Mansfield News Journal - "Visiting Congressman Praises Shelby's Flood Fight"
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Mansfield News Journal - "Visiting Congressman Praises Shelby's Flood Fight"
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, praised the community's response to devastating August flooding, telling a luncheon audience Tuesday, "It was truly amazing the way you all came together."
Jordan, whose district includes Richland County, spoke to the Shelby Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce on Business and Industry Day at Pioneer Career and Technology Center.
"In spite of the terrible tragedy with all that water and what it meant for families and business owners, the good news is how neighbors helped neighbors and how local, county, state and federal officials all came together. I want to thank you for all your efforts," he said.
Chamber President Carol Knapp said Jordan was asked to speak on world business topics and how they affect local businesses.
"This event gives our business leaders an opportunity to mingle with each other," Knapp said. "They don't always have the opportunity to meet with their elected officials on a regular basis, so it gives them a chance to speak with them as well."
Jordan said he is working on advancing an appropriations bill which will allow earlier deployment of a U.S. Air Force REDHORSE unit at the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio National Guard at Mansfield Lahm Airport. REDHORSE is the ac-ronym for Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers.
"These are the guys that go in and rebuild an airstrip that just got bombed," he said. "The good news is this bill is in the long-range budget. We want to move it up.
"There is $11 million scheduled in the 2010 budget and we're trying to push that up to 2009."
Pointing to a $9 trillion national debt, Jordan said Congress must get spending under control.
"The federal government doesn't have a revenue problem, they have a spending problem," he said. "Families already have enough to worry about, with the rising cost of fuel and everything else.
"I'm confident we will figure all of this out; it will just take more time. It's always important -- in spite of the challenges we face, which are real and serious -- we are still the greatest country in the world."
Jaime Parsons, executive director of the Shelby YMCA, was impressed by Jordan's message.
"I think what struck me was his commitment to righting the wrongs, and really working to make our system better for those who pay taxes," she said. "I thought it was also refreshing to hear him crack some jokes about politicians. It makes them seem a little more human."
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