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Rob Portman (born December 19, 1955) is an American lawyer and politician who has served in two cabinet positions and as a member of Congress. Most recently, he was Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to this appointment, Portman was the United States Trade Representative, a post carrying the rank of Ambassador. From 1993 to 2005, he was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio.

Foreign policy and war issues: Statements on a two-state solution to Israeli/Palestinian conflict not found. However the GOP platform "support the vision of two democratic states". Source
Voted YES on approving removal of Saddam & valiant service of US troops. (Mar 2004) Voted YES on authorizing military force in Iraq. (Oct 2002) Source

Security/liberties: Source

Social Security: Voted YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable. (May 2001) Voted YES on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits. (Jul 2000) Voted NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox. (May 1999) Rated 0% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record. (Dec 2003 Source

Stem cell research: Source

Same sex issues: He voted in Congress for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Portman says he took no public role in the heated 2004 battle in Ohio to pass a broadly worded statewide ballot initiative that banned civil unions as well as gay marriage. Portman says he did, however, vote for the successful initiative. Source

Trade issues: Steadfast proponent of the power of open markets. (May 2005) Supports Central American & Dominican Republic trade. (May 2005) Voted YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement. (Jul 2004) Voted YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement. (Jul 2003) Voted YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile. (Jul 2003) Voted NO on withdrawing from the WTO. (Jun 2000) Source "NAFTA became a scapegoat in the politics of trade. It was very easy to point to NAFTA as the reason for all of our problems," Mr. Portman said. "If you look at the data there were millions of jobs created." Source

Budget issues: He also defended his role as budget manager in an administration that leaves office with a $1 trillion deficit forecast. "The [deficit] was $162 billion when I left office and was only 1.2 percent of the economy. I'm proud of my record there. I was a budget hawk," Mr. Portman said. Source

Business & labor issues: Rated 13% by the AFL-CIO, indicating an anti-union voting record. (Dec 2003) Source

Abortion issues: On abortion, Portman also doesn't go as far as some conservatives. He opposes the practice but makes exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. Source Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003) Source

Capital punishment: Voted YES on making federal death penalty appeals harder. (Feb 1995) Voted NO on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment. (Apr 1994) Source

Marijuana: Voted YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC. (Oct 1999) Source

Gun control: Voted YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse. (Apr 2003) Voted YES on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1. (Jun 1999) Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record. (Dec 2003) Source

Minimum wage: Voted "yes" on a bill to provide an estimated $46 billion in tax cuts over five years. Raise the minimum wage by $1 an hour over two years. Reduce estate and gift taxes, grant a full deduction on health insurance for self-employed individuals, increase the deductible percentage of business meal expenses to 60 percent in 2002, and designate 15 renewal communities in urban rural areas. Source

Health care: Rated 12% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record. (Dec 2003) Source

Prescription drugs: Voted YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients. (Nov 2003) Voted NO on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs. (Jul 2003) Source

Immigration issues: Voted NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment. (May 2004) Voted YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules. (May 2001) Voted YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers. (Sep 1998) Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration. (Dec 2003) Source

Education issues: Voted YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror. (Nov 2001) Voted YES on requiring states to test students. (May 2001) Voted YES on allowing vouchers in DC schools. (Aug 1998) Voted YES on vouchers for private & parochial schools. (Nov 1997) Voted YES on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer. (Mar 1994) Supports requiring schools to allow prayer. (Jan 2001) Rated 17% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes. (Dec 2003) Source

RobPortman.com