Annual Report 2002> Serving Ohio First

Senator George V. Voinovich

2002 Annual Report

SERVING OHIO FIRST

First and Foremost - Ohio Priorities

Senator Voinovich always refers to his wife of 40 years, Janet, as his first great love and the state of Ohio as his second. He was born and raised in Cleveland and still lives in the same house where he and Janet raised their children. While his schedule requires him to be in Washington when Congress is in session, his roots remain grounded in Ohio and he takes every opportunity to return to the state and meet with the people he serves. Whether it's discussing the future of Appalachia with students and professors in Athens, launching a new environmental health initiative in Cleveland, joining civil rights leaders to unveil his bill to combat racial profiling in Columbus or meeting families in Cincinnati who have turned their lives around through welfare reform, Senator Voinovich kept a busy schedule in 2001 and 2002, criss-crossing Ohio to be accessible to the people he serves and learn first hand what's on their minds.

Helping Ohioans Solve Problems

In an effort to provide Ohioans with more efficient services, Senator Voinovich teamed up with Senator Mike DeWine to create a joint casework office that helps Ohioans solve problems they experience with federal agencies and programs. The joint operation not only helps Ohioans save time but also money they would expend trying to contact both senators. It also saves on office space and personnel costs.
During the two years of the 107th Congress-2001 and 2002-the office handled more than 8,300 cases. Casework highlights of the past two years include: helping nine Ohio families cut through bureaucratic red tape to complete their adoptions of Cambodian children, accelerating the Medicaid approval process so an Ohio woman could afford her cancer treatments, and helping provide needed math and science teachers for Cleveland Public Schools students by expediting the visa approval process for 51 teachers from India.

Securing the Homeland-With Help from State and Local Law Enforcement Officers

As a member of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Voinovich played a pivotal role in drafting legislation creating America's new Department of Homeland Security. He also led several separate initiatives that would help further secure our nation. In August 2002, Senator Voinovich was in Columbus to unveil legislation to create an exchange program for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. The bill's aim is to increase cooperation and communication among the local, state and federal levels to enhance homeland security efforts. Lt. Governor Maureen O'Connor, Ohio law enforcement leaders and the FBI Agents Association were on hand to endorse the bill.

NASA Glenn Research Center

Ohio's private and public sector organizations help position the state as a national leader in high-tech, aviation and aeronautics research. One anchor of this research community is the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Senator Voinovich, along with his colleagues in the Ohio congressional delegation, worked very hard during the 107th Congress to convince NASA and Administration officials that the budget for the Glenn Center had received the sharpest budget cuts of all NASA field centers during the past several years, despite its strong capabilities to contribute to NASA's mission objectives. As a result of Senator Voinovich's work, the President's budget for fiscal year 2003 for NASA Glenn reflects a budget increase of $98 million over last year's budget. NASA Glenn was one of only three field centers to receive a budget increase.

Ohio's Aviation Heritage

As the birthplace of aviation, Ohio is preparing for its historic role in the centennial celebration of the Wright Brothers' first flight. To help fund the 2003 events, Senator Voinovich worked to secure $3.1 million in federal funding in the fiscal year 2002 Interior Appropriations Bill and formally invited President George W. Bush to attend the festivities in Dayton.
In 2002, Senator Voinovich also introduced legislation passed by the Senate creating a National Aviation Heritage Area to encompass historic aviation sites in Ohio. The Heritage Area recognizes Ohio's contribution to flight and ensures that the state's historic aviation sites are preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Improving Ohio's Housing and Community Development Projects

In late July 2002, Senator Voinovich was at the historic Notre Dame Academy in Cleveland to join Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Assistant Secretary of Community Planning and Development Roy Bernardi in announcing $136 million in federal funding from HUD for Ohio housing and community development projects. The Notre Dame Academy was the perfect backdrop for the announcement as it was renovated with $1.6 million in federal and private funds. Senator Voinovich has been a consistent supporter of community development projects, especially through public-private partnerships, which he championed as both mayor and governor.

Promoting Public-Private Technology Exchange

In his continued effort to bring attention to the government's information technology problems and pending human capital challenges, Senator Voinovich, in June of 2002, traveled to one of Dayton's largest technology firms, KPMG Consulting, to unveil new legislation that would help improve the quality of the federal workforce. His legislation would establish an information technology exchange program between the government and private sector in an effort to improve the federal government's information technology systems.

Securing Wright-Patt's Role in National Security
In June of 2001, Senator Voinovich met with officials at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to learn what tools they need to recruit and retain skilled employees. Based on information he received at the meeting, he worked to win approval for 8,000 new early retirements and voluntary separations over the next two years to help the military reshape its workforce to meet future challenges.

Following the Air Force's announcement in 2002 that it was cutting jobs at Wright-Patt, Senator Voinovich asked for an explanation from the Air Force as to why these cuts were needed. Unhappy with the answers he was given, Senator Voinovich called for oversight hearings to get a handle on how the Air Force is realigning its workforce and to make sure Wright-Patt is treated fairly.

Reaching Out to Appalachia Ohio

As the original author of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 2002, which was signed by the President on March 12, 2002, Senator Voinovich wanted to see first-hand how federal programs are helping the people of Appalachia. Last May, he traveled throughout Appalachia Ohio to visit education, technology, and economic development efforts and discuss how his legislation will help strengthen such efforts to help improve Appalachia's quality of life.
For his work to promote economic development in Appalachia, the senator was presented with the Congressional Partnership Award by the Ohio Valley Regional Development Council.
He also received the Appalachian Regional Commission Award from the ARC for his "strong support of the ARC and its programs and for his outstanding effort in bringing about the first five-year reauthorization of ARC in its history."

Southern Ohio Technical Assistance Initiative

To help Southern Ohio families cope with a number of local plant closures, Senator Voinovich worked with the Appalachian Regional Commission and Ohio University in 2001 to establish the "Southern Ohio Technical Assistance Initiative." The $75,000 program is designed to help communities recruit new businesses to vacant commercial and industrial facilities, assist in tourism marketing efforts, and train businesses and communities in the effective use of e-commerce strategies.

Helping Northwest Ohio Rebuild after Devastating Tornados

Following the devastating storms in November 2002 that wrecked havoc in five northwest Ohio counties and took the lives of five Ohioans, Senator Voinovich urged President Bush to declare these counties disaster areas so they could qualify for federal aid. Senator Voinovich sent a letter supporting Governor Taft's request to declare these counties disaster areas with Senator Mike DeWine, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Congressman Paul Gillmor. The work paid off as President Bush issued the needed disaster declarations.

Ohio Higher Education Programs and Projects

In the 2002 Labor/Health and Human Services/Education Appropriations Bill, Senator Voinovich helped secure funding for the following efforts at Ohio universities:

" University of Cincinnati - $2 million for renovations and expansions at the medical center;
" University of Findlay - $1.6 million for the Center for Biodefense Research and Education;
" Clark State Community College (Springfield) - $250,000 for programs to train closed captioning interpreters, a skilled trade in high demand as the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires increased closed captioning translation of television programming for people with hearing impairments;
" University of Akron - $200,000 for curriculum development, teacher training and technology enhancements for the K-12 Urban Learning Project, and;
" Kent State University - $1.2 million for the Center for Information and Computational Science.

Senator Voinovich requested funding in the 2003 Labor/Health and Human Services/Education Appropriations Bill for several efforts at Ohio universities, including:

" Baldwin-Wallace College - $500,000 for university enhancement projects;
" Cuyahoga Community College - $2 million for the upstart of the music integration with technology program, and;
" Ohio School for the Deaf - $4 million for the virtual reality program.

Improving Ohio Health Care Facilities

To help hospitals in Ohio's smaller cities meet the needs of patients, Senator Voinovich helped secure $300,000 in the 2002 VA/HUD Appropriations Bill for new facility improvements at Mercy Hospital in Hamilton, as well as $2 million for a new addition at Joel Pomerene Hospital in Millersburg.

In the 2003 Labor/Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill, the senator requested $2.9 million for the Rural Health Collaborative for a multi-specialty treatment center in Mt. Orab, Ohio in Brown County, $4 million for Community Memorial Hospital improvements in Defiance and $250,000 to the Rural Health Collaborative of Southern Ohio for a Community Health and Wellness Center.

AEP Gavin Power Plant Tour

As ranking member of the Senate's Clean Air Subcommittee, Senator Voinovich supported using new technologies to help reduce the environmental impact of coal-fired electrical generation. In 2001, he toured American Electric Power's Gen. James M. Gavin Power Facility in Gallia County where investments in clean coal technology have reduced air emissions. The senator supports expanding the use of clean coal technology to protect the environment and to ensure the continued availability of the low-cost electricity generated by plentiful Ohio coal, which is so critical to Ohio's good-paying manufacturing jobs.

Cleveland's Clean Air Initiative

As ranking member of the Senate Clean Air Subcommittee, Senator Voinovich joined Cleveland officials in October 2001 to help launch the new Cleveland Clean Air Century Campaign (CCACC), an U.S. EPA-funded project to reduce urban air pollutants. The CCACC is a community-led national pilot initiative to reduce health and environmental risks from air toxins. Cleveland will serve as a model for communities nationwide.

Brownfield Redevelopment in Dayton

Building on his record of success as governor of Ohio to encourage the clean-up and redevelopment of brownfields, Senator Voinovich authored legislation in 2001 to ensure more state and federal cooperation enforcing tough standards for brownfield clean-up. In September 2001, the senator visited a revitalized site in Dayton, where a coal-burning electric generator once operated, to highlight the benefits of brownfield restoration and encourage more companies to become involved in the program.

Ensuring Ohio's Water Quality

Senator Voinovich has worked hard to help local communities receive federal support to update their wastewater infrastructure and protect Ohio's streams, rivers and lakes. In April 2001, he met with Ohio mayors and municipal water officials in Columbus for a field hearing to discuss the challenges that local wastewater systems face in meeting federal regulations. He used the feedback he received from this meeting to work on reauthorizing the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which provides grants to communities to upgrade antiquated sewer systems. The senator continues to meet with state and local officials to monitor their needs in updating their wastewater systems.

Protecting the Great Lakes

As a life-long advocate for ensuring the quality and viability of the Great Lakes, Senator Voinovich continues his commitment to the Lakes through a number of initiatives. In November 2001, at a symposium at the University of Toledo on issues facing the Great Lakes, the senator expressed his concern with efforts to export bulk water from the Great Lakes and to drilling for oil and gas in the Great Lakes. He also stressed his continued support for the strong role that governors and their counterparts in Canada play in managing the Great Lakes ecosystem.
To further understand the cause of the large oxygen-depleted zone in Lake Erie which is threatening the lake's ecosystem, Senator Voinovich held a field hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in Cleveland in August 2002 to hear from federal and state officials, local scientists and environmental representatives. He also toured the US EPA research ship Lake Guardian, to see first-hand how research on the dead zone is conducted.

Ensuring Access and Availability to Quality Health Care

As governor of Ohio, Senator Voinovich enacted a comprehensive patients' bill of rights to ensure health care access and quality. At the federal level, however, proposals haven't measured up to Ohio's accomplishments. Indeed, the health care reform plan considered in the Senate in 2001 would have forced many businesses to drop health care coverage for their workers.
In June of 2001, the senator joined both large and small Ohio businesses, including Ashland, Inc., the Limited, Inc., and the owner of DaVinci's Restaurant in Columbus, to detail the negative impact the Senate bill would have on health care coverage and access. The senator will continue to oppose any efforts that would reduce health care access.

Building on Ohio's Welfare Success Stories

As Congress prepared to reauthorize the 1996 welfare reform law that expired in 2002, Senator Voinovich held a series of statewide information-gathering sessions to learn how welfare reform has helped families move from welfare to work. He has met with former welfare recipients, all of whom are now working, and state and local officials who have provided welfare-to-work programs. As governor, Voinovich was closely involved in the passage of the federal legislation and in 1997 he enacted Ohio's version of those reforms, the Ohio Works First program. As welfare reform reauthorization carries over into 2003, he will use the feedback from these meetings to make sure successful programs like Ohio Works First can continue.

Fixing the Nation's Troubled Tort System

As frivolous lawsuits continue to flood America's court system at the expense of consumers, small businesses, health care patients and Ohio's health care, Senator Voinovich led and participated in a series of events in 2002 to highlight the need to curb lawsuit abuse.
In July 2002, he met with Cincinnati small business leaders to learn first-hand how frivolous lawsuits were negatively impacting their businesses. The senator also discussed his co-sponsorship of three tort reform bills including the Small Business Liability Protection Act, which would protect small businesses from excessive litigation.
In October 2002, Senator Voinovich joined 3,000 Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) representatives, doctors, patients and public officials to bring public attention to the crisis in healthcare due to the rising professional liability insurance costs. The seriousness of the problem was recently highlighted when Las Vegas, Nevada's only trauma center was forced to close because so many doctors left the state or medical practice altogether due to rising malpractice insurance costs. Ohio is not without its own crisis, and in Hancock County there is only one doctor who will deliver babies due to the cost of liability insurance. The senator has cosponsored the Common Sense Medical Malpractice Act, which would cap lawsuit amounts to help address the looming healthcare crisis and help preserve access.

Investigating the Impact of High Energy Prices

In the winter of 2001, high energy prices were plaguing consumers and negatively impacting Ohio businesses. Senator Voinovich was particularly worried about low-income families and small businesses that were hardest hit by energy prices.
He held a roundtable meeting in Cleveland in February 2001 with human services organizations to learn firsthand the challenges posed by the high cost of winter heating bills. The meeting prompted the senator to ask the President for an additional $300 million in energy assistance for low-income families.
The next month, Senator Voinovich met with Cincinnati small businesses to learn how they were being impacted by rising energy prices, and in April 2001 he met with local school officials in Columbus to learn how high energy prices were straining already tight budgets.
The roundtables further convinced Senator Voinovich of the need to enact a comprehensive energy policy to prevent the shortages and subsequent price spikes that have plagued the economy over the past several years.

Staying in Touch with Ohio's Farmers

For his work in the 107th Congress to help improve the lives of Ohio's farmers, Senator Voinovich was recently honored by the Ohio Farm Bureau with the "Friend of the Farm Bureau" Award.
In November 2002, Senator Voinovich met with Ohio farmers to discuss agricultural issues and concerns at the Wooster campus of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. He also toured the campus and met with researchers, scientists and agricultural specialists to discuss the center's research capabilities and Ohio's role in the agricultural research realm.
Senator Voinovich attended the Ohio Farm Focus in 2001 in Van Wert County to talk about Congress' latest work on agriculture policy and to hear from the farming community about how the federal government can be a better partner in promoting a competitive market for our country's agriculture industry. Shortly afterward, he spoke at the annual Farm Science Review and unveiled the Heartland Ag Venture, Ohio State University's new farm program to help farmers join in forming processing or manufacturing facilities that will utilize their products.

Celebrating NATO Expansion and Ohio's Diverse Ethnicity

In November 2002, Senator Voinovich was one of two senators to accompany President Bush in his official delegation to the NATO Summit in Prague to invite seven new countries to join NATO. The senator joined the Cleveland NATO Expansion Celebration by phone from the summit to address the crowd and congratulate the countries of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia for their invitations to join NATO.
For his work to support NATO enlargement, Senator Voinovich was honored by the Central and East European Coalition in May 2002. In December 2001, he also received the "Tony Petkovsek Award of Appreciation" from the Cleveland Slovenian Community for his outstanding service to the local Slovenian community.

Preserving Ohio's Jewish Heritage

In November 2002, Senator Voinovich sponsored a resolution commemorating 350 years of Jewish history in North America. Specifically, the legislation recognizes "The Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History;" supports the designation of September 2004, as American Jewish History Month; and urges all Americans to share in this commemoration.
Also, in the 2003 Labor/Health & Human Services/Education Appropriations bill, Senator Voinovich secured for Jewish Family Services $1 million for Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities.


Blacks in Government Hail Voinovich as Leader for Public Employees

For his work to improve the federal government's personnel management policies, the Columbus Chapter of Blacks in Government (BIG) awarded Senator Voinovich with the "Legislative Policy Award for Exceptional Leadership and Service to Federal Employees" in November 2002. BIG hailed his work to address the federal human capital crisis and his work to improve the government's recruitment, training and reward procedures to attract more qualified federal workers to public service.

Preserving Ohio's Air Travel

The September 11 terrorist attacks brought financial devastation to many areas of our economy, especially the airline industry. Following the attacks in 2001, direct flights from Ohio to Washington's Reagan National Airport were suspended and America West, whose hub at Port Columbus International Airport is a major local employer, began suffering financial problems. Senator Voinovich met personally with then-Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill and successfully pushed for financial assistance for American West from the newly-created airline loan guaranty program. He also pushed for the restoration of Ohio's airlinks to the nation's capital in a series of personal conversations with Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta. In late December the agency authorized Continental Airlines to resume direct flights from Cleveland beginning January 1, 2002 and authorized U.S. Airways to resume direct flights from Dayton beginning February 1, 2002.

Youngstown - SBA Revitalization Initiative

In order to ensure that small business owners in Youngstown have access to the resources they need to expand and thrive, Senator Voinovich worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2001 to establish the Youngstown SBA Revitalization Initiative. The Initiative combines U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan guarantees with additional resources offered by the city of Youngstown and five area banks to provide greater access to capital for entrepreneurs who want to start, grow, or maintain a business in Youngstown. The SBA will guarantee as much as 75 percent of up to $750,000 for a business' start-up costs, expansions or relocations to the city.
In September 2002, the National Federation of Independent Business presented the senator with the Small Business Guardian Award for his voting record to support small businesses. Also, in March 2002, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce presented Senator Voinovich with the "Spirit of Enterprise" award for his strong support for pro-business and job productivity initiatives during the first session of the 107th Congress. He also earned a 93 percent score in the Chamber's 2001 legislative rankings.

Adena Ventures

In 2001, Senator Voinovich supported the successful application of the Athens-based Adena Ventures to participate in a new program administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration to bring venture capital to economically-distressed areas.
Partnering with Ohio University, Adena Ventures must raise a minimum of $5 million from private investors to be eligible for a share of $180 million available through the Small Business Administration.

$1 Million for Cleveland Housing Network

After working to secure funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Cleveland Housing Network - an organization that promotes home ownership for low-income families - Senator Voinovich presented the group with a $1 million check at a ceremony held in March of 2001.

Columbus Council on World Affairs

Senator Voinovich spoke to members of Central Ohio's business and international community in September 2001 to discuss his work on foreign policy over the past year, especially in working for peace and stability in Southeast Europe and working for the inclusion of Eastern European nations in NATO. He also paid tribute to former governor James A. Rhodes for his record of increasing international trade for Ohio.

New Schools for Ohio

Since George Voinovich established the Ohio School Facilities Commission in 1997 as governor of Ohio, more than half of Ohio's 612 school districts have received funding from the Commission to build or renovate schools.

In successfully blocking off the federal government's attempted raid on state tobacco settlement funds in the 106th Congress, Senator Voinovich helped protect Ohio's estimated $10.1 billion share of this money. Without his efforts the state would not be able to move forward with its plan to provide $4.5 billion of these funds for better school buildings. To date, 135 new or renovated schools have opened across the state. Also in 2001, Senator Voinovich toured the new K-12 facility in the Bradford School District in Miami County, which was financed by Commission funds.

Connecting with Ohio Students

As governor, Senator Voinovich created the SchoolNet program which enhanced technology initiatives in Ohio schools. To utilize the program he implemented, Senator Voinovich regularly talks with students across Ohio from his Washington office using a high-speed cable designed for video, voice and data transmission that was funded through SchoolNet's Interactive Video Distance Learning Project (IVDL).

A Groundbreaking for Marion Schools

While chairman of the subcommittee which oversees the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the senator helped do what had never been done before and secured $15 million from the Corps so the River Valley School District in Marion could replace school buildings located on a contaminated former Army facility. He was on hand for the groundbreaking in October 2001 for the new middle and high schools that will be built at an alternative site with the funds he helped secure.

Supporting Ohio's National Guard Troops

As the Senate debated the Defense Authorization Bill for 2002, Senator Voinovich toured National Guard units in Cleveland, Akron and Columbus in September 2001 to learn from commanders what resources may be needed as they prepare for possible deployment in the war on terrorism, and to share with them Ohio's support and appreciation for our men and women in uniform.

Protecting our Postal Workers

Following the anthrax attacks in October 2001 that killed two postal workers in Washington, Senator Voinovich met with postal workers in Cleveland and Toledo to discuss their concerns and questions regarding safety and to learn if all the safety measures that Washington postal leaders claimed were being made were, in fact, actually being implemented. He was pleased to learn from Ohio's front-line postal workers that the new safety and security measures are being put in place in Ohio post offices.

Standing Up for Ohio Autoworkers

As the Senate debated a national energy policy in March and April 2002, Senator Voinovich was front-and-center to make sure any legislation passed would not negatively harm Ohio's economy and our autoworkers. In order to keep Ohio's autoworkers abreast of Senate activities, Senator Voinovich met with Ford's Lima plant and Sharonville transmission plant workers and managers to inform them of his efforts to defeat an amendment to arbitrarily change fuel efficiency standards. Instead, the senator led the charge to pass an amendment to increase fuel economy without threatening autoworkers jobs in Ohio and across the country.

Bringing Ohio Voices to the Federal Government

As President Bush began looking for qualified people to work in his Administration, Senator Voinovich made sure Ohioans were heard and well represented and his office served as a clearinghouse for information on applying for federal jobs. Voinovich personally helped many Ohioans receive positions or nominations from the President, while other Ohioans pursued and obtained jobs in the Administration on their own or with the help of other officeholders. The following individuals with Ohio ties were selected for positions in the Administration or nominated by the President for key posts:

John Adams, Orrville, to be the United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio;

Bruce Cole, to be chairperson of the National Endowment of the Humanities for a term of four years. He was confirmed on September 14, 2001. Prior to his confirmation, he was a professor of Fine Arts and Comparative Literature at the Hope School of Fine Arts at Indiana University and is a graduate of Western Reserve University and Oberlin College;

Deborah L. Cook, Akron, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit. She currently serves as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio;

David Michael Cote, Beachwood, to represent TRW as a member of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee;

Fred L. Dailey, Mt. Vernon, to be a member of the board of directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation replacing Gordon Clyde Southern. He was confirmed on July 29, 2002. Dailey is the director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture and was originally appointed to that position while Voinovich was governor;

James Frederick Dicke II, New Bremen, to serve as one of 36 members of the Advisory Committee on the Arts for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Arts;

Linda J. Fisher, to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. She was confirmed on May 29, 2001. She received her undergraduate degree from Miami University in Ohio and a master's degree from The Ohio State University;

Gregory Frost, Newark, to be the United States District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio;

Michael Gibson, Miamisburg, to serve as a member of the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health;

William T. Hiller, Mentor, to serve as one of ten individuals to serve as members of the National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board;

Michael Francis Hogan, Columbus, to serve on the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, and, upon appointment, will be designated as Chair;

Jerry Hruby, Brecksville, to serve on the National Park Advisory Board. He is currently mayor of Brecksville;

Douglas Carl Huntt, Columbus, to serve as one of 16 members of the newly-created President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education;

Joel Kahn, Ohio, to serve as a member of the National Council on Disability;

William English Kirwan, Columbus, to serve as a member of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities;

Frank Lavin, Canton, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to Singapore. He was confirmed in August 2001;

Gregory Gordon Lockhart, Dayton, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. He was confirmed on October 12, 2001. Prior to his confirmation, Lockhart was the interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney since 1987. Lockhart is a graduate of Wright State University and The Ohio State University College of Law;

Donald J. McConnell, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the State of Eritrea. He was confirmed on July 12, 2001;

Grace Elaine Andrews Nichols, Ohio, to serve as a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations;

John D. Ong, Hudson, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to Norway. He was confirmed on January 25, 2002. Ong is chairman emeritus of the BFGoodrich Company and received both his undergraduate and master's degrees from The Ohio State University;

Steven A. Perry, Canton, to be Administrator of General Services. He was confirmed on May 24, 2001. Prior to his confirmation, he was Senior Vice President of the Timkin Company in Canton, and was appointed by then-Governor George Voinovich to be the Director of the Department of Administrative Services for the State of Ohio from 1991 to 1993. He is a graduate of the University of Akron;

Dr. Luis Proenza, Akron, to serve on the Council of Science and Technology;
August Pust, Cleveland, to be a member of the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad. He served as Director of Multicultural Affairs and International Relations for both Governors George V. Voinovich and Bob Taft.

Altagracia Ramos, Beavercreek, to serve as one of 17 individuals to serve as a member of the President's Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans;

Mercer Reynolds, Cincinnati, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to Liechtenstein and Switzerland. He was confirmed on August 1, 2001;

Edwin Joseph Rigaud, Cincinnati, to serve as a member of the National Museum Services Board;

Judge Thomas M. Rose, Xenia, to serve as United States District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio;

Jeffrey S. Sutton, Bexley, to be the United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit;

C. William Swank, Westerville, to be a member of the Board of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation for a term expiring December 17, 2002. He was confirmed on November 12, 2002. Prior to his confirmation, Swank served the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation for 40 years, holding the position of executive vice president from 1968 to 1996. Since his retirement from the federation in 1996, he has served as one of three chairmen named by then-Governor George Voinovich to the Ohio Farmland Preservation Task Force;

William Robert "Tim" Timken, Jr., Canton, to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corportation (for the remainder of a three-year term expiring 12/31/03, and upon confirmation designate Chairman, vice James Clifford Hudson);

James Michael Wahlrab, West Chester, to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio for the term of four years;

Richard McNeil Wardrop, Jr., Middleton, to serve as a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations;

Mark D. Weinberg, Cleveland, to be Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Public Affairs. He is currently the Director of Issues Management for McGraw-Hill;

Linda Wetters, Ohio, to serve as a member of the National Council on Disability;

Kermit "Steve" Young, Marion, to represent law enforcement as a member of the Medal of Valor Review Board. He currently works for the Marion City Police Department and is the national president of the Fraternal Order of Police.