COLUMBUS, Ohio – With no resolution in sight to the legislative impasse that has led to a partial federal government shutdown, Ohio veterans groups are making their voices heard about the closing of the nation’s war memorials.
Dozens of them crowded the Veterans Memorial downtown yesterday to ask President Obama to reopen the memorials for veterans by executive order.
In Washington, Ohio’s Republican senator predicted a short term solution that would avoid a potential default.
Rob Portman says the Senate is working to reignite talks over raising the debt ceiling and ending the government shutdown after talks between House Republican leadership and the Obama administration hit a dead end.
On Friday, he voted against raising the debt limit without any reductions in spending.
“Raising the limit on our nation’s credit card by another trillion dollars without doing anything to address the underlying overspending that got us here in the first place is irresponsible. We need to come together to find common ground and negotiate on an agreement. That’s what the American people want us to do, and it is the best way forward for our country,” he said.
Joining Portman on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin said he expects negotiations to gain some ground. The Senate will reconvene this afternoon, following a rare Sunday session aimed at negotiating an end to the government shutdown.