The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
What a first year it’s been Lawmakers split on party lines on performance
After a year in office for President Trump, northern Ohio’s representatives to Congress offered praise for accomplishments and some criticism for what has or has not been done. On Jan. 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump took the oath of office to become the 45th president of the United States. Sen. Rob Portman, Ohio’s Republican senator, pointed to taxes and the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch when considering Trump’s first year in office. “In the first year of the Trump presidency, I worked with the Trump Administration on a number of matters,” Portman said. “I believe most significant was America’s new tax reform law.
“We’re already seeing the benefits in Ohio with many companies providing employees with higher wages, or bonuses, or better retirement savings, or investments in equipment, or some combination,” Portman said. “Ohio families are also beginning to see the benefits of direct tax relief.
“I have also worked with the Trump Administration on the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch, and a record number of district court and in other federal judge confirmations,” Portman said. He also addressed his expectations for 2018.
“This year, I am optimistic that we can address this sex trafficking issue we’ve been working on, which is tied into the opioid epidemic, and I am optimistic that we can make more progress on combating the prescription drug and opioid epidemic as well,” Portman said. “I don’t always agree with what the president says, and I have spoken out when I disagree. But my goal is to deliver results for Ohio, and I’m going to continue to work with the president on policy issues that can make a real difference for my constituents.”
Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights, said Americans should hold Trump to a higher standard than they have. She represents the 11th House District, which has multiple communities in Cuyahoga County and stretches south near Akron.
“What we have seen in this first year is a real example of a dumbing down of the U.S.
presidency,” Fudge said. “From his continual lying to the thin-skinned, irrational and immature behavior to his divisive rhetoric. Many in Congress, and most Americans, have lowered their expectations and accepted behavior that would have never been tolerated from any other president.
“The president of the greatest nation in the world should hold himself to a higher standard and we as members of Congress who are sworn to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States should hold him to a higher standard as well,” Fudge said.
Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Bainbridge Township, also focused on Trump’s accomplishments with the Supreme Court and issues such as taxes. His 14th House District includes all of Lake, Ashtabula and Geauga counties, with communities from other surrounding counties.
“For me I think you have to move beyond the coverage of his tweets and the 24 hours news cycle to realize we have actually done some good things,” Joyce said. “Just to name a few of those accomplishments include Justice Gorsuch appointment to the Supreme Court, a once in a generation tax-reform bill, rolling back runaway regulations, strengthening national security while standing up for veterans and tackling the opioid epidemic as a national problem.”
On the west side of town, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, and Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, both touched on business and environmental issues and taxes for working families.
They offered different evaluations of how the president’s actions are affecting northern Ohio.
“A year into the Trump Administration, Ohioans are still waiting on many of the promises the President made as a candidate,” said Kaptur, whose 9th House District includes Vermilion, Lorain, Sheffield Lake and Avon Lake.
“In Lorain, a community hard hit by bad trade deals, the promise of action instead of words on NAFTA and on fighting back against illegal steel dumping sure didn’t get any results from the president,” she said. “The president’s team promised me they would have action ready to go by June of last year, yet we are still waiting.
“The president’s obsession with lowering corporate taxes, which will hurt middle-income families, will have long-term negative effects on the services our citizens receive and on our ability to grow the economy,” she said. “He forced a bill through that achieved great tax breaks for the most well to do, but the bill incentivizes more outsourcing of American jobs and left the middleclass out to dry.
“On the Great Lakes, we are hoping for a better 2018 than 2017,” Kaptur said. “Mr. Trump started 2017 with a plan to eliminate the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a key helping hand in repairing and healing our Lakes. I worked in a bipartisan way to ensure help for our Great Lakes remains intact.
“I am always a hopeful person and I remain dedicated to working together where we can to create jobs and opportunity for everyone,” Kaptur said. “Perhaps through the much talked about infrastructure bill, but as I have learned with President Trump, the devil is in the details.”
Gibbs’ 7th House District includes Avon, North Ridgeville, Columbia, Eaton and LaGrange Townships and the southern townships of Lorain County.
“President Trump’s first year in office has shown what sensible pro-growth regulations and tax policies can do to stimulate the economy and put more money into the pockets of working and middle-class families,” Gibbs said.
“We worked with the president to cut both personal and business tax rates, which has so far helped nearly three million workers through increased wages, enhanced benefits, or bonuses while companies are reinvesting billions of dollars in the American workforce,” Gibbs said.
“The White House also worked with Congress to repeal burdensome Obama-era regulations like EPA’s Waters of the United States powergrab that hurt farmers, homebuilders, and encroached on private property rights,” he said.
Said Ohio’s Democratic senator, Sherrod Brown, “From day one of this Administration, I’ve been clear: I’ll work with President Trump when he is doing the right thing for Ohio, and I’ll fight him like hell when he is wrong.
“I worked with Senator Portman to battle back against President Trump’s attempts to cut funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. And I’ve spoken out when the White House has too often fanned the flames of hatred and fear.
“But I’ve also found areas to work with the President, like retooling our trade policy so it is better for Ohio workers. And earlier this month, he signed into law my bill to help keep opioids out of our communities. There is so much work to do to create jobs in Ohio and rebuild our infrastructure, and I’m willing to work with anyone to help my state.”
Online: Trump has kept many promises during his first year in office NEWS-HERALD.COM/ NATION-WORLD