Portman Makes Statement on Senate Passing Final FY 2018 Appropiations Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement on the Senate passing the final FY 2018 appropriations bill.

The legislation includes several items Portman held as priorities, such as a significant increase in resources for the military and additional funding for the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio as well as the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo, Ohio. Also included in the bill is approximately $3 billion in new funding to combat the opioid epidemic. Senator Portman recently introduced the CARA 2.0 Act to provide a road map for how these additional funds can be used effectively and build on the successes of his Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which became law in 2016.

“I am pleased that members of both parties came together to support this bill that funds our critical programs at home and abroad, addresses some of the most pressing issues facing our country, and avoids a government shutdown. The bill provides much needed resources for our men and women in uniform, increases our tools to combat the opioid epidemic gripping Ohio, protects our natural resources like the Great Lakes and the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, and makes common-sense changes to strengthen the background check system for firearm purchases—helping to protect our schools, children, and communities without infringing on Second Amendment rights. This legislation includes a significant number of key wins for Ohio, and I’m pleased it was the product of bipartisan consensus.”