End-of-year legislative updates: Votes on Venezuela military action, Epstein files and more

In December, U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes voted yes and U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Bainbridge Township) voted no on two bills that regarded military actions involving Venezuela.

House Concurrent Resolution 61 would have directed the president to “remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with presidentially designated terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere,” according to its bill page on Congress.gov. It failed to pass in the House.

House Concurrent Resolution 64 also failed to pass. It would have directed the removal of armed forces within or against Venezuela that were not authorized by Congress.

“The president must get congressional authorization before engaging in additional strikes and suspend any and all unlawful military action,” Sykes said in a press release. “While we share the need to eliminate the threat of drug traffickers and illegal drugs flooding our streets, these strikes are an abuse of presidential power.”

Bills brought forth (from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31)

These bills may have progressed since Jan. 4.

Sykes introduced H.R. 918 on Dec. 1, which would commemorate 200 years of “historic contributions to American culture” made by Akron, according to its bill page on Congress.gov. It currently sits in the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Sykes gave introductory remarks on Dec. 2.

She introduced H.R. 6820 on Dec. 17, which would require the issuance of airline passenger flight compensation regulations. It currently sits in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

She also introduced H.R. 6898 on Dec. 18, which would promote advancements in aeronautical research and technology. It currently sits in the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Ohio Sen. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) introduced S.B. 320 on Nov. 10, which would enter Ohio into the Athletic Trainer Compact, which is “a legislatively enacted contract among states providing an efficient process for licensed athletic trainers to establish multistate practice,” according to its website.

It currently sits in the Senate Health Committee.

State Rep. Heidi Workman (R-Rootstown) introduced H.B. 605 on Nov. 18, which would “codify the Spearin doctrine in public construction contracts,” according to its bill page on the Ohio House of Representatives website.

Joyce and Ohio State Rep. Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Twp.) were not the primary sponsors of any bills in November or December.

How they’ve voted

These bills may have progressed or been voted on again since Jan. 4.

Both Joyce and Sykes voted on multiple House resolutions throughout November and December, notably H.R. 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which they both voted yes on.

The act became public law on Nov. 19, and it required the Department of Justice to publish all records related to Jeffrey Epstein’s investigation.

“I voted yes today because survivors deserve the truth and to know that their voices matter,” Sykes said in a press release. “Powerful men have long used their connections to avoid accountability. This is the beginning of the end of these harmful tactics.”

Joyce voted yes while Sykes voted no on H.R. 6703, the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act. It passed in the House and was received in the Senate on Dec. 18.

"The name of this bill promises lower premiums for all Americans, but the reality is far from it," Sykes said in a press release. "It does nothing to extend the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits or lower costs … I voted no because families deserve real solutions, not political messaging."

Both Demetriou and Workman voted yes on six bills in this time frame, including H.B. 251, H.B. 377, H.B. 188, H.B. 386, H.B. 434 and S.B. 50.

H.B. 251 would create requirements for using unmanned drones or aerial vehicles by law enforcement. It passed in the House and was referred to the Senate Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee on Nov. 19.

H.B. 377 would revise the law surrounding light-based medical devices for hair removal. It passed in the House and was referred to the Senate Health Committee on Nov. 19.

H.B. 188 would create the Ohio-Israel Trade and Innovation Partnership, which would advance innovation, trade and investment between Ohio and Israel, according to a press release by one of its primary sponsors, Ohio State Rep. Thomas Hall (R-Madison Twp.).

It passed in the House and was referred to the Senate Finance Committee on Nov. 18.

H.B. 386 would require photo identification to apply for a marriage license. It passed in the House and was referred to the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee on Nov. 18.

H.B. 434 exempts military driver’s license applicants from driver’s ed, and it was signed by the governor on Nov. 25.

S.B. 50 would allow 14 and 15-year-olds to work until 9 p.m. year-round. It passed in the Senate and House, but Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed the bill on Dec. 3.

Workman and Roegner both voted yes on seven bills in this time frame, all of which were signed into law by DeWine on Dec. 19.

H.B. 129 amends the law to “generally include fixed-sum levies in the calculation of a school district's millage floor and to authorize, with limitations, school district fixed-sum levies,” according to its bill page on the Ohio House of Representatives website.

H.B. 309 modifies the law surrounding county budget commissions and property taxation.

H.B. 186 designates a cap on property tax revenue growth for homeowners.

H.B. 335 “limits revenue increases from inside millage levies occurring due to a reappraisal or update,” according to its bill page on the Ohio House of Representatives website.

Workman said in a press release that these property tax reform bills would result in more than $2.4 billion in savings for Ohioans.

“This relief has been a long time coming, and I’m grateful my colleagues in the House and our partners in the Senate came together to address these persistent challenges for Ohio homeowners,” Workman said.

H.B. 114 creates consistent statewide age requirements for kindergarten admission.

H.B. 184 creates limitations on college athlete name, image and likeness contracts.

S.B. 293 changes the deadline to return absentee voter ballots.

And Roegner voted yes on five other bills in this time frame.

S.B. 219 would revise the law around oil and gas wells. The bill passed in the Senate and was introduced in the House on Nov. 25.

S.B. 273, the Keep Them Safe Act, would create guidelines for the voluntary storage of firearms. It passed in the Senate and was introduced in the House on Nov. 25.

S.B. 34, the Display of Founding Documents of Historic Significance Act, would require public schools to display certain historical documents. It passed in the Senate and was introduced in the House on Nov. 25.

H.B. 124 would change the process of valuing property in Ohio during revaluation cycles. It was signed by DeWine on Dec. 19.

S.B. 295 would extend the timeline for restoring defendant mental competency in criminal cases. It passed in the Senate and was referred to the House Judiciary Committee on Nov. 19.

Sharing stances on social media and community work

Demetriou posted on Facebook that he signed a letter to Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber “calling for an investigation into potential home healthcare and childcare fraud.”

“Ohioans deserve to know their tax dollars are protected and spent responsibly,” he wrote.

Workman attended the Congressional Term Limits Summit in Florida, representing the Ohio House of Representatives.

According to a press release, the summit “emphasized the constitutional pathway available to states to propose an amendment that would limit the number of terms members of Congress may serve.”

In November, Demetriou attended a Turning Point Action event, where he connected with Northeast Ohio voters.

He also received multiple endorsements for state senator, including from Bill Reineke, president pro tempore of the Ohio Senate, Roegner and Sen. Rob McColley, president of the Ohio Senate.

Sykes hosted a naturalization ceremony in Akron on Dec. 8, where 46 new American citizens from 30 different countries became citizens.

“Congratulations to America’s newest citizens on this monumental achievement,” she wrote in a press release. “I am proud to now call them my fellow citizens, and I look forward to serving everyone in my district in the years ahead.”

Roegner attended multiple holiday parties in December, including the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County’s Christmas party. She also hosted a dinner with the Greater Cleveland Young Republicans.

“You guys are amazing, and the future of our party is indeed bright!” she wrote on Facebook.

She also posted that she received multiple endorsements for state treasurer, including from Moms for Liberty.

Joyce received the Center Forward Advancing Good Governance Award in December.

He also received an endorsement for re-election from President Donald Trump.