| | The REAL Inconvenient Truth
Currently, the U.S. Debt is estimated at: $9,849,354,380,955.73 Your share of today's public debt is: $30,891.15 | | | |
| | | | Holding Himself Accountable to Ohioans
As he has done every year since coming to the United States Senate, Sen. Voinovich recently completed his Annual Report of the 110th Congress. This is a document that highlights his accomplishments throughout the past year and the issues he has been working on as a United States Senator. Even more important: he uses this tool to hold himself accountable to Ohioans. Some of the highlights from the last Congress are: passage of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act; passage of the PRO-IP Act; Senate passage of his bill to reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Commission over five years; passage of the Great Lakes Compact; passage of the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008; introduction of the WIRED Act; introduction of the MADE in the USA Tax Act; and, finally, Senate passage of the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 2008. For further details on the many accomplishments from the 110th Congress, please contact Sen. Voinovich's office and request your own copy of the Annual Report. Or, to view an electronic version of the document, please visit his Web site at www.voinovich.senate.gov and click on the "News Center" section. | | | |
| | | | Urging President Obama to Address Tax and Entitlement Reform
 Recently, Sen. Voinovich joined Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Reps. Jim Cooper (D-TN) and Frank R. Wolf (R-VA) and former U.S. Comptroller General and Peter G. Peterson Foundation President and CEO David M. Walker at a news conference urging the Obama Administration and Congress to take action to address the nation's growing fiscal challenges. Sen. Voinovich discussed key policy ideas to address structural fiscal challenges, including establishing a bipartisan, action-oriented "Fiscal Future Commission." Sen. Voinovich believes we can no longer ignore the fiscal challenges that face our nation. Sen. Voinovich called on President Obama to live up to his promise to put entitlement and tax reform as high priorities on his agenda. He said he hopes the president will work with Republicans to take bold action and support a bipartisan commission. Acknowledged in the Senate as a leader in fundamental tax and entitlement reform, Sen. Voinovich earned the title as the Senate's top "debt hawk" for his career-long commitment to fiscal responsibility. He believes it is time for Congress to be honest with the American people about the true state of our nation's fiscal house and stop relying on smoke and mirrors.
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| | | | Voting Against Non-Stimulative Spending Bill
When the Senate voted recently on the non-stimulative spending bill, Sen. Voinovich expressed his disappointment that Congress and the president did not do the work the American people asked them to do: ensure that each and every dollar in this bill is focused on creating jobs, jump-starting the economy and responding to the human needs brought about by the deep recession our country is experiencing. The $789 billion spending package will add more than $1.1 trillion to the national debt over 10 years when interest is included. The Congressional Budget Office projects that this bill will push the deficits for 2009, 2010 and 2011 to well-over a trillion dollars on average. Because of this, the conference report raises the debt limit to an astounding $12.1 trillion compared to today's already staggering debt of $9.85 trillion. When Sen. Voinovich came to the Senate in 1999, the debt was at $5.6 trillion – less than half of what it is soon to become. Sen. Voinovich said he voted against the bill because it is weighed down by too much spending that is not stimulative and will not provide the jump-start our economy so desperately needs. Instead of funding federal responsibilities that are shovel-ready, like highways, sewers and housing, which would put people back to work quickly and the results of which would contribute to our nation's economic growth, this bill is filled with items that should be funded through the regular appropriations process and compete with other federal priorities in President Obama's budget request. Alternatively, Sen. Voinovich worked closely with a group of Senate Republicans who hoped to forge a bipartisan compromise with the Democrats. This group identified roughly $300 billion in spending that arguably does not belong in this bill. | | | |
| | | | Supporting Social Services in Lima
 Recently, Sen. Voinovich toured the West Ohio Food Bank in Lima and spoke to Ohioans about the challenges of higher food prices during the current economic climate. He used the opportunity to help distribute food and talk about his concern for those in the community who are at risk during these tough economic times. He understands that social service organizations need to get organized and start working together to be prepared to deal with the human problems in their communities. Sen. Voinovich appreciated input on what is happening in communities across Ohio – what is working, what is not working, and how the federal government can be a better partner. He has held similar foodbank events in Cleveland and Cincinnati. Throughout his career in public service, Sen. Voinovich has been concerned about the social service "safety net." He advocated for the Home Energy Assistance Program when he was Cleveland's auditor. As mayor of Cleveland, he started the city's Annual Food Drive (the "Have a Heart" campaign) which recently celebrated its 25th year. Also as mayor, he championed the Urban Gardening Program and as governor of Ohio Sen. Voinovich supported "Help Me Grow" for children. | | | |
| | | | Touring Foreclosed Homes in Butler County
 During another visit to Ohio, Sen. Voinovich participated in a neighborhood tour and roundtable discussion about the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) in Middletown. Sen. Voinovich discussed NSP with the mayors of Middletown and Hamilton, as well as county commissioners, in an effort to gain feedback on the program. Prior to the roundtable, he went on a bus tour to see local neighborhoods that have been hard-hit by foreclosure. Sen. Voinovich sees that Ohio homeowners are hurting like never before, and he understands that Congress needs to take real action to help protect homeowners. He supported the Neighborhood Stabilization Program in the bipartisan Housing and Economic Recovery Act. He pushed for additional NSP funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to ease the mortgage foreclosure crisis for state and local governments, and is committed to making sure local communities have the support needed to implement the NSP programs. Sen. Voinovich has led the way in bringing Ohioans some much-needed relief, personally spearheading the first piece of foreclosure crisis-relief legislation that was signed into law by President Bush. In addition, he secured six additional provisions to provide immediate relief and assistance for struggling Ohio homeowners and employers in the final version of a second bill, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act. | | |
