In The News

Rep. Brad Wenstrup spent some time at the Clermont Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 3 to hear from local businessmen and women about their concerns.

It’s beneficial for Wenstrup to hear from “the people that are in the trenches,” he said.

“The things that come out of Washington affect people’s businesses, affect their lives, affect their employees and so it’s good to get their input on what they think is positive, what they think is negative, what’s helping them and what’s hurting them,” Wenstrup said.

These business roundtables help Wenstrup hear what’s happening to the people in his district, which then forms his opinion for how he votes. It also makes Wenstrup’s message more powerful when he can give firsthand accounts.

Attendees included people who work in education, retail, manufacturing, banking, accounting, real estate and more.

“I think it speaks volumes about the business community in Clermont County’s interest in what’s going on in Washington,” said Matt Van Sant, president/CEO of the chamber.

He added, “Congressman Wenstrup is very accessible, is a good listener and I believe he’ll take these remarks and go back to Washington, share them with his staff and really work hard to make a difference for these men and women who are here this morning.”

The chamber holds business roundtables about every eight months with different legislators. The roundtables serve as an opportunity to remind legislators that there are real people that have real problems and real needs, Van Sant said.

The needs of rural Americans are not well-represented in the executive branch because presidential candidates do not need the rural community to get elected, Wenstrup said.

“So they do these things that seem politically correct to the urban areas, and there you have it,” he added.

Attendees brought up the speed of decision making in the government, student loan debt, overtime regulations and the Affordable Care Act in the hour and a half event at the Clermont Chamber of Commerce.

At the end of the roundtable, Bradley Hayes, the director of congressional and public affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, thanked Wenstrup for all he has done to help businesses.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been actively working on issues that the country, including Ohio, faces, Hayes said.

“We continue to strive to meet the needs of the business community and to promote what is the main chamber agenda: free enterprise,” Hayes said.

The chamber has worked with Wenstrup on many issues they find critical and because of his efforts, the chamber decided to give him the Spirit of Enterprise Award, which is given to members of congress who vote in favor of business initiatives 70 percent of the time.

“We’re very thankful for your support,” Hayes said.

Click here to read the original article in The Clermont Sun.