Ohio Democrats in Congress still cool to wall
WASHINGTON — Ohio lawmakers from both parties expressed relief that the partial shutdown of the federal government ended Friday, but many Democrats appear cool to a possible compromise that includes President Donald Trump’s coveted steel barrier along hundreds of miles of the border with Mexico.
Although Republicans such as Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio and Rep. Steve Stivers of Upper Arlington say opening the government for three weeks gives congressional negotiators the chance to forge a compromise acceptable to Trump, Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles said “We’re not going to make the taxpayers foot the bill for a vanity project the president has endlessly bragged that Mexico would pay for.”
“We need to invest in technology, bolster our security at ports of entry, and identify the weak points at the southern border,” Ryan said. “Ultimately, the conversations must be bipartisan and evidence-based.”
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-ohio, saying lawmakers “need to work together to secure our borders,” assailed Trump for “inflicting a world of unnecessary pain on workers across this country— all for a border wall he promised Mexico would pay for.”
Other Ohio Democrats sounded the same theme. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-toledo, called the shutdown “unnecessary” and “tragic,” saying Trump only used it as “a bargaining chip.”
By contrast, Stivers said the agreement creates conditions that “will spur action to secure our border, including with physical barriers where needed. I trust that all parties are working in good faith, but the temporary nature of government funding allows time to verify that trust.”
Rep. Mike Turner, R-dayton, sounded a similar note, calling the end of the shutdown “only a short-term solution.” During the next three weeks, Turner said, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York “must negotiate and deliver necessary funding for border security.”
Portman, who was part of a group of senators who searched for a compromise, said the announcement was “consistent with the letter that a group of Republicans and Democrats agreed on last week that outlined a process for reopening the government in the short term with the commitment to a border-security plan that can be enacted in the next few weeks.”
“In the coming days and weeks, I will continue to work with my colleagues on a responsible plan to fund our government, improve our border security and prevent these inexcusable shutdowns in the future,” Portman said.
Rep. Bill Johnson, R-marietta, took a harder line, saying “if a good-faith agreement” cannot be reached on “real border security,” then Trump’s only option would be to “declare a national emergency on the southern border” and presumably find money to build barriers.
Rep. Troy Balderson, R-zanesville, said “while not a permanent solution, I’m encouraged our nation’s leaders have come together to reach this agreement.” He has indicated he plans to introduce a bill similar to Portman’s that would provide for an automatic spending bill for any spending bill not completed by the October fiscal year deadline.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-jefferson Township, said the end of the shutdown means “we can get back to working on the real issues” affecting central Ohio.