Wright-Patt measures added to bill
Defense provisions provide funds for research at AFRL.
Several provisions WASHINGTON — sought by Ohio lawmakers made it into the final National Defense Authorization Act that was signed by President Donald Trump. The bill — which authorizes Defense programs — includes a provision pushed by Sen. Rob Portman that would improve the ability of the United States to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation from our enemies, according to Portman’s office. Specifically, the bill will consolidate the Department of Defense information operations and cyber-enabled information operations within a single task force. Portman’s measure also tasks the regional Combatant Commanders to coordinate with the relevant Assistant Secretary of State to counter propaganda and disinformation from foreign countries.
Other measures successfully sought by Ohio lawmakers include:
■ A Portman amendment adding $350 million in security assistance for Ukraine, including for assistance to bolster Ukraine’s naval capabilities, which were severely degraded following Russia’s seizure of Crimea.
■ Several Portman and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, measures will impact Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Among them: Increasing payments to researchers at Wright-Patt’s Air Force Research Laboratory; increasing flexibility for minor military construction; barring the Pentagon from abruptly shifting project management responsibility away from the experts at AFRL to others in the Pentagon until a formal assessment of the program’s management is conducted; and increasing support for the base’s role in developing unmanned aerial systems.
■ Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, also authored several measures, including one aimed at increasing the ability of victims of sexual assault in the military to report their crimes. Other Turner-led provisions will implement military residential window safety measures to protect against unintentional falls by young children; ensure that the headquarters of the National Aviation Hall of Fame say in Ohio, and require the Secretary of Defense to brief the House Armed Services Committee on the information and resources currently provided to service members regarding state child custody laws. Turner is a senior member of the committee.
Letter urges better reporting on opioids
Rep. Mike Turner has joined with a Massachusetts Democrat to send a letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis expressing concern about the Department of Defense’s practice of reporting prescriptions, particularly prescriptions to opioids.
The two urged Mattis “to take proactive steps to report TRICARE beneficiaries’ controlled substance prescriptions to state prescription drug monitoring programs as soon as possible.”
Currently, a loophole allows the Defense Department to avoid reporting report controlled substance prescriptions to state prescription drug monitoring programs. Turner, R-Dayton, and Rep. Seth Moulton say that loophole leaves service members, veterans, retirees and their families vulnerable.
Another candidate for Tiberi’s seat
State Sen. Kevin Bacon, R-Minerva Park, has joined a growing number of Republicans seeking the Columbus-area congressional seat being vacated by the retirement of Republican Pat Tiberi.
In addition to Bacon, Delaware County Prosecutor Carol O’Brien, state Sen. Troy Balderson of Zanesville, real-estate investor and U.S. Army veteran Jon Halverstadt of Worthington and Brandon Grisez of Worthington already have entered the Republican primary for the 12th District.
Tiberi plans to resign in January and the filing deadline for the race is Feb. 7 of next year.