Charlie Brown, older brother of Senator Sherrod Brown, was welcomed by a nearly full house at Highland County Democrats headquarters this week to meet, greet and reconnect with constituents of the county.
In an engaging, informal presentation, Brown recapped some of the the senator’s most recent efforts on behalf of people in his state, starting with his leadership in fighting the flow of fentanyl into Ohio’s communities. He said, “Sherrod’s bipartisan Fend Off Fentanyl Act, passed in April, is a sanctions and anti-money laundering bill that helps combat the fentanyl crisis by targeting the opioid traffickers devastating Ohio communities. Not only does it help government agencies disrupt illicit opioid supply chains more effectively, it penalizes those doing the actual trafficking and makes sure sanctions are also imposed on the money laundering that makes it profitable.”
Senator Brown is the longest serving Ohio member on the Senate Veterans’ Affair Committee and Brown said, “His whole-hearted response to saving the Chillicothe VA Medical Center ensured the doors would stay open and care would continue to improve for Southeast Ohio veterans. An estimated 20,000 veterans can still receive local treatment and maintain local medical care access.” Another Senator Brown success he shared was the years-long fight for legislation mandating expanded care for veterans exposed to toxins during their service. According to Brown, “Now nearly 32,000 veterans in Ohio, and a million veterans across the country, are getting the care they earned.”
Brown also spoke of his brother’s insistent promotion and co-sponsorship of the Safe Freight Act, a bill enacted as a response to the Palestine derailment, that requires increased safety inspections, two-person crews, and advance notification of trains carrying hazardous materials, “to protect not just the train, but people living near the tracks.”
When an audience member noted she could not remember when Sherrod Brown wasn’t in office, his brother had to count back to 1974, when Sherrod Brown became state representative. “He’s been a senator since 2007. Now, he’s chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Housing. Since 2011, he’s been the only Democratic statewide elected official in Ohio. I believe that’s because he’s an “88 county” senator. When something important comes up, he goes to the counties, every one of them, and talks with the people where they live. And then, he listens to them.”
After his remarks, the speaker stayed for refreshments, introductions, greetings from old friends and best wishes from new ones.
Submitted by Pat Lawrence, Highland County Democratic Party.
