June 26, 2022

Thank you for subscribing to my District Download, a weekly update on what's happening in Washington, D.C. and across Eastern and Southeastern Ohio. 

Life Wins! 

Friday marked a landmark and historic decision by the U.S. Supreme Court…in favor of life.

After oral arguments concluded last December, it was fairly clear that several justices had significant concerns with the legal foundations Roe and Casey rested on.

But now, finally, 2022 is the year that the extraordinarily divisive issue of abortion is removed from the unelected federal judiciary and returned to the citizens of each state to decide for themselves through their state legislatures. And that’s as it should be.

I hope Ohio now follows suit with a similar law to the one enacted and upheld in Mississippi. Liberal states, like California and New York, will likely vote to become hubs for abortion. And while I would strongly disagree with their decision, it would be up to the voters in those states. And that’s the point: Friday’s Supreme Court decision, authored by Justice Alito, does not ban abortion.  Rather, it rightfully allows states to make their own decisions.  But the decision marks an important return to the federalism on which our Constitution is based.

This is unquestionably a huge win for the pro-life community. Those who’ve worked so hard for nearly five decades fighting to recognize and protect the life of the unborn - the most vulnerable and innocent among us - have reason to rejoice. However, pro-life Americans must continue to stand up and speak out for the sanctity of life.

President Trump understood that, and it’s why his administration worked so hard to implement policies to defend the unborn, and it’s why he appointed so many pro-life district and circuit court judges and three Supreme Court justices who decide cases according to the Constitution and not political passions. Without President Trump and Senate Republicans standing strong on federal court confirmations, this landmark ruling simply wouldn't have happened.

Finally, Friday’s ruling highlights the courage of several justices who refused to be intimidated by threats of violence and daily protests at their homes. They should be commended for putting the integrity of the Constitution above their own comfort and safety.

Senate Gun Legislation 

The gun bill voted on in the House last week contains some common sense, bipartisan provisions that I wanted to support, such as: expanded background checks for those who recently turned 18 (up to age 21) to include juvenile criminal histories; and making important investments in school safety and mental health treatment. However, the legislation is fundamentally flawed as it incentivizes the creation of so-called “red-flag” laws without sufficient due process protections for law-abiding citizens. These red flag laws will be ripe for abuse, and will result in gun confiscation. In my view, that’s a violation of the American people’s 2nd Amendment rights and is unacceptable. 

I firmly believe that Americans should feel safe in their homes and communities. And we have a Constitutional right to protect ourselves, which was confirmed by the Supreme Court earlier last week in their ruling on a New York law that had put up barriers to law-abiding citizens' ability to exercise their constitutional rights to bear arms. I am not willing to vote – even though I do support some provisions in the overall bill – to undercut the rights of the majority of law-abiding Americans because a very small number of disturbed individuals are determined to do evil things.

Change at Youngstown State University

I was sad to hear the news this week that Jim Tressel is stepping down as president of Youngstown State early next year. Since he took over, he has consistently served as an exceptional and inspirational leader for the Mahoning Valley…not only in higher education, but also in economic development. YSU has made tremendous strides over the last seven-plus years under Jim’s leadership, and the campus has undergone many positive changes.

Meeting with President Tressel at YSU earlier this month.

President Tressel, both as a coach and now as an administrator, has had a positive impact on the lives of so many young people. I look forward to continuing to working with Coach Tressel in his and Ellen’s next chapter, and to working with the next YSU president - who will have some really big shoes to fill. I wish Jim, Ellen, and the entire Tressel family God’s richest blessings.

Thank you again for subscribing to my weekly District Download. If you have something on your mind, you can contact me at one of the numbers below, or send me an email by clicking on this link here to contact me. It is my pleasure to serve you, and I hope to see you around Eastern and Southeastern Ohio soon. 

Click Here to Unsubscribe