James B. Renacci

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Akron Brass Company, an organization formed on December 26, 1918 to produce couplings for the rubber lined fire hose market. Starting in Akron, Ohio, it relocated to Wooster, Ohio in 1920 and by the mid 1920's expanded its product offering to include not only hose couplings and mill supplies, but fire department equipment as well.

Over the past 100 years, the Akron Brass Company has enjoyed a long and storied journey of quality, service, and growth. Their priority has been developing products you trust to protect property and lives. The company has patented hundreds of products over the years and employed generations of hard working employees, with strong values, dedicated to meeting the needs of the fire service. Today, Akron Brass is a customer-driven, global manufacturer of fire fighting and emergency response equipment committed to moving the fire industry forward. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize an organization that has and continues to develop innovations that increase job safety and efficiency.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Ohio Contractors Association, an organization of more than 500 members involved in Ohio's heavy, highway and utility industry, which turned 100 years on October 10, 2018. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, OCA is a recognized voice for needed transportation funding, rational regulatory and legislative accountability, workforce development, improving construction practices and relationship building within the industry.

While OCA has grown in membership, its mission, although expanded, can be traced to its origin when 50 contractors across the state signed an agreement to form the association. The first meeting of the ``Ohio Road Contractors' Association'' was October 10, 1918 in Columbus, Ohio. That initial meeting not only adopted a resolution to drop ``Road'' from its name and become the Ohio Contractors Association, it also created and individually voted upon the acceptances of 10 sections of its constitution.

Today, more than 200 Contractor Members and 300 Associate Members provide support, unity and leadership to Ohio's heavy, highway and utility industry. OCA maintains its statewide relevance through its nine, Ohio local chapters. Chapter events in combination with statewide committees, events and publications assure that members have the opportunity to provide input and interact with OCA staff so the association remains aware of the issues and concerns of its members and can represent them in a meaningful way. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize an organization that has and continues to lead the heavy- highway and utility construction industry in Ohio

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation which includes my bipartisan bill, the Strengthening Partnerships to Prevent Opioid Abuse Act.

The opioid epidemic has hit my home State of Ohio particularly hard, with thousands of Ohioans dying from drug overdoses every year.

This bill will make it easier for Medicare Advantage Part D drug plans, and HHS to combat fraud, waste, and abuse and prevent the overprescribing of opioids to vulnerable seniors.

I would like to thank members of this conference committee as well as their staff for including my bill in this package and for their hard work to pass legislation to address the opioid epidemic.