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Rob Portman

Rob Portman
United States Senator
from Ohio
Assumed office
January 3, 2011
Serving with Sherrod Brown
Preceded by George Voinovich
46th Director of the Office of Management and Budget
In office
May 29, 2006 – June 19, 2007
President George W. Bush
Preceded by Joshua Bolten
Succeeded by Jim Nussle
13th United States Trade Representative
In office
May 17, 2005 – May 29, 2006
President George W. Bush
Preceded by Robert Zoellick
Succeeded by Susan Schwab
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 2nd district
In office
May 4, 1993 – May 17, 2005
Preceded by Bill Gradison
Succeeded by Jean Schmidt
Personal details
Born Robert Jones Portman
(1955-12-19) December 19, 1955
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Jane Dudley
Children Jed
Will
Sally
Alma mater Dartmouth College
University of Michigan
Religion United Methodism
Signature
Website Senate website
Campaign website
Official Facebook
Rob Portman on Twitter

Robert Jones "Rob" Portman (born December 19, 1955) is an American lawyer and the junior United States Senator from Ohio, in office since 2011. Previously he served as the 14th United States Trade Representative from 2005 to 2006 and as the 35th Director of the Office of Management and Budget from 2006 to 2007.

Born in Bush Administration from May 2006 to June 2007 as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, where he advocated a balanced budget. Portman is married and has three children.

A center-right member of the Republican Party, Portman was elected U.S. Senator in 2010. He has been listed as a possible Republican vice presidential candidate in the past two presidential elections. In the Senate, Portman was a member of the bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. Throughout his time in Congress, the Cabinet, and the Senate, Portman has visited over thirty countries, including Israel, China, and Iraq. In 2013, Portman became the first incumbent statewide or national-level Republican to publicly support legal recognition of same-sex marriage since Lincoln Chafee in 2004.[1][2][3]

Contents

  • Personal life 1
    • Heritage and early life 1.1
    • Education and early career 1.2
    • Marriage and family life 1.3
    • Early appointments and return to Ohio 1.4
  • United States Representative: 1993–2005 2
    • Congressional elections 2.1
      • Primary election 2.1.1
      • General elections 2.1.2
    • House legislative career 2.2
  • White House appointments: 2005–2007 3
    • United States Trade Representative 3.1
      • Hong Kong and trade suit 3.1.1
    • Director of the Office of Management and Budget 3.2
  • Post-White House career 4
  • United States Senator: 2011–present 5
    • 2010 election 5.1
    • Tenure 5.2
    • Committee assignments 5.3
    • Caucus memberships 5.4
  • Political positions 6
    • Fiscal policy 6.1
    • Foreign policy 6.2
    • Interior policy 6.3
    • Social policy 6.4
    • 2012 presidential election 6.5
    • Constructive conservatism 6.6
    • Speculation on 2016 presidential campaign 6.7
  • Electoral history 7
  • Published works 8
  • Notes 9
  • See also 10
  • References 11
  • External links 12

Personal life

Heritage and early life

Portman was born in 1955, in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Joan (née Jones) and entrepreneur William C. "Bill" Portman II. Portman was raised in a Presbyterian family.[4][5] His patrilineal great-grandfather, surnamed "Portmann", immigrated from Switzerland; Portman also has Scottish, Northern Irish, English, and German ancestry.[6] When he was young, his father borrowed money to start the Portman Equipment Company, a forklift dealership where he and his siblings all worked growing up. The company grew from a small business with five employees and Joan Portman as bookkeeper to one that employed over 300 people.[7]

The Golden Lamb Inn, Ohio's oldest continually operating restaurant and inn, is owned by the Portman family

In 1926, the Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Daniel Webster, Bill McIntire, Thomas Corwin, Clement Vallandigham, Cordell Hull (who went to school near the inn), Robert A. Taft, Dewitt Clinton, and Lord Stanley (who later became prime minister of the United Kingdom), have visited the establishment.[11]

According to a 2010 Weekly Standard profile, Portman "developed a political philosophy grounded in entrepreneurship," having grown up "[hearing] talk about regulations, and taxes, and government getting in the way of small business" because of his early experiences with his family business.[12] It was from his mother Joan, a liberal Republican, that Portman inherited his political sympathy for the Republican Party.[13]

Education and early career

Portman graduated from Cincinnati Country Day School in 1974, where he had served as treasurer of his class, enjoyed playing baseball, and developed an interest in politics, later telling the National Review "[In high school,] I wasn't a Democrat or a Republican. No one in my family had ever been in politics. My dad thought it was something that got in the way."[14] He went on to attend Dartmouth College, where he started leaning to the right-wing, and majored in anthropology and earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in 1978.[14] At Dartmouth, he was a member of the Ledyard Canoe Club, and went on several kayaking and canoeing expeditions around the world. He spent summers throughout college in the American West, on cattle farms and ranches, tending to livestock, riding horses, and assisting in related chores.[13] In Cincinnati, Portman worked on Bill Gradison's Congressional campaign, and Gradison soon became a mentor to Portman.[14] Portman next entered the University of Michigan Law School, earning his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in 1984 and serving as vice president of the student senate.[15] During law school, Portman embarked on a kayaking and hiking trip across China, and, not long before, blind dated a young Democratic volunteer, Jane Dudley.[16] Dudley's aunt and uncle lived in Cincinnati and were friends with Portman's parents. Dudley embarked on a hiking trip with her aunt in the Himalayas, and took part in the date with Portman following her aunt's advice.[16] Dudley had become interested in politics by working for a family friend who was running for the state legislature in North Carolina. She majored in political science at Vanderbilt University, and wanted to work on Capitol Hill. She then worked in a U.S. Senate campaign in 1984 for Jim Hunt who was governor of North Carolina.[16] After graduating from law school, Portman moved to Washington, D.C., where he became a trade law expert and lobbyist for the firm Patton Boggs;[17][18][19] fifteen percent of his work involved advising lobbyists for the duty-free retailing industry.[20] Portman next became an associate at Graydon Head & Ritchie law firm in Cincinnati.[21]

Marriage and family life

Throughout his career, Portman and his family have resided in Terrace Park, Ohio

Portman married Jane Dudley in July 1986.[13] Dudley, who previously worked for Democratic Congressman Tom Daschle, "agreed to become a Republican when her husband agreed to become a Methodist."[22] The Portmans attend church services at Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church.[23][24] Jane Portman has served on the board of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for 7 years and has driven a route for Meals on Wheels for 12 years.[16] The Portmans have three children: Joseph Dudley "Jed" Portman, William Dudley "Will" Portman, and Sarah Dudley "Sally" Portman.[13][25] The family lives in a 12-room, 3,901-sq. ft. home, built in 2009, on 3.293 acres in Terrace Park, Ohio.[26] Portman still owns the Golden Lamb Inn with his brother Wym Portman and sister Ginna Portman Amis.[27] In 2004, a Dutch conglomerate purchased the Portman Equipment Company. Portman had researched the firm's local acquisitions, stating "It's a concept I've heard described as 'Glocalism.' All these companies are trying to achieve economies of scale. This lets us develop a network and coverage globally. But you can still have the local spirit, the local name and the customer intimacy to accomplish great things."[28] A July 2012 article about Portman stated that in 40 years, his only citation has been a traffic ticket for an improper turn while driving.[29] Portman is an avid kayaker, is fluent in Spanish, and enjoys bike rides.[14][30]

Early appointments and return to Ohio

In 1989, Portman began his career in government as an associate China, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.[33]

In September 1996, after his return to Ohio and after a 16-year-old named Jeff Gardner died from a lethal combination of huffing gasoline and smoking marijuana, Portman founded the Coalition for a Drug-Free Greater Cincinnati.[34] Portman wrote of the effort:
I decided we could not afford to wait for another tragedy to prompt us to action. Over the last year and a half, I have spearheaded an effort to establish the Coalition for a Drug-Free Greater Cincinnati. [...] It's a serious, long-term initiative that brings together for the first time community activists already involved in the antidrug effort, key business figures, religious leaders, the media, parents, young people, law enforcement officials, and others. Our aim is to develop and implement a comprehensive, community-based strategy to reduce drug abuse in our region.[35]
The coalition advances "a comprehensive effort to address youth substance abuse."[36]

United States Representative: 1993–2005

Congressional elections

In 1993, Portman entered a special election to fill the seat of Congressman Bill Gradison of Ohio's second congressional district, who had stepped down to become president of the Health Insurance Association of America. In the Republican primary, Portman faced six-term Congressman Bob McEwen, who had lost his Sixth District seat to Ted Strickland in November 1992; real estate developer Jay Buchert, president of the National Association of Home Builders; and several lesser known candidates.

Primary election

Portman was criticized by Jay Buchert during the 1993 special election primary campaign for his previous law firm's work for Haitian dictator Baby Doc Duvalier, while McEwen was questioned about bounced checks he had written on the House bank. Buchert ran campaign commercials citing McEwen's checks, the expenses of his Congressional office, and his campaign finance disclosures, while calling Portman "the handpicked choice of the downtown money crowd" and "a registered foreign agent for the biggest Democrat lobbying firm in Washington," labeling Portman and McEwen "Prince Rob and Bouncing Bob." [37]

In the primary, Portman lost four of the district's five counties. However, he won the largest, Hamilton County, his home county and home to 57% of the district's population. Largely on the strength of his victory in Hamilton, Portman took 17,531 votes (36%) overall, making him the overall winner.

General elections

In the general election, Portman defeated his Democratic opponent, attorney Lee Hornberger by 53,020 (70%) to 22,652 (29%).[38]

Portman was re-elected in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004, defeating Democrats Les Mann,[39] Thomas R. Chandler,[40] and then Waynesville mayor Charles W. Sanders four times in a row.[12][41][42]

House legislative career

As of 2004, Portman had a lifetime rating of 89 from the American Conservative Union, and ranked 5th among Ohio's 18 House members.[43]

One of Portman's first votes in Congress was for the North American Free Trade Agreement on November 17, 1993.[44]

During his tenure in Congress, Portman authored or co-authored over a dozen bills that became law,[45] including legislation to reform the Internal Revenue Service, curb unfunded mandates, and expand pensions.[46] Portman also co-authored legislation to swap Costa Rica's debt for the preservation of tropical forests.[47] He published an article called "Addicted to Failure" in the congressional Policy Review in autumn 1996.[48] In the article, Portman writes:
President Clinton hurt the antidrug effort by cutting the Office of National Drug Control policy from 147 to 25 full-time positions, by hiring a surgeon general who advocated legalization of drugs, by cutting funding for interdiction efforts, and by sending confusing messages about the stigma of illegal drug use. It is no surprise, then, that after dramatic reductions in drug use during the decade before Clinton took office, drug use has nearly doubled among teenagers during his administration. [...] The public rightly expects the federal government to do something about drug abuse, which diminishes and threatens the lives of so many of our young people. And the federal government clearly has an important role in combating drug abuse: protecting our borders and interdicting drugs from other countries, strengthening our federal criminal-justice system, and providing federal assistance for the best prevention and treatment programs. [...] Despite a significant federal effort, however, our country is still seeing dramatic increases in drug use among our teenagers. In the last two years alone, use of drugs has increased 50 percent. We need a new approach.[35]
Congressional portrait of Portman, 1997

Of Portman's work on the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, Pete Sepp of the National Taxpayers Union said, "He set a professional work environment that rose above partisanship and ultimately gave taxpayers more rights."[12] Democratic Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones from Cleveland said Portman, "compared to other Republicans, is pleasant and good to work with."[49] Additionally, during the first four years of the Bush Administration, Portman served as a liaison between Congressional Republicans and the White House.[49] Portman voted for the Iraq War Resolution in 2002.[50] Portman was known for his willingness to work with Democrats to ensure that important legislation was enacted.[31]

Portman has said that his proudest moments as a U.S. Representative were "when we passed the Hillary Rodham Clinton (for Rick Lazio in 2000), Joe Lieberman (for Dick Cheney in 2000), John Edwards (for Cheney in 2004), and Barack Obama (for John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012).[51][52] His portrayals mimic not only the person's point of view but also their mannerisms, noting for instance that he listened to Obama's audiobook reading to study his pattern of speech.[53]

White House appointments: 2005–2007

United States Trade Representative

Portman spoke on March 17, 2005 at the United States Trade Representative, calling Portman "a good friend, a decent man, and a skilled negotiator."[54] Portman was confirmed on April 29,[55][56] and sworn in on May 17, 2005.[57][58][59]

Portman sponsored an unfair-trading claim to the Airbus because American allies in the European Union were providing subsidies that arguably helped Airbus compete against Boeing. European officials countered that Boeing received unfair subsidies from the United States, and the WTO ruled separately that they each received unfair government assistance.

Portman spent significant time out of the United States negotiating trade agreements with roughly 30 countries, visiting Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, South Korea, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.[33] During his tenure, Portman also helped to win passage of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.[60] Portman utilized a network of former House colleagues to get support for the treaty to lift trade barriers between the United States and Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras. According to The Hill, Portman took his wife, Jane, with him to the Capitol on their wedding anniversary so he could work on the deal.[61]

Hong Kong and trade suit

Portman nominated for OMB Director and Schwab nominated for USTR, 2006

As the United States' Trade Representative, Portman was an attendant of the

External links

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  4. ^ http://www.biography.com/people/rob-portman-20840137
  5. ^ , June 25, 2012. By Dan Horn and Deirdre Shesgreen.Cincinnati Enquirer"The Loyal Soldier: Is Rob Portman the next vice president?"
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  21. ^ Rob Portman was drawn from 'top notch' law career to public service. August 11, 2012. Sabrina Eaton, The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
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  24. ^ The couple is cited as "Mrs. Jane Dudley Portman and Mr. Robert Portman" in the Giving Reports of the Forsythe County Day School, which are available online at fcds.org. She is also cited as Jane Dudley Portman in property records available at http://www.city-data.com/hamilton-county/M/Miami-Avenue-31.html where she is listed as the owner of property the couple once owned together.
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  32. ^ http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=p000449
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  43. ^ 2004 ACU House ratings
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  46. ^ Senate 1: Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, GovTrack.us. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  47. ^ H.R. 4654 To reauthorize the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998, "GovTrack.us". Retrieved April 11, 2012.
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  55. ^ http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2005_record&page=H2741&position=all
  56. ^ http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2005_record&page=H2742&position=all
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  62. ^ Maidment, Paul. Rob Portman, Take A Bow. Forbes. October 11, 2005.
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  77. ^ "Discuss Ohio's Future with Rob Portman on his blog", OhiosFuture.com, undated
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  81. ^ Bumiller, Elisabeth, The New York Times, September 9, 2008
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  89. ^ Kraushaar, Josh. Cha-ching! Campaign cash tops and flops, Politico, October 16, 2009
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  96. ^ a b Almanac of American Politics 2014, p. 1299.
  97. ^ "Sen. Portman to deliver eulogy at Neil Armstrong funeral." www.cleveland.com, August 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
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  138. ^ Larison, Daniel (February 2, 2012) Portman Is The Most Likely Selection for VP, The American Conservative
  139. ^ One Clue To Romney's Veep Pick: Whose Wiki Page Is Getting The Most Edits?
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  142. ^ a b "Rob Portman Speech At 2012 Republican National Convention Takes Aim At Obama." The Huffington Post. August 28, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
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References

See also

  • Michael Barone and Grant Ujifusa. The Almanac of American Politics, 1994. Washington, D.C.: National Journal, 1993. ISBN 0-89234-058-4
  • Michael Barone and Grant Ujifusa. The Almanac of American Politics, 1998. Washington, D.C.: National Journal, 1997. ISBN 0-89234-080-0
  • Michael Barone, Richard E. Cohen, and Grant Ujifusa. The Almanac of American Politics, 2002. Washington, D.C.: National Journal, 2001. ISBN 0-89234-099-1
  • Congressional Quarterly. Congressional Quarterly Almanac, 49th edition, 103rd Congress, 1st Session, 1993. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, 1994. ISBN 1-56802-020-1.
  • Congressional Quarterly. Politics in America, 1992: The 102nd Congress. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 1991. ISBN 0-87187-599-3

Notes

Intentionally or unintentionally, the Believers were influencing society in many ways. Little by little, they were becoming more similar to their neighbors. The trend made them more acceptable to society, but in retrospect may have contributed to their demise in Warren County. In economic affairs, they increasingly adapted the methods of the world: taking out loans, using mass marketing techniques. Those strategies sometimes compromised inherent Shaker principles of self-sufficiency and modesty. The Believers were no longer the radical group that attracted people who hungered for a different kind of faith; they were becoming a part of mainstream society.[153]
, A Restless Peace," Portman summarizes the dual aspects of Shaker impacts at the close of their way of life at Union Village as both warming to mainstream worldly culture and detrimental to long established order: SabbathIn December 2004, Portman and Cheryl Bauer published a book on the 19th century

Published works

U.S. Senate (Class III) elections in Ohio: Results 2010[152]
Year Democratic Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
2010 Lee Fisher 1,448,092 39% Rob Portman 2,125,810 57% Eric Deaton
Michael Pryce
Daniel LaBotz
Arthur Sullivan 		Constitution
Independent
Socialist
Write-in 		65,856
50,101
26,454
648 		2%
1%
1%
0%

**Portman resigned his term early to serve as U.S. Trade Representative.

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2002, James Condit, Jr. received 13 votes. In 2004, James Condit, Jr. received 60 votes.

Ohio's 2nd congressional district: Results 1994–2004[151]
Year Democratic Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
1994 Les Mann 43,730 23% Rob Portman 150,128 77%
1996 Thomas R. Chandler 58,715 23% Rob Portman 186,853 72% Kathleen M. McKnight Natural Law 13,905 5%
1998 Charles W. Sanders 49,293 24% Rob Portman 154,344 76%
2000 Charles W. Sanders 64,091 23% Rob Portman 204,184 74% Robert E. Bidwell Libertarian 9,266 3%
2002 Charles W. Sanders 48,785 26% Rob Portman 139,218 74% *
2004 Charles W. Sanders 89,598 28% Rob Portman ** 227,102 72% *

Electoral history

In October 2014, students from the College of William and Mary formed the 'Draft Rob Portman' PAC to encourage Senator Rob Portman to run for President in 2016. [149] However, Portman announced early December 2014 that he would not run for President, and would instead seek a second term in the United States Senate.[150]

In March 2014, Professor Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia Center for Politics authored a major column that speculates upon a Portman presidential campaign in 2016.[146] The column, which appears in full on Politico Magazine, forecasts: "And there again, [Portman] might have an edge in 2016. Americans tire of their incumbent presidents, and often choose a very different successor with dissimilar characteristics. Portman is all steak and no sizzle."[147] Sabato's Crystal Ball, Sabato's website that predicts presidential nominees for both major parties, now lists Portman as a “GOP Wildcard” candidate in its 2016 Republican Presidential Watch.[148]

Speculation on 2016 presidential campaign

Portman became known for his ability to work in a bipartisan fashion when working to pass a repeal of the excise tax on telephone service.[145]

Portman outlined his new conservative vision for government in early May 2014. He coined the term “constructive conservatism” as an approach to tackling poverty which is more focused on targeted, results-oriented measures. He pointed to his efforts to prevent recidivism, help vulnerable children by preventing human trafficking, and provide worker retraining programs as examples of this approach.[144]

Constructive conservatism

After the selection of Paul Ryan, Portman spoke at the 2012 Republican National Convention about trade and his family business.[142] On trade agreements, Portman stated: "President Obama is the first president in 75 years-Democrat or Republican-who hasn't even sought the ability to negotiate export agreements and open markets overseas. Now why is this important? Because 95 percent of the world's consumers live outside our borders. And to create jobs, our workers and our farmers need to sell more of what we make to those people."[142] On October 13, 2012 Mitt Romney spoke at and toured the Golden Lamb Inn.[143]

Closer to the time of a selection, news agencies began highlighting Portman's perceived strengths and weaknesses. Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post wrote "[Portman]'s spent time in both the executive and legislative branches and everywhere he's served he's won kudos for his abilities. It's hard to imagine that even his staunchest Democratic opponents would be able to argue that Portman wouldn't be up to the task of being vice president or even president."[141]

Many national publications speculated on Portman becoming the vice presidential nominee soon after Romney became the presumptive nominee. In "Why Rob Portman Will Be Romney's Vice Presidential Nominee," an article in The Atlantic, acclaimed syndicated journalist Major Garrett authored "In the frenzied environment that will accompany the prelude to Romney's pick, the Portman choice may land with a thud on the charisma meter, but it won't set in motion a wave of "guess what" stories and will allow Romney to focus on the campaign, not thorny revelations that must be ritualistically turned into an us-against-them media meme. In fact, Portman might actually talk Boston out of its hypertensive and allergic reactions to reporters." [140]

Portman was considered a possible pick for Vice President on the Republican presidential ticket in 2012.[138][139]

2012 presidential election

Our idea is to bring Republicans and Democrats together in this fight to respect and protect human dignity. [...] When it comes to human trafficking at home or abroad, our government's policy must be one of zero tolerance. It is an issue with special meaning for me. I grew up with my mom's stories about her great-grandparents, Quaker abolitionists who lived on a farm north of Dayton and helped slaves seek their freedom by way of the Underground Railroad. In fact, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, located on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati, is home to a permanent exhibit on human trafficking. [...] A few years ago, the Ohio Trafficking in Persons Study Commission estimated that more than 1,000 Ohio youth are victims of sex trafficking every year, and that many more are at risk.[137]

Portman voted for reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013.[136] He wrote about a proposed amendment to the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 which would seek to terminate human sex trafficking, writing:

In November 2013, Portman was one of ten Republican senators to vote in favor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), after the Senate adopted an amendment proposed by him to expand the religious protections.[135]

On March 14, 2013, Portman announced that he had changed his stance on gay marriage, and now is in support of its legalization. The change came two years after his son Will came out to Portman and his wife as gay in 2011; Portman says in the March 2013 CNN interview that "I'm announcing today a change of heart [for] gay marriage."[132] Prior to this revelation, Portman was noted as having a voting record that was strongly opposed to gay rights, consistent with statements he had made on the subject.[133][134] Portman co-sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 1996, defining marriage as one man and one woman,[133] and in 1999 he voted for a measure prohibiting same-sex couples in Washington, D.C., from adopting children.[134]

Portman supports making it more difficult for non-parental adults to help minors bypass state abortion laws. On January 24, 2013, Portman sponsored a bill that would make it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion if it would circumvent a state law requiring parental involvement.[131]

In March 2015, Portman voted for an amendment to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to allow employees to earn paid sick time.[130]

In April 2014, the United States Senate debated the Minimum Wage Fairness Act (S. 1737; 113th Congress). The bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to increase the federal minimum wage for employees to $10.10 per hour over the course of a two-year period.[126] The bill was strongly supported by President Barack Obama and many of the Democratic Senators, but strongly opposed by Republicans in the Senate and House.[127][128][129] Portman opposed the bill, arguing that Ohio already had a higher minimum wage than the federal minimum wage, indicating that the states should be able to make their own decisions.[129]

In February 2014, Portman voted against reauthorizing long-term unemployment benefits to 1.7 million jobless Americans. He expressed concern with the inclusion of a provision in the bill which would allow companies to make smaller contributions to employee pension funds.[124] Portman voted in April 2014 to extend federal funding for unemployment benefits. Federal funding had been initiated in 2008 and expired at the end of 2013.[125]

Portman is a staunch opponent of the Affordable Care Act and has called for it to be repealed and replaced.[122][123]

Social policy

During a radio interview with Fox News Radio in 2012, Portman said: "The president [Obama] says, you know, 'we're doing more.' Well, on public lands, we're doing less. Last year, we produced 14 percent less oil on public lands than we did the year before. We should be doing more on public lands, and that's the outer continental shelf and what's going on in Alaska and so on."[120] Portman supports development of the Keystone XL pipeline, stating "The arguments when you line them up are too strong not to do this. I do think that at the end of the day the president [Obama] is going to go ahead with this."[121]

We've got to produce more [oil], we've got to produce it here at home to get away from the OPEC cartel. [...] I come from Ohio [and] we have a tradition of producing oil and gas. [...] We kind of got away from it [but] we're back in the business thanks to the shale finds. It's the Marcellus Shale, it's the Utica Shale, it's natural gas, but it's also oil and what they call wet gas. [...] People are really excited about this.[119]

In July 2012, Portman remarked in a speech delivered on the Senate floor:

Portman has expressed concern about the slow pace of approving loan guarantees for developing nuclear power facilities by the Department of Energy during the Obama administration.[118]

Interior policy

Portman supported free trade agreements with [116][117]

A bill by Portman that would allow construction of a memorial to Peace Corps volunteers in the nation's capital was approved by the House of Representatives in January 2014 in a 387 to 7 vote. No public money will be spent on the memorial.[115]

Proponents of the Law of the Sea treaty aspire to admirable goals, including codifying the U.S. Navy's navigational rights and defining American economic interests in valuable offshore resources. But the treaty's terms reach well beyond those good intentions. [...] The terms of the treaty are not only expansive, but often ill-defined. [And as] Justice John Paul Stevens noted in a concurring opinion in Medellin v. Texas, the Law of the Sea treaty appears to "incorporate international judgments into domestic law" because it expressly provides that decisions of the tribunal "'shall be enforceable in the territories of the States Parties in the same manner as judgments or orders of the highest court of the State Party in whose territory the enforcement is sought.'" [T]he treaty equates tribunal decisions with decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court. This means that private litigants will likely be able to invoke tribunal judgments as enforceable in U.S. courts—against the government and possibly against U.S. businesses.[114]
, stating: New Hampshire and released a joint statement with Kelly Ayotte of Law of the Sea Treaty Portman opposes the

Foreign policy

Portman is a leading advocate for a balanced budget amendment.[112] Portman has proposed "a balanced approach to the deficit" by reforming entitlement programs, writing "[r]eforms should not merely squeeze health beneficiaries or providers but should rather reshape key aspects of these programs to make them more efficient, flexible and consumer-oriented."[113]

Fiscal policy

Political positions

Portman belongs to the following caucuses in the United States Senate:

Caucus memberships

Committee assignments

In April 2015, Portman co-sponsored an amendment to Trade Promotion Authority legislation which would require the administration to seek enforceable rules to prevent currency manipulation by trade partners as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.[107]

Portman’s intellectual leadership among the Senate GOP, and his fundraising capabilities,[105] led to his being named the Vice Chairman for Finance of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 2014 election cycle.[106]

On June 27, 2013, Portman co-sponsored the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2013 (S. 1254; 113th Congress), a bill that would reauthorize and modify the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 and would authorize the appropriation of $20.5 million annually through 2018 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to mitigate the harmful effects of algal blooms and hypoxia.[102][103] Portman said that "this legislation takes critical steps toward protecting Lake Erie and grand Lake St. Marys from harmful algae that has become a tremendous problem for our state... we cannot afford to let this threat to our tourism, fishing industries, and health go unchecked."[104]

On May 23, 2013, Portman introduced the World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2013 (S. 1044; 113th Congress), a bill that would direct the United States Secretary of the Interior to install at the World War II memorial in the District of Columbia a suitable plaque or an inscription with the words that President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed with the United States on June 6, 1944, the morning of D-Day.[100] Portman argued that Roosevelt's "word brought strength and comfort to many during one of the most challenging times for our nation... We should not underestimate the power of prayer through difficult times."[101]

Portman delivered the eulogy at the August 2012 funeral of Neil Armstrong,[97] and the commencement address at the University of Cincinnati's December 2012 graduation ceremony.[98] In March 2013, Portman was one of several Republican senators invited to have dinner with President Obama at the Jefferson Hotel in an attempt by the administration to court perceived moderate members of the upper chamber for building consensual motivation in Congress; however, Portman did not attend and instead had dinner with an unnamed Democratic senator.[99]

Portman worked with Democratic Senator Jon Tester in 2012 to end the practice of government shutdowns and partnered with Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill on an inquiry into the Obama administration's public relations spending.[96] He also unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to the surface transportation reauthorization bill to allow states to keep the gas tax money they collect, instead of sending it to Washington with some returned later.[96]

In the 112th Congress, Portman voted with his party 90% of the time.[95] While in the Senate, Portman has visited Afghanistan twice, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Jordan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates; additionally, he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[33]

In August 2011, Portman was selected by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to participate in the United States Congress Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction.[92] During the committee's work, Portman developed strong relationships with the other members, especially Sen. John Kerry and Rep. Chris Van Hollen.[34] The committee was ultimately unsuccessful, with Portman left disappointed, saying "I am very sad about this process not succeeding because it was a unique opportunity to both address the fiscal crisis and give the economy a shot in the arm."[93] Portman spoke at the May 7, 2011 Michigan Law School commencement ceremonies, which was the subject of criticism by some who opposed his stance on same-sex marriage.[94]

Portman speaks at the memorial of Neil Armstrong, 2012

Tenure

Portman won the election with a margin of 57 to 39 percent, winning 82 of Ohio's 88 counties.[90] In a 2010 campaign advertisement, Portman said a "[cap-and-trade bill] could cost Ohio 100,000 jobs we cannot afford to lose;" subsequently, The Cleveland Plain Dealer and PolitiFact called Portman's claim "bairly true" with the most pessimistic estimates.[91]

Of all candidates for public office in the U.S., Portman was the top recipient of corporate money from insurance industries and commercial banks in 2010.[86][88] Portman possessed the most campaign funds of any Republican during 2010, at $5.1 million, raising $1.3 million in his third quarter of fundraising.[89]

On January 14, 2009, two days after U.S. Senate seat.[83][84] Running unopposed in the Republican primary, Portman benefitted substantially from Tea Party support, and by July 2010 had raised more campaign funds than Democrat Lee Fisher by a 9 to 1 margin.[85] Portman ran campaigned on the issue of jobs and job growth.[86] He toured Ohio in a large RV, meeting with voters and reporters between events.[87]

2010 election

Map detailing the Ohio counties that Portman received pluralities within (shown in red) during the 2010 U.S. Senate election

United States Senator: 2011–present

On November 8, 2007, Portman joined the law firm of Squire Sanders as part of the firms transactional and international trade practice in Cincinnati, Ohio. His longtime chief of staff, Rob Lehman, also joined the firm as a lobbyist in their Washington, D.C. office.[74][75] In 2007, Portman founded Ohio's Future P.A.C., a political action committee dedicated to ensuring "the critical policy issues important to Ohioans remain at the forefront of Ohio's political agenda." [76][77] In 2008, Portman was cited as a potential running mate for Republican presidential candidate John McCain.[78][79][80] On September 8, 2008, McCain and Alaska governor Sarah Palin dined and spoke at the Golden Lamb Inn.[81] Portman remained critical of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, passed while he was out of office.[82]

Post-White House career

On June 19, 2007, Portman resigned his position of OMB director, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and three children.[72] Democratic Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee Kent Conrad expressed regret at Portman's resignation, saying, "He is a person of credibility and decency that commanded respect on both sides of the aisle."[73]

As OMB director from May 2006 to August 2007, Portman was involved in the Bush administration's FY 2008 budget process, proposing a highly contentious but balanced budget over a five-year period.[60][69] According to historical data tables from the OMB, the FY 2008 budget yielded a deficit of $459 billion, more than twice the FY 2007 budget deficit of $161 billion.[70] Portman is said to have been "frustrated" with the post, calling the budget that President Bush's office sent to Congress, "not my budget, his budget," and saying, "it was a fight, internally." Former Bush administration officials said that Portman was the leading advocate for fiscal discipline within the administration.[71]

On April 18, 2006, President Bush nominated Portman to be the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, replacing Joshua Bolten, who was appointed White House Chief of Staff.[65] Portman said at the time that he looked forward to the responsibility, "It's a big job. The Office of Management and Budget touches every spending and policy decision in the federal government," while President Bush expressed his confidence in the nominee, "The job of OMB director is a really important post and Rob Portman is the right man to take it on. Rob's talent, expertise and record of success are well known within my administration and on Capitol Hill."[66] He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate unanimously by voice vote on May 26, 2006.[67][68]

Portrait of Rob Portman used during his time as OMB Director

Director of the Office of Management and Budget

[60]

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