U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce voted in favor Friday of the bipartisan Reducing Flight Delays Act, H.R. 1765, aimed to reduce flight delays due to Federal Aviation Administration furloughs.

The legislation is anticipated to be signed by President Barack Obama and it would allow the Secretary of Transportation to transfer $253 million from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program account to the FAA’s Operations account, said Joyce, R-Russell Township. The transfer authority is necessary to prevent reduced operations and staffing at the FAA during the remainder of fiscal year 2013.

The bill requires the Secretary to notify the House and Senate appropriations committee prior to the transfer, the congressman said.

“Significant flight delays hurt the economy and penalize passengers who pay more than $12 billion in FAA taxes and fees annually,” Joyce said in a statement. “I’m pleased to be part of the bipartisan effort to stop these delays, prevent further economic damage, and relieve Ohioans of a giant travel headache.”

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce announced Thursday that he’s been selected to serve on three subcommittees within the House Appropriations Committee.

The congressman is currently the only Ohio Republican serving on the House Appropriations Committee.

Joyce, R-Russell Township, will sit on the Interior, the Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development subcommittees.

“With these subcommittee assignments, I’ll be at the forefront of ensuring our district’s world-class health care facilities and natural resources such as the Great Lakes are receiving the resources they need to thrive," Joyce said in a statement. 

"It’s an honor to serve on the Appropriations Committee and I look forward to helping facilitate an efficient and effective appropriations process while also scrutinizing federal spending. I thank Chairman Rogers for the opportunity and look forward to working with my new colleagues.” 

Joyce began his first term in Congress on Jan. 3.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce announced Wednesday that he has voted in support of H.R. 325, the No Budget, No Pay Act.

“Today, I voted to hold Washington accountable to hardworking taxpayers by supporting the No Budget, No Pay Act. It’s a simple bill: if the Senate doesn't fulfill its duty of passing a budget, then they don’t get paid,” Joyce said in a statement. “At a time in which every American family is prioritizing their spending by being on a budget, Washington must do the same. For too long, Washington has spent and then sent taxpayers the bill. It’s my hope that this legislation stops this irresponsible practice and starts a frank conversation about reducing our debt and jump starting our economy.”

The No Budget, No Pay Act passed the House by a vote of 285-144, according to Joyce’s office. The nation’s current debt stands at almost $16.4 trillion.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

I have to say that I was pretty shocked to learn the news that U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette had decided to retire from Congress.

Many people including me had thought if there was ever a candidate who was the toughest to beat in a bid for re-election in this region it would be the Bainbridge Township Republican.

After all, he’s been elected to Congress every two years since he first won in 1994, and each time it wasn’t really close.

I know many people from Northeast Ohio would have loved to run for Congress over the years, Democrats and Republicans alike but backed off. Now they may have their chance.

Before many didn’t gave a run serious consideration figuring it was an uphill battle, plus with LaTourette’s reputation as a moderate and someone who was easy to work with, he appealed to Democrats, Republicans and independents.

LaTourette was always someone who could work with members of the opposite party such as U.S. Reps. Dennis Kucinich and Marcia L. Fudge and the late Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Much of his legislation he would sponsor had bipartisan co-sponsors.

Here’s what Fudge had to say after LaTourette’s announcement:

“Congressman LaTourette has always been a champion for his district and all of Northeast Ohio; a leader who preferred common sense and meeting the needs of people over towing the party line,” Fudge said. “We need more people like Steve who are gracious and willing to reach across the aisle. I will miss his wit and ability to get things done. His departure from Congress will be a loss to the Ohio delegation. I wish him well in his future plans.”

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also weighed in with his thoughts:

“As the dean of the House Republican delegation from Ohio, Steve has been a leader for our entire state, and I have enjoyed working closely with him both when I was in the House and now in the Senate,” Portman said. “He is a good friend whose results-oriented approach and expertise on issues important to Northeast Ohio and the nation will be missed by both Democrats and Republicans in Congress.”

This is what Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett said:

“Steve LaTourette is a proven leader with a lifetime of service to the people of Ohio. His leadership stretched far beyond typical congressional boundaries and he will be missed by all Ohioans," Bennett said. "I look forward to working together with Congressman LaTourette and all local Republican leaders in choosing a new face to campaign with this fall.”

The Ohio Democratic Party issued a statement after LaTourette's announcement:

“Congressman LaTourette was absolutely right when he said today that the ‘atmosphere in the House of Representatives no longer encourages the finding of common ground.’ House Republicans, led by Speaker Boehner, continue to set record disapproval levels for Congress because their radical, ideological tea party freshmen refuse any and all forms of compromise. A month doesn’t pass where these ideologues don’t threaten to shut down the government, or hold work hostage that is important to Ohio’s economy, like passing a Farm Bill during the worst drought we’ve seen in decades.

Northeast Ohio had the advantage of enjoying LaTourette’s friendship with Speaker John Boehner, who is from the Cincinnati area.

But alas, a change in how Washington now operates — featuring gridlock and resistance to compromise and finding common ground — wore thin on him.

So now, LaTourette will leave Congress on his own terms continuing to serve until January. He will be able to enjoy spending time with his family and as he put it “getting my life back”.

It will be difficult for the next person who wins a seat in Ohio’s 14th Congressional District to fill the shoes of LaTourette, if that’s possible.

After a new Republican nominee is selected by the seven party chairman and central committee secretaries within the congressional district, voters will see a new name on the ballot Nov. 6.

It will be time to pay attention more than ever.


John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Are all the numbers being tossed around in the discussion of the budget and debt too big to get a good grasp of? If so, check out wtfnoway.com, which has put together a visualization of U.S. debt stacked in 100 dollar bills. Additional images (humans, tractor trailers, football fields, the Statue of Liberty, etc.) are included as points of reference for just how much money we're talking about.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending May 20, 2011:

Ohio in Congress, 20110520

The U.S. House of Representatives was in recess this week.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending May 13, 2011:

Ohio in Congress, 20110513


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending May 6, 2011:

Ohio in Congress, 20110506


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending April 15, 2011:

Ohio in Congress, 20110415


Ohio in Congress, 20110415, 2


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending April 8, 2011:

Ohio in Congress, 20110408


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending April 1, 2011:

Ohio In Congress, 20110401

Ohio in Congress, 20110401, 2


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending March 18, 2011:

OhioInCongress20110318


Ohio in Congress, 20110318, 2


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending March 11, 2011:

Ohio in Congress, 20110311


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending March 4, 2011:

Ohio In Congress, 20110304

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending Feb. 18, 2011:

Ohio in Congress, 20110218

OhioInCongress, 20110218, 2


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending Feb. 11, 2011:

Ohio in Congress, 20110211

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Keep track of how your elected officials are voting in Congress with Thomas Voting Reports.

See how U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township; U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights; U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, voted in Congress in the week ending Dec. 3, 2010:

Ohio in Congress, 20101203

Ohio in Congress, 20101203 part 2


-- Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com

Associated Press White House reporter Philip Elliott posted on his Twitter page the other day that he was getting ready for midterm elections -- and he's not the only one.

U.S. Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, was the only Ohio Democrat in the House to vote against the health care overhaul when it passed Sunday night. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law Tuesday. (View the full roll call vote here.)

From The Associated Press:

COLUMBUS — Two unions representing tens of thousands of Ohio workers said Monday they would no longer support the state's only Democratic congressman to oppose President Barack Obama’s health care bill.
U.S. Rep. Zack Space betrayed union members who campaigned for him in 2006 and 2008, said the Service Employees International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers union.
"A no vote on health care is an anti-worker vote," said Allison Petonic, spokeswoman for Columbus-based UFCW Local 1059, which has 18,000 members working in food retailing and processing in Ohio. That includes 1,500 people living in Space’s district, she said.
Space was among 34 Democrats who voted against the landmark legislation Sunday. It passed 219-212 with no Republican support.
Space said over the weekend that he had serious reservations about the measure and that he feared it might financially burden the working class by "opening the door to taxing employee benefits as income."
The Democrat, who represents a conservative, Appalachian district, said a version of the bill he supported last year taxed wealthy Americans, not the middle class, to help pay some health care costs for the working poor.
The unions were unconvinced.
"Working class, middle income people who live in the congressman's district really need help to obtain their health care. While this bill isn't perfect, it's step in the right direction," said Anthony Caldwell, spokesman for SEIU District 1199, which represents about 25,000 hospital, nursing home, state and other workers in Ohio.
...
Space was elected in 2006 with 62 percent of the vote after six-term Republican Bob Ney pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
In 2008, 60 percent of the district got behind Space, despite all but one county choosing Republican John McCain over Obama.

The year 2006 was a good one for Democrats across Ohio, when the GOP lost the governorship and the conservative 18th District seat. But 2010 will be a tougher year for Space (and Gov. Ted Strickland, who was first elected in 2006 and could easily lose re-election in November). Democrats across the country will have a harder time getting elected, with many residents angry at Obama and frustrated with Congress. The tea party movement is gaining a lot of steam and may very well unseat current representatives and senators.

So why did Space go against his party and vote for the health care bill?

On one hand, he is a Democrat, and Democrats tried to band together as a party to pass the bill. He may lose support from his party, or maybe even get less funding in the race to hold onto his seat -- likely to be as hot of a contest as when he was first elected to the House. Additionally, he will not have the support of the Service Employees International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers union, whose members may have supported Space financially this year.

On the other hand, Space represents a conservative district in a bellwether state that could very well elect a Republican to replace Strickland, and that could keep a Republican in the Senate when U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, retires at the end of this session.

So was it politics that made Space do it? Did he vote against the bill because he wants to get re-elected? Or, did he vote against the bill because he is representing his constituents?

Maybe Space did what people would like to see more often out of their representatives. Maybe he made the decision based on what he thinks would be best for the people who elected him to serve in Congress, to put their priorities front and center instead of party politics.

--Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com