Displaying items by tag: Senator Rob Portman

On the Thursday edition of the Jasen Sokol Show Podcast, 

Senator Rob Portmant talked government shutdown (17 seconds in) 

Kat Schuessler talked about the Worst Cooks in America show, a show she is a contestant on (10:17) 

Joe Leenheer discussed his golf tip of the week. (16:30) 

(Portman Press) *On Thursday*, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) participated in an opioid roundtable discussion hosted by Hope Village Recovery Center with the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County. (MHRB). Following the roundtable, Portman toured the Recovery Center. As a result of Portman’s bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act (CARA), which provides additional resources for prevention, treatment and recovery programs that have proven to work, the MHRB of Portage County was awarded a $534,750 grant through the Ohio State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. These funds will be used over a three-year period to expand medication-assisted treatment access and retention through use of peer support specialists in outpatient and residential settings and to enhance the ability to provide integrated care.

“It was great meeting with Hope Village Recovery Center leadership, MHRB members, and community leaders today to discuss how the opioid epidemic is impacting the community of Rootstown,” said Portman. “ The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County is making terrific use of the funding they received through the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, a bill I authored that became law in 2016. Their comprehensive approach to addressing addiction and its grip on our communities is exactly what is needed to help turn the tide of the opioid epidemic in Ohio. I’m working to do more at the federal level to help our communities combat this crisis. CARA 2.0 will expand CARA’s funding levels and allow organizations to be even more effective in combatting addiction. My STOP Act will help on the front end by keeping more synthetic drugs like fentanyl out of Ohio. This problem won’t be solved at the federal level, but I am working to help local groups like the ones I met with today have the support and funding they need to continue their good work.”

Portman has been a leader in the fight for more funding to combat this crisis. In addition to his work helping to secure $1 billion in new funding to fight opioid abuse in the CURES Act, he also worked to secure $181 million annually in discretionary spending for new programs through his bipartisan CARA, and approximately $3 billion in new opioid funding in the most recent bipartisan funding agreement.

Recently, Portman introduced the bipartisan CARA 2.0 Act. This bill will build on the success of CARA, provide additional resources to help turn the tide of addiction, and put in place policy reforms that will strengthen the federal government’s response to this crisis. Portman also recently introduced the bipartisan Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, which is designed to help stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders to drug traffickers here in the United States. The bill recently passed the House of Representatives and is expected to be considered by the Senate in the coming weeks.

Saturday, April 29th, marks National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and Ohio's U.S. Senators are making sure Ohioans know where they can drop off their unused or expired prescriptions. 

With more than 270 locations across the state, residents of Summit and the surrounding counties have a few options: 

See the full press release with a link to all locations across the state below: 

--

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) announced more than 270 sites where Ohioans can safely dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs on “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” on Saturday, April 29 from 10:00 AM to 2:00PM. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in an effort to provide safe, convenient and responsible means for disposal of prescription drugs, while also educating the public about the potential for abuse and medications.

“Prescription drug abuse and misuse has devastated Ohio communities. Too often, individuals can get prescription drugs from the family medicine cabinet or from family and friends who no longer use the medicine they were legally prescribed,” Brown said. “That’s why this DEA-sponsored Drug Take Back Day is so important in Ohio. All prescription medications—especially addictive opioid painkillers—should be disposed of safely to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.”

“Four out of five people addicted to opioids start out using prescription drugs. That’s why it’s so important to safely dispose of any and all unnecessary prescription medications,” said Portman. “I’m pleased that so many communities in our state are participating in this annual event and I urge all Ohioans to clean out their medicine cabinets and take advantage of Drug Take Back. Together, we can turn the tide of addiction and ensure that every Ohioan can reach their God-given potential.”

In April, Brown and Portman spoke jointly about their efforts to combat Ohio’s opioid epidemic. Brown has introduced the INTERDICT Act, legislation that would provide U.S. Customs and Border Protections (CBP) with additional hi-tech screening equipment and lab resources to detect fentanyl before it enters the U.S. Portman has introduced the Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, new legislation designed to help stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders to drug traffickers here in the United States. Both bills work together to help block deadly synthetic opioids from reaching Ohio communities and are supported by both Senators.

U.S. Senator Rob Portman fielded questions from Ohio-only reporters and advised them to watch what Governor John Kasich would do in this convention; it's the most talked-about item among the delegation as Kasich stands as the 600-pound favorite son.

So far, Kasich has been a frequent attendee of the web of social events that mark such national conventions, including speaking with committees and delegations from other states including national groups. But he hasn't made it to Quicken Loans Arena yet, and says he won't citing the differences between him and Donald Trump.

U.S. Senator Rob Portman believes there's already more talking than yelling at each other developing in this campaign, even among the delegation from Ohio which is overwhelmingly pro-Kasich but also has a keen eye targeting Hillary Clinton as a candidate to beat in November.

Portman says he believes the Party will have to come together, much as the nation needs to come together and stop being so divisive.

Portman is enjoying the time in Cleveland, spending a period yesterday on the floor. He's organized a volunteer group to help Habitat for Humanity in Cleveland, will be enjoying the waterways as part of a kayak expedition but most importantly: tonight he and wife Jane will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in a local restaurant that has been a center of helping former inmates rejoin society.