Portman lands committee assignment key to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

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By Jack Torry, Washington Bureau Updated 2:03 AM Friday, January 28, 2011

WASHINGTON – In a move that could provide a boost for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, has landed a seat on the Senate armed services committee.

Combined with Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, chairing a House subcommittee on strategic forces, Portman’s appointment means Ohio holds a key seat on both the Senate and House armed services panels.

“It makes them major players in enhancing and preserving the largest employer (Wright-Patterson) in the state in one location,’’ said former Republican U.S. Rep. David Hobson of Springfield. “It means they will have the ability . . . to make people understand why not only Wright-Patterson, but the defense industry as a hole, is important to the citizens of Ohio and the country.’’

Michael Gessel, a Washington-based vice president for the Dayton Development Coalition, called Portman’s appointment “outstanding’’ for the Dayton area, saying that “members of the committee have a great deal of influence over decisions made by Air Force and Pentagon officials.’’

The last Ohio senator to hold a seat on armed services was Democrat John Glenn in 1998.

In a statement, Portman pledged to “fight to support Ohio jobs that are integral to our national security. He specifically cited Wright-Patterson, the General Dynamics tank plant in Lima, and the General Electric aircraft engine plant in the Cincinnati suburb of Evendale.

Portman, who was director of the White House Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush, also landed a seat on the Senate Budget Committee, as well as seats on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs panel and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has been appointed to seats on the Senate agriculture, appropriations, banking, ethics, and veterans committees.

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