 2021. 

• Stopping Asian Carp from Entering the Great Lakes. Portman has been a leader in the effort to keep Asian carp out of Lake Erie, pushing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete its Chief’s Report for the Brandon Road Study by February 2019. In May, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works passed legislation that requires the Corps to complete its Chief’s Report by early 2019, which will help keep Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River and protect the $7 billion fishing industry in the Great Lakes. Portman also authored bipartisan legislation signed into law by President Obama that directs the Corps to enhance emergency procedures and accelerate its efforts to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes basin.  He also the co-author of the bipartisan Defending Our Great Lakes Act, which would develop a plan of action to stop carp from entering the Great Lakes. 

• Protecting Lake Erie from Harmful Algal Blooms.  Portman had led efforts to protect the lake from the harmful algal blooms that led to a water crisis in Toledo in the summer of 2014, when more than 500,000 Ohioans lost access to clean water. In order to ensure that this never happens again, he authored the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in 2014 and prioritizes combatting algal blooms in the Great Lakes and other freshwater bodies. Last fall, the Senate passed Portman’s bipartisan legislation to reauthorize that program to help Ohio communities minimize any economic, ecological, and human health impacts of harmful algal blooms, giving millions of Ohioans peace of mind. 

• Preventing the Army Corps From Dumping Dredged Material Into Lake Erie.  Senator Portman has secured language in the WIIN Act and the Senate’s FY 2019 energy and water funding measure that would prevent the Army Corps of Engineers from determining that dredged material is safe to dump into Lake Erie from the Cleveland Harbor dredging project unless the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agrees. It ensures that the Army Corps of Engineers complies with state water quality standards when determining how to dispose of the dredged material. Fully dredging the Cuyahoga shipping channel each year is important to ensure cargo ships can safely navigate the Cleveland Harbor, which supports 18,000 jobs. However, the placement of the dredged material must also be done in a manner that protects Lake Erie from harmful contaminants. Portman has worked hard to keep the Army Corps of Engineers from dumping contaminated sediment dredged into Lake Erie. As Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), he investigated reports that the Corps cut its own budget as an excuse to dump contaminated sediment from the Port of Cleveland into Lake Erie and found that, indeed, the Corps did lobby Congress to reduce its own funding by about $3.5 million in FY 2016 so it would be unable to safely dispose of dredged material from the Cleveland Harbor in a confined disposal facility. He has continued to urge the Corps to request adequate funding to fully dredge the shipping channel and dispose of the dredged sediment upland to protect Lake Erie. 

• Strengthening Fish & Wildlife Restoration Efforts.  Portman co-authored the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), which provides critical resources to conserve and restore fish and wildlife populations in the Great Lakes. The legislation, which was signed into law in 2016 as part of the WIIN Act, reauthorizes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) program to partner with other federal agencies, states, and tribes to develop and execute proposals for the restoration of fish and wildlife resources in the Great Lakes basin. The legislation passed by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in May increases the authorization from $6 million for FY 2016-FY 2021 to $6.6 million in FY 2019, $7.2 million in FY 2020, and $7.8 million for FY 2021. The bill provides critical resources to conserve and restore fish and wildlife populations in the Great Lakes. Portman also introduced the Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization (GLFRA) Act to give the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) the legislative authority to support the $7 billion Great Lakes sport and commercial fishery industry. This legislation is included in the Senate’s HELP for Wildlife Act, which was passed the committee last October. 

• Supporting and Protecting Great Lakes Conservation Efforts. Portman led a successful effort to keep Region 5 of the U.S. EPA—which serves Ohio, as well as Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Minnesota—up and running.  Portman also included an authorization for the Corps to conduct a Great Lakes coastal resiliency study in the legislation that passed the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in May. The study, a first of its kind for the Great Lakes, will coordinate a strategy across the Great Lakes states to help protect the Great Lakes’ 5,200-mile coastline. The coastline is imperative to a robust economy and tourism industry because the Great Lakes supports a $17.3 billion maritime economy and a $14 billion recreation and tourism industry. 

• Reducing Lead in Our Water Supply & Drinking Water.  Working with Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and Gary Peters (D-MI), Portman helped develop a bipartisan compromise designed to end crises like the one in Flint, Michigan, which will provide $170 million for states, including Ohio, to address lead in our water supply, improve all forms of water infrastructure, and fund health programs to treat lead exposure.  This measure was signed into law in 2016 as part of the WIIN Act. 

• Providing Communities with flexibility for Water Infrastructure Projects. The water infrastructure legislation that passed the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in May includes Portman’s legislation with Senator Brown, the Water Infrastructure Flexibility Act. This legislation would provide local communities with flexibility to prioritize investments in wastewater and stormwater projects that are necessary to comply with the Clean Water Act. The bill also promotes the use of green infrastructure and requires EPA to update its guidance and expand the criteria for determining the ability for households to pay utility bills. 

• Ensuring that Ohioans Have Safe Drinking Water.  Building on the effort to combat harmful algal blooms, Senator Portman co-authored the Drinking Water Protection Act, which would require the EPA to establish health advisory levels for microcystins in drinking water and develop a strategic plan for assessing and managing risks associated with algal toxins in drinking water. This legislation was signed into law by President Obama in August 2015. 

• Ending the Threat of Microbeads in Lake Erie.  Portman has led efforts to combat one of the lake’s biggest polluters, plastic microbeads, which are plastic particles used in products like soap and toothpaste. They are often mistaken for food by small fish and other wildlife and can get concentrated in the food chain and harm humans. Unfortunately, microbeads have accumulated to dangerous levels in the Great Lakes. To put an end to this threat to the lake, Portman authored the Microbeads Free Waters Act, which was signed into law in December 2015 and will phase out the production of microbeads in a commonsense way that protects our natural resources and wildlife while keeping Ohio competitive. 

For these and other efforts, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies granted Portman their 2016 Clean Water Award.  The Great Lakes are an invaluable economic and environmental resource to Ohio. Senator Portman has worked tirelessly to protect and preserve the health of Lake Erie, and he has a record of delivering results.  He will continue to make it a top priority. 

Portman, Carper Unveil Report on Federal Government’s Lack of Progress on Improving Safety for Unaccompanied Minors, Ensuring They Show Up for Immigration Court Proceedings 

In advance of a Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) hearing to examine efforts by the federal government to protect unaccompanied alien children (UACs) from human trafficking and other forms of abuse, Portman and Tom Carper (D-DE), PSI’s Chairman and Ranking Member, today unveiled a bipartisan report detailing the lack of progress from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in improving programs designed to care for these children, ensure their safety, and ensure they appear at their immigration court proceedings. 

Since 2015, PSI has conducted extensive oversight of UAC programs, conducting two previous hearings on April 26, 2018 and January 28, 2016.  In 2016, PSI released a report revealing that HHS had failed to establish procedures to protect UACs and provided recommendations for improving the UAC system to ensure these children are properly cared for and protected.  Unfortunately, while HHS and DHS have taken incremental steps toward improving the care of these children, major deficiencies persist that leave the children at significant risk for trafficking and abuse and undermine our immigration system. 

“This is an incredibly difficult issue and it’s not a partisan one.  The problems that exist today began during the previous administration and have continued under this one.  These federal agencies must do more to care for unaccompanied minors and ensure they aren’t trafficked or abused,” said Senator Portman.  “More than two years ago, PSI provided HHS and DHS with a road map for how to improve these programs and protect these children, yet they have largely ignored those recommendations.  This report details some small progress but also a glaring need for these agencies to take more responsibility for ensuring these children are safe and appear at their immigration court proceedings.  I look forward to hearing how these agencies will improve the UAC system and better protect these children going forward.”  

Following are the report’s key findings and recommendations.  The report’s key findings include: 

(1)            No federal agency claims legal responsibility or authority to ensure UACs are not being trafficked or abused once the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) places a child with a sponsor. 

(2)            DHS and HHS took 29 months to create a Joint Concept of Operations (JCO) governing their responsibilities for the care and safety of UACs and missed their own deadline by 17 months.  Moreover, one senior DHS official questioned why Subcommittee staff believed the JCO was important, implying that he did not see value in completing the JCO and committing DHS and HHS processes to paper.

(3)            The JCO reflects the status quo and does not address any of the recommendations offered by the Subcommittee or the GAO.  

(4)            No federal agency tracks UACs after the (ORR) places them with sponsors.  Without a method to track UACs after placement, the federal government has few means to determine whether the children are safe or to ensure they appear at their immigration court proceedings. 

(5)            HHS’s follow-up telephone calls to UACs placed with sponsors from October to December 2017 demonstrate that HHS does not know with certainty where approximately 20 percent of UACs are three months after placement.  ORR found that out of 7,635 attempted telephone calls, 28 UACs “had run away” and “ORR was unable to determine with certainty the whereabouts of 1,475 UAC.”  In response to those findings, HHS took no further action to determine their whereabouts.

(6)            HHS has directed its legal service grantees to cease providing legal representation to new UACs placed with sponsors because it believes its authority to provide such services is “shaky.”  According to UAC legal service providers, UACs represented by attorneys are significantly more likely to appear at their immigration court proceedings.

(7)            No agency ensures UACs placed with sponsors appear at their immigration court proceedings or enforces the sponsorship agreement requiring sponsors to ensure the children’s appearance at the proceedings.  If UACs fail to appear at their immigration court proceedings, the court typically will enter an in absentia removal order.  Those children lose their opportunity to present a case for staying in the United States unless they petition to re-open their case, and if they leave the country, they likely will be barred from future entry.

(8)            UACs are failing to appear for their immigration court proceedings at increased rates.  The percentage of UACs ordered removed in absentia increased from 41 percent in 2016 (6,089 out of 15,016 completed cases) to 48 percent in 2017 (6,634 out of 13,758 completed cases).

(9)            According to UAC legal service providers, many UACs fail to appear for their immigration court proceedings because the courts are located far from where they live and they have no means to get to court. 

(10)        The backlog of immigration court cases, including UAC cases, is significant, and DOJ does not have enough immigration court judges to process the cases.  Currently, 732,730 immigration cases total are pending; of those, 80,266 are UAC cases.  More than 8,000 UAC cases have been pending for more than three years. 

(11)        DOJ has not hired its full allotted complement of immigration court judges.  Currently, 355 immigration judges handle all immigration court cases, including 29 judges invested on August 10, 2018.  DOJ has authority to hire 129 additional judges.

(12)        The median length of time UAC cases currently have been pending since the filing of a notice to appear is 480 days.  This significant lapse of time makes it less likely UACs will appear for their immigration proceedings.

(13)        HHS does not notify state governments before placing UACs with sponsors in those states.  Without notification, states are hamstrung in providing welfare and other services to the children or to ensure they attend public school.

(14)        HHS has a plan to notify state governments before placing UACs previously held in secure facilities, but HHS has failed to implement that plan. 

(15)        HHS regularly fails to submit required post-placement plans to DHS for UACs who turn age 18 while in HHS’s care.  

(16)        HHS does not contract with appropriate facilities to house UACs who must be held in a secure facility and who also have significant mental health or emotional issues. 

(17)        Due to delays in ORR’s internal review processes, some UACs are spending more time than necessary in secure facilities.  This is contrary to the statutory mandate that UACs should be placed in the least restrictive setting that is in the best interests of the child. 

As discussed in this new report, HHS has not implemented most of the recommendations in the Subcommittee’s 2016 report, Protecting Unaccompanied Alien Children from Trafficking and Other Abuses: The Role of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.  In addition to those recommendations, today’s new report includes the following key recommendations: 

(1)            HHS should acknowledge that, under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and the Flores Agreement, it has the legal responsibility to ensure that children it places with sponsors who are not the children’s parents or legal guardians are not abused or trafficked.  If HHS continues to refuse to acknowledge its responsibility, Congress should pass legislation clarifying HHS’s obligations.

(2)            DHS and HHS should review their information-sharing processes and methods outlined in the JCO to ensure that email communications do not lead to errors in transferring UACs from DHS to HHS custody.

(3)            DHS and HHS should evaluate their information-sharing policies described in Agreement II to mitigate circumstances that could dissuade potential sponsors from claiming UACs because of fear of enforcement.

(4)            HHS should track UACs after it places them with sponsors to ensure that they are safe and appear at their immigration court proceedings.

(5)            If HHS cannot reach a UAC after the UAC is placed with a sponsor by telephone, HHS should make continued efforts to determine the location and living conditions of the UAC. 

(6)            HHS should enforce the sponsorship agreement requirement that sponsors ensure that the UACs appear at their immigration court proceedings.

(7)            HHS should increase its efforts to enlist and coordinate pro bono legal services for children living with sponsors.

(8)            DOJ should hire its full allotted complement of 484 immigration court judges.

(9)            HHS should determine the appropriate point of contact in all 50 state governments to notify regarding the placement of UACs within each state.  

(10)        HHS should notify state governments before placing UACs with sponsors in those states.

(11)        HHS should offer training to state and local government officials to educate them on their role, responsibilities, and authorities with regard to UACs.

(12)        HHS should always submit the required post-placement plans to DHS for UACs who turn age 18 while in HHS’s care.

(13)        HHS should contract with a secure residential treatment facility to house UACs who must be held in a secure facility and who have significant mental or emotional issues.

(14)        HHS should streamline its decision-making process for determining whether children in secure or staff-secure facilities are eligible to move to a lower level facility or for release to a sponsor. 

On Senate Floor, Portman Urges Senate to Address the Opioid Crisis & Pass the STOP Act 

Portman delivered remarks on the Senate floor discussing the opioid epidemic gripping Ohio—and our country—and his legislative efforts to help combat the crisis. Portman highlighted how funding he fought for through the 21st Century CURES legislation enacted in December 2016 has provided $1 billion over two years to fight the heroin and prescription drug epidemic. This funding complements his Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act (CARA) legislation and the additional $3 billion in opioid funding in the bipartisan budget agreement enacted earlier this year. Increasing funding is just one aspect of Portman’s efforts to combat this epidemic.  The House recently passed Portman’s bipartisan Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, or STOP Act, which would help stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl from being shipped into the U.S., and he is urging the Senate to pass it as quickly as possible.  In addition, Portman’s bipartisan CARA 2.0 Act is designed to build on CARA’s successes and provide additional resources and strengthen the federal government’s response to this crisis.  

Said Portman in his speech: “Let’s pass the STOP Act to make sure we can deal with this fentanyl crisis. Let’s ensure we can turn the corner, turn the tide, begin to save lives.” 

A full transcript of his remarks can be found here and a video can be found here. 

Thursday, August 16 

Portman Opening Statement at PSI Oversight Hearing on Efforts to Protect Unaccompanied Minors from Human Trafficking & Abuse 

Portman, the Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), delivered remarks at a hearing to examine efforts by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to protect unaccompanied alien children (UACs) from human trafficking and other forms of abuse.  This hearing follows up on two previous PSI hearings on April 26, 2018 and January 28, 2016.  In 2016, the Subcommittee released a report detailing how HHS placed eight children with human traffickers who placed the children in forced labor on an egg farm in Marion, Ohio.  The Subcommittee found that HHS had failed to establish procedures to protect UACs, such as conducting sufficient background checks on sponsors and following up with sponsors and UACs to ensure UACs’ welfare. Now, the Subcommittee is examining the departments’ efforts to coordinate their care of UACs and their failures to implement critical reforms to protect these children and ensure they appear at their immigration proceedings. 

A transcript of Portman’s opening statement can be found here and you can watch his opening statement here. 

New CDC Data on Opioid Deaths in Ohio & Across the Country Underscores Need for Congress to Enact the STOP Act 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report highlighting provisional drug overdose death tolls for 2017. The report found that there were 69,703 overdose deaths last year, a nearly nine percent increase from 2016. Ohio experienced 4,928 overdose deaths in 2017, a 9.5 percent increase from last year. Ohio ranked third nationally for total drug overdose deaths and fourth nationally for the number of overdose deaths per every 100,000 residents. Of the 47,232 U.S. overdose deaths involving opioids, 28,526 of them—more than 60 percent—involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl. 

This is consistent with what U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) has seen and heard as he’s met with those on the frontlines combatting the opioid epidemic in Ohio. That’s why it is important that Congress pass the Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, or STOP Act, Portman’s bipartisan legislation that will help stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl from being shipped into the U.S. The House passed the STOP Act in June, and Portman is urging the Senate to pass it as quickly as possible, as he did during a speech on the Senate floor again yesterday. Senator Portman issued following statement on the report and the need to combat the rise of fentanyl: 

“The latest CDC report highlights the urgent need to combat the rise of fentanyl that is contributing to increasing overdose deaths, both in Ohio and nationally,” said Portman. “First responders across Ohio who are on the frontlines of this crisis tell me that we would be making so much more progress in turning the tide of this opioid epidemic if not for fentanyl. This drug is readily available, relatively cheap, and 50 times more potent than heroin. It has become the new scourge of the opioid epidemic, and it is primarily coming into our communities through our own U.S. Postal Service. The STOP Act will close the loophole in federal law that has allowed this to happen. This legislation passed the House overwhelmingly in June, and it’s long past time for the Senate to pass this bill so it can become law and begin making a difference.”

Friday, August 17 

Portman: $60 Million USDA Grant Will Improve the Belmont County Water System & Encourage Economic Growth 

Portman praised an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it is awarding Belmont County $60 million from its Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program to fund comprehensive improvements to the country water system.  Portman issued the following statement:

“This is exciting news for Belmont County. Not only will this funding provide for the critical upgrades and improvements to the county’s water treatment facilities, but it will also spur economic development and job creation in the county and throughout the eastern part of the state. Furthermore, it’s important that the citizens of Belmont County have safe and reliable drinking water that meets Ohio EPA standards. I’m happy to have brought this project to USDA’s attention during the grant process and look forward to seeing the county benefit from these much-needed improvements.”

On Social Media

In immigration hearing, Portman chastises Trump official claiming ‘there are no lost children’

Sen. Rob Portman expressed astonishment Thursday with Trump administration officials who seemed unable to say for certain the whereabouts of as many as 1,500 immigrant children who entered the United States on their own during the past few years.

At a Senate subcommittee hearing, the Ohio Republican seemed frustrated that “no one’s responsible” in the government for knowing whether sponsors who have taken the children into their homes are protecting them from human traffickers or making certain they show up for their immigration hearings before a federal judge.

Portman, the subcommittee chairman, appeared particularly irritated when Commander Jonathan White of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said “there are no lost children. There are some families that don’t take our call, that’s a big difference.”

“Your blanket statement that there are no lost children is simply inaccurate,” Portman told White. “There are lost children, clearly. I can’t believe that you would think that — because you don’t know where 1,500 (children) were under a three-month period between October and December of last year.”

“Of course there are lost children — and that’s the whole point here,” Portman said. “No one’s responsible.”

The hearing was held the day after the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations concluded in a report that the federal government has failed to take responsibility for making certain that immigrant children who enter the country without parents or guardians are kept safe.

In a scathing report that criticizes both the Barack Obama and Donald Trump administrations, the panel determined that tens of thousands of what are known as unaccompanied alien children under the age of 18 are in legal limbo because the Justice Department has not hired enough immigration judges to hear their cases.

White bore the brunt of criticism from senators from both parties when he attempted to explain why there are no “lost children.”

“Our requirement is to reach out, to have the programs that provided care to the children reach out 30 days after to the sponsor of the child and see if there’s anything they need or anything they can help them with,” White said.

“But it is not mandatory that the sponsor or the child take the call, and many of the immigrant families, after they leave (government) care, do not want anything more to do with us.”

When Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, asked him to elaborate, White said “many individuals come out of the shadows to take their child from us and some of them return to the shadows because they are individuals who are living undocumented in the United States in most cases. And they believe they have cause to fear us.”

Although the report blames the past two administrations, it asserts during “the past four months,” the Trump administration “took steps that exacerbated these problems,” a reference to the Justice Department’s decision this spring to separate children from their parents who were trying to cross the border.

The 52-page report was made available to reporters Wednesday.

The four administration witnesses from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Justice Department were relatively contrite in the hearing.

It was a sharp contrast to a joint statement issued Wednesday by the three agencies, which called the report “misleading” and said it “demonstrates fundamental misunderstandings of law and policy related to the safety and care” of the unaccompanied children.

“The subcommittee does not focus on the real challenges with preventing children from being smuggled and trafficked in the first place, nor does the subcommittee capture the extensive work done to protect (the children) once they arrive here,” the joint statement said.

“To make matters worse, the report does not address key national security and criminal issues, such as (children) involvement in gang activity, the benefits to transnational criminal organizations to smuggle or traffic individuals to the US, and the drain on our immigration enforcement system.”

(In immigration hearing, Portman chastises Trump official claiming ‘there are no lost children’. Jack Torry. Columbus Dispatch.  August, 16, 2018.)

Sen. Robert Portman announces opioid funding for Lorain County

Lorain County will receive nearly $400,000 in federal funding to fight the opioid epidemic, according to a news release.

The funding, announced by U.S. Senator Rob Portman on Aug. 8, is part of a $26 million package for Ohio through the 21st Century CURES law.

…

“This is terrific news for Ohio, and these new funds will help continue our efforts to combat the heroin and prescription drug epidemic gripping our state,” Portman said. “I was proud to help secure the opioid funding included in the CURES legislation, and I have seen firsthand how this law is making a difference across our state.

“This is another positive step forward, but we have to do more, and that’s why I continue to push for common-sense solutions like the STOP Act and CARA 2.0 that will help us turn the tide of addiction in Ohio and around the country.”

…

The funding originates from the 21st Century CURES legislation enacted in December, 2016 which provided more than $1 billion over two years nationally to fight the heroin and prescription drug epidemic.

Portman urged that opioid funding be included in the CURES package, and the funding awarded to states can be used for improving prescription drug monitoring programs, training for health care workers, and improving access to treatment for individuals struggling with a substance abuse disorder, according to the release.

(Sen. Robert Portman announces opioid funding for Lorain County. Kevin Martin. Lorain Morning Journal. August 11, 2018.) 

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