Free Republic

As U.S. Senator Rob Portman enters his last year of public service in the U.S. Senate, those keeping score would have to agree that his tenure has been remarkably successful by any measure. And his most significant impact may very well be yet to come. Under Portman’s steady leadership, Congress finally appears ready to acknowledge and fix a glaring 35-year-old legislative mistake. The Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law (EQUAL) Act, which overwhelmingly passed the U.S. House of Representatives, has been championed by Portman in the Senate. The EQUAL Act would end the unjust mandatory minimum sentencing disparity...

Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that helping Ukraine defend itself is “about the fight for freedom” when asked to respond to Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s questions about Russia and Ukraine. During his Fox News show, Carlson said, “At this point, NATO exists primarily to torment Vladimir Putin, with however many faults, has no intention of invading Western Europe. Vladimir Putin does not want Belgium. He just wants to keep his western border secure. ” Anchor Chuck Todd said, “I’m sure you love being asked about a cable TV news host, but it has...

A total of 32 House and Senate Republicans helped push Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure package over the finish line, most of whom have been showered with campaign cash from the leading lobbying group behind the bill — the US Chamber of Commerce. Lawmakers run for office, grabbing donations from interest groups, then, after their election, voting for legislation supported by those special interest groups despite their constituents’ opposition. The Chamber had been lobbying for Biden’s infrastructure bill, since the start of the year. By July, Open Secrets reported the Chamber had spent more than $12 million lobbying for the bill...

Congress is requiring in its $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that automakers install monitoring systems in their cars to stop drivers from operating their vehicles while intoxicated. Monitoring systems to stop drunk drivers would roll out in all new vehicles as early as 2026, according to the new legislation. Some convicted drunk drivers already have to use breathalyzer devices attached to their vehicles' ignition interlock. By blowing into a tube, the system will disable the vehicle if the individual's blood alcohol level is above the legal threshold. The Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) program is a public-private partnership partially...

A cadre of moderate House Republicans saved President Biden’s $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal from defeat on Friday after far-left Democrats rebelled against the legislation. 13 House Republicans, including never-Trump acolytes like Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, joined with 215 Democrats to narrowly pass the bill. Given the narrow margin that Democrats control the House, Mr. Biden could only afford three defections.

Don't be fooled by the party line vote. The filibuster required 60 and 10+ GOPers voted. They're listed below. Assistant Democrats! @ChadPergram 2) The GOP yeas were Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD), Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Richard Shelby (R-AL), Rob Portman (R-OH), Susan Collins (R-ME).. 3) ...John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Roy Blunt (R-MO).

It doesn't get any better in the U.S. Senate race where former party state chair Jane Timken, perennial right-wing candidate Josh Mandel and author J.D. Vance are fighting over who is the most Trumpian. Ohio State Sen. Matt Dolan jumped into the race, giving the anti-Trump forces an outside shot if the others split their vote. It'll be interesting to see if retiring Sen. Rob Portman — who didn't stand up to Trump for four years — will show political courage now that he’s not facing voters. It’s not much better in neighboring Pennsylvania, where the leading Republican U.S. Senate...

Senate negotiators have reached agreement on the major components of a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, clearing the way for a procedural vote on Wednesday to move toward formal debate and passage, a Republican lawmaker said. 'We now have agreement on the major issues. We are prepared to move forward,' Senator Rob Portman, the lead Republican negotiator in infrastructure talks, told reporters after a meeting with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The deal brings possible action on a major spending priority for the president, who has long touted his decades spent in the Senate and his ability to bring Democrats...

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said his optimism on a bipartisan infrastructure bill was “short-lived” following President Joe Biden’s remarks that he would consider vetoing the bill if it doesn’t include a sweeping reconciliation package. His comments came shortly after Biden endorsed the bipartisan deal to spend $1.2 trillion over eight years before stating that “If only one comes to me, this is the only one that comes to me, I’m not signing it“ McConnell accused Biden of “caving” to the far left following the bipartisan breakthrough and offering mixed messaging on the matter.

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced a bipartisan infrastructure deal with moderate senate Republicans and Democrats after meeting with them briefly at the White House. “We had a really good meeting and to answer your direct question, we have a deal,” Biden announced, standing with the group of senators Biden met briefly with the group to seal his support for the deal after the White House announced a framework deal for a bipartisan agreement Wednesday evening. The president celebrated the bipartisan nature of the deal, even though he said it was not all of the proposed spending that he asked...

President Joe Biden said Thursday he would not sign a bipartisan infrastructure deal with moderate Republican senators without an additional partisan funding package for entitlements. “I control that. If they don’t come, I’m not signing it. Real simple,” Biden said, when reporters asked how he planned to get both measures through Congress at the same time.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and a group of Republican conservatives have struck a deal to allow a Friday vote on a bill setting up a bipartisan Jan. 6 commission, which will let senators leave Washington for the Memorial Day recess early Friday afternoon. The deal, which was approved by the entire Senate after being hotlined, will postpone the final procedural votes and the final up-or-down vote on a bill to improve U.S. competitiveness with China until next month. But it means that Republicans won’t be able to delay consideration of the China bill into the holiday weekend, which...

Senate Republicans on Friday blocked an independent, bipartisan commission to study the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.Eager to put the events of that day and former President Trump’s role in it behind them, Republicans blasted the commission proposal as a partisan attempt by Democrats to keep both in the news during next year’s pivotal midterm elections.The bill fell in the first legislative filibuster of the year as it failed to get the 60 votes needed to advance. The vote was 54 to 35 to move the bill forward, with a handful of Republicans breaking ranks — Sens. Mitt...

I got this response from Rob Portman. I had e mailed him to askhim to support the President: Dear xxxxx (my name) Thank you for contacting me regarding the 2020 Presidential Election. It is good to hear from you and I appreciate the opportunity to engage with you. The U.S. presidential election was held on November 3, 2020. With historic turnout across the board, it is clear that the American people were fully engaged in this election. The strong turnout for both candidates and both parties is a healthy sign for our democracy. Along with more than 71 million Americans,...

Aimee Jorjani, chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Why is a Trump appointee stopping progress on America’s efforts to compete with China in the vital arena of 5G technology? That’s the question being asked in the wireless industry, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the White House itself. In June of 2019, Aimee Jorjani was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the first full-time chairman of the obscure Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). The council is a creation of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its job is to “promote the preservation, enhancement, and sustainable use...

Yet, it has now become clear that our grant-making agencies and law enforcement authorities have allowed our direct competitors, particularly China, to effectively leapfrog America by stealing this research for their own gain. There is no federal requirement for universities and research institutions that sponsor foreign researchers to put policies in place to safeguard federally funded research and sensitive technologies from being stolen. And we’re already seeing the consequences. Most recently, Charles Lieber, chair of the Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department at Harvard University, was accused of lying to U.S. authorities about his participation in the Chinese government-run “Thousand Talents...

How imbecilic are those Republicans trying to make a name for themselves by supporting the unconstitutional Schiff/Pelosi articles of impeachment? Beyond polite description. Susan Collins, Rob Portman, probably the self-serving Mitt Romney, are each trying to be the biggest monkey wrenches in an already ridiculous endeavor to remove President Trump from office. Each of them should just admit they are Democrats at heart and switch parties. How else to explain their betrayal of their own party? Poor judgment is one thing, like Matt Gaetz voting for Pelosi's meaningless resolution to limit Trump's ability to counteract Iran. That was just dumb,...

President Trump invited two of his biggest Senate Republican critics, Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), to the White House Thursday for an unspecified discussion. The invitation comes as impeachment hearings in the House continue. The House is widely expected to impeach Trump, which would create a trial in the Senate where Romney and Collins would be two of the most scrutinized GOP votes. Romney said before the meeting that he planned to talk about his own bill, the Trust Act, and the president’s plan for regulating vaping products. “If I’m asked for questions I want to talk...

Lawmakers are returning to Congress on Monday following a racist series of tweets from President Donald Trump aimed at four Democratic lawmakers, and Republican leaders as well as rank-and-file members are feeling the pressure to weigh in on the President's comments. But many leaders in the party are so far not weighing in publicly -- including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. "If he issues a statement on this we'll be sure to forward," said McConnell spokesman David Popp in response to a question from CNN. While many Republican leaders in Congress have thus far not spoken out, some GOP members...

Senate PASSES resolution to terminate President Trump's emergency declaration at the border, 59-41, sending it to Trump's desk for him to veto (as he has threatened to do). 12 GOP YES VOTES: Alexander Blunt Collins Lee Moran Murkowski Paul Portman Romney Rubio Toomey Wicker