ICYMI: The Sojourner’s Truth: “Toledo Leaders Slam Republican Senate Candidates for Attacking Infrastructure Bill”
September 3, 2021
Columbus, OH — Today, the Sojourner’s Truth published an article featuring Toledo leaders condemning Republican Senate candidates for their opposition to the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In the article, State Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson, CWA Local 4319 President Erika White, and UAW Local 14 President Tony Totty slammed Republican Senate candidates for putting politics ahead of good-paying jobs and investments in Ohio’s infrastructure. The article also mentions that GOP Senate candidates are opposed to the bill to curry favor with Donald Trump even though Sen. Portman – who they are all trying to replace – backs the bill.
Read more at The Sojourner’s Truth.
The Sojourner’s Truth: Toledo Leaders Slam Republican Senate Candidates for Attacking Infrastructure Bill
On Thursday, August 26, several Toledo leaders held a press conference to condemn Republican Senate candidates’ opposition to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
“Democrats are delivering for working families by creating good-paying jobs and investing in roads, bridges, water pipes, and high-speed internet. But instead of standing up for our state and supporting this commonsense plan Ohio Republicans running for Senate are too busy jockeying for Trump’s endorsement,” said State Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson during the event.
The bill will bring a one-time supplemental appropriation of $548 billion to fund everything from major highway projects, to mass transit, to Great Lakes restoration and bringing broadband internet access to areas that don’t have it.
Ironically, the bill is the culmination of a bipartisan effort led, in great part, by Republican Ohio Senator Rob Portman who is retiring. The Republicans vying to replace him – Josh Mandel, former Ohio treasurer; Jane Timken, former chair of the Ohio Republican Party; J.D. Vance, author and venture capitalist; Mike Gibbons, Cleveland businessman; Bernie Moreno, Cleveland car dealer – have all issued statements opposing the Portman crafted legislation in order to curry favor from Donald Trump who has stated his own opposition.
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CWA Local 4319 President Erika White: “Clearly, the Ohio Republican Senate candidates who are opposed to this funding don’t care about helping working families or growing jobs in Ohio – or else they would support the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Instead, they only care about looking out for themselves and their political ambitions. Ohioans deserve leaders focused on Ohio. It’s time for the House to pass this vital bill so we can make meaningful investments in our infrastructure and build our economy.”
Mandel, the polling leader in the race, has made it clear that his primary concern is more about the fact that the Republicans in the Senate who have supported the bill – 19 of 50 senators – should not have embraced the spirit of bipartisanship. […]
UAW Local 14 President Tony Totty would disagree with such sentiments: “It’s past time for us to make upgrades to our roads, bridges, public transit, and water pipes. It’s shameful leading Ohio GOP Senate candidates have decided they would block progress for all of our families to put their corporate special interest donors first.”
Parts of the infrastructure bill will be paid for by redirecting money from previously awarded coronavirus relief funds and enhanced unemployment funds that states rejected. The Congressional Budget Office has said the bill will add $256 billion to the federal deficit over 10 years.