Senator Brown received the Golden Triangle Award from Ohio members of the National Farmers Union on September 9th. The award is given to the farm organizations’ highest legislative honor and is presented to members of Congress who have demonstrated leadership on issues important to America’s family farmers.
Senator Brown testified before the House Judiciary Committee September 9th on the DHL situation in Wilmington, Ohio. At a hearing entitled “Competition in the Package Delivery Industry,” Brown outlined the antitrust implications of Deutsche Post World Net’s proposed consolidation of operations with competitor UPS. Brown also discussed the effects of the proposal on jobs and the regional economy and outlined complications of foreign ownership.
Senator Brown joined Darke County community leaders for a roundtable discussion on education, housing, and agriculture. “The needs of Ohio middle class families must be heard in Washington,” said Brown. “This roundtable discussion is a way that we can work together to set new policies in Washington that reflect the values of families in Darke County.”
Senator Brown met with Preble County community leaders to discuss the latest economic development efforts in the region and how the federal government can assist with local growth, including investment in alternative energy research and development, health care, education, and local economic development projects.
Senator Brown joined General Motors (GM) leadership to announce a multi-million dollar investment in its Lordstown facility with the launch of the “Chevy Cruze.” This fuel-efficient vehicle will be manufactured in GM’s facility in Warren, Ohio, which recently added a third shift to produce GM’s popular line of Cobalt vehicles.
Senator Brown joined Tuscarawas County community leaders for a roundtable discussion. “The needs of Ohio middle class families must be heard in Washington,” said Brown. “This roundtable discussion is a way that we can work together to set new policies in Washington that reflect the values of families in Tuscarawas County.” Housing, health care, and public infrastructure were among the topics discussed at the roundtable.
Senator Brown toured the Ohio State Fair in Columbus on August 8th. Sherrod met with Ohio agricultural leaders at the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame breakfast held at the Rhodes Youth Center. Following the Hall of Fame breakfast, he toured the state fair livestock barns with 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) students. The Senator concluded his tour of the fair with a visit to agricultural exhibits at the Nationwide Agriculture and Horticulture Building.
On Wednesday, July 16, 2008, Senator Brown met with 69 WWII Veterans from Northeast Ohio at the WWII Memorial. Founded in Ohio, Honor Flight is a nonprofit organization that covers the expense for WWII Veterans to travel to Washington, DC and visit the memorial dedicated to honoring their service and sacrifice. World War II covered more land and took more lives through combat than any war before or since, and Senator Brown feels that it was an honor to have the opportunity to thank these veterans personally for their service to our country.
Senator Brown received the President’s Award from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) on July 16th for his work on the 2008 Farm Bill. The award, which was presented at the NCGA’s biannual Corn Congress in Washington, is given each year to a single member of Congress who has actively worked and raised awareness on grower issues. Senator Brown is the first Ohioan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in over 40 years and worked to reform the 2008 farm bill to better protect Ohio farmers while saving taxpayer dollars.
On Tuesday, July 15, 2008, Senator Brown spoke at a meeting of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) HIV/AIDS Task Force among distinguished speakers such as Ambassador Mark Dybul, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Dr. Helene D. Gayle, President and CEO of CARE USA, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. The CSIS HIV/AIDS Task Force started in 2001 and seeks to strengthen the prevention, care, and treatment of HIV/AIDS around the world. Senator Brown emphasized the importance of investing in tuberculosis prevention and control in order to continue progress on global HIV and AIDS.
On Monday, July 14, 2008, Senator Brown delivered petitions signed by more than 9,000 members of the Wilmington community to Mike Schmitt, Director of Hub Operations at DHL Worldwide. Senator Brown was accompanied by more than one hundred fifty DHL, ABX, and ASTAR Air Cargo employees and their families.
On Sunday, July 13, 2008, Senator Brown accompanied Julian Bond, Chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors, and Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory to give opening greetings to delegates at the first public mass meeting of the convention.
Senator Brown met with Students from the Project Grad program at LCCC, discussing a wide range of topics, including public service, education, and the war in Iraq.
Senator Brown was holding roundtable discussions all over Ohio the week of July 4th, 2008.
Senator Brown joined Clinton County business leaders and families affected by DHL’s proposed deal with UPS for a roundtable discussion. Brown sought community input and discussed his efforts to prevent the loss of more than 8,000 jobs in the Wilmington area.