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Ohio's Senators Continue To Work On Bipartisan Legislation

U.S. Capitol Building
Sean Xu, Shutterstock.com
U.S. Capitol Building

The impeachment debate is drawing a big line between Republicans and Democrats. But the parties are working together on some bills. Ohio’s Republican and Democratic Senators talk about bipartisanship in a divided Washington D.C.

Republican Senator Rob Portman is working on a bipartisan bill that he says would increase recycling. But he says voters don’t often hear about efforts like that.

“So much of the media is focused on controversy because I guess it sells," Portman says.

Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown agrees bipartisanship is not dead in Washington. He says that’s what voters expect.

“The voters look at who’s on your side, who’s on my side, who fights for me?," Brown says.

Brown and Portman have worked together on many issues, including protecting Ohio’s steel producers and programs to curb opioid addiction. The pair has also teamed up on ongoing efforts to get General Motors to bring a new product to the Lordstown plant that use to manufacture the Chevy Cruze.

Copyright 2019 The Statehouse News Bureau

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.