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Rob Portman on Jobs
Republican Jr Senator; previously Representative (OH-2)
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Opposed unemployment extension as unpaid-for, & needs reform
Q: You voted this week against extending unemployment benefits for those who were out of work. Why?PORTMAN: I'm one of six Republicans who voted to allow this debate to go forward, I think we should. Unfortunately, Democrats did not work with us,
wouldn't negotiate with us on how to pay for it. We've got a 35-year low in terms of the number of people working, the labor-participation rate. We also have record numbers of people long-term unemployed. And the Democratic answer to that is, "Let's add
more to the 26 weeks of unemployment insurance to emergency benefits, and let's do nothing to reform the program. Let's do nothing to give people the skills they need to access the jobs that are out there." All the Republicans were saying, including me,
was, "Look, yes, let's extend unemployment insurance, I'm okay with that. But let's pay for it. Last thing we want to do is add to the deficit. But second, let's reform this program." I have a specific proposal to do that.
Source: Meet the Press 2014 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls
, Feb 9, 2014
High unemployment rate creates Ohio brain drain
Ohio's unemployment rate was 10.1% in August, placing it among the 10 states with the highest rates in the country. "People all around the state are mad," Fisher said. "They are mad as hell that we're giving tax breaks to large companies that send jobs
overseas, but not giving tax breaks to companies that put their jobs right here."Portman said the high unemployment rate is creating a "brain drain" for Ohio. "Ohio is falling behind," he said. "We're losing businesses to other states. Some of the bes
and brightest young people in Ohio are leaving our state."
Fisher sought to deflect Portman's criticism that he wasn't personally involved in the effort to save jobs. He said you do so "one job at a time, one business at a time." He cited successful
efforts to save jobs in his work with Gov. Strickland.
Portman said he is committed to direct involvement to save and create jobs and highlighted a recent encounter with an unemployed Cleveland mother looking for work.
Source: Business Week coverage of 2010 Ohio Senate debate
, Oct 8, 2010
Toured 16 Ohio manufacturing plants to ask about economy
Rob has spent a lot of time on the campaign trail talking with working families about how they're weathering the economic storm and what Congress must do to save jobs and create new ones. Rob has toured 16 Ohio manufacturing plants throughout
Ohio talking with workers who are struggling in this difficulty economy. With the state's unemployment rate hovering around 10%, it's getting harder and harder for Ohio families to make ends meet.
Source: 2010 Senate campaign website, robportman.com "on the issues"
, Dec 25, 2009
Great concern about card-check legislation
Defiance Metal Products in NW Ohio is one of that area's largest employers--when the economy is good. Unfortunately, the company has had to lay-off between 200 and 250 workers since mid-2008. Defiance Metal is a full-service precision metal fabricator
for truck/transportation and HVAC facilities. The company is privately-held, non-union and has expressed great concern about the proposed card-check legislation that would eliminate workers' right to a private ballot for union elections.
Source: 2010 Senate campaign website, robportman.com "on the issues"
, Dec 25, 2009
Trade creates more and better-paying jobs at home
By opening new markets for American workers and farmers, we create more and better-paying jobs right here at home. In fact, over 12 million American jobs now are supported by exports, and those jobs pay about 15 percent higher than the average wage.
One in every three acres of American farmland is planted for export, and one in every five manufacturing jobs in this country is dependent on the export of our products.
Source: Comments at USTR Ceremony (Bush Cabinet)
, May 17, 2005
Voted YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business.
American Jobs Creation Act of 2004: <0l>Repeal the tax exclusion for extraterritorial income - Permits foreign corporations to revoke elections to be treated as U.S. corporations Business Tax Incentives - Small Business ExpensingTax Relief for Agriculture and Small ManufacturersTax Reform and Simplification for United States BusinessesDeduction of State and Local General Sales TaxesFair and Equitable Tobacco ReformProvisions to Reduce Tax Avoidance Through Individual and Corporation Expatriation
Reference: Bill sponsored by Bill Rep Thomas [R, CA-22];
Bill H.R.4520
; vote number 2004-509
on Oct 7, 2004
Voted YES on $167B over 10 years for farm price supports.
Vote to authorize $167 billion over ten years for farm price supports, food aid and rural development. Payments would be made on a countercyclical program, meaning they would increase as prices dropped. Conservation acreage payments would be retained.
Bill HR 2646
; vote number 2001-371
on Oct 5, 2001
Voted YES on zero-funding OSHA's Ergonomics Rules instead of $4.5B.
Vote to pass a resolution to give no enforcement authority or power to ergonomics rules submitted by the Labor Department during the Clinton Administration. These rules would force businesses to take steps to prevent work-related repetitive stress disorders.
Reference: Sponsored by Nickles, R-OK;
Bill S J Res 6
; vote number 2001-33
on Mar 7, 2001
Rated 13% by the AFL-CIO, indicating an anti-union voting record.
Portman scores 13% by the AFL-CIO on union issues
As the federation of America’s unions, the AFL-CIO includes more than 13 million of America’s workers in 60 member unions working in virtually every part of the economy. The mission of the AFL-CIO is to improve the lives of working families to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our nation. To accomplish this mission we will build and change the American labor movement.
The following ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.
Source: AFL-CIO website 03n-AFLCIO on Dec 31, 2003
Incentives to businesses create jobs & raise wages.
Portman signed the Contract with America:
[As part of the Contract with America, within 100 days we pledge to bring to the House Floor the following bill]:
The Job Creation and Wage Enhancement Act:
Small business incentives, capital gains cut and indexation, neutral cost recovery, risk assessment/cost-benefit analysis, strengthening the Regulatory Flexibility Act and unfunded mandate reform to create jobs and raise worker wages.
Source: Contract with America 93-CWA10 on Sep 27, 1994
Page last updated: Dec 29, 2021