Interview with U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones
January 18, 2007
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones sat down with the Greater Cleveland Partnership January 18 in her office in the Longworth House Office Building in Washington D.C. to talk about the changing political dynamic in Washington and issues that impact Northeast Ohio. The interview took place near the end of the 100-hour effort by the new Democratic majority in the U.S. House of Representatives to adopt a series of bills dealing with minimum wage, health care costs, energy and other issues.
This interview is the second of a new feature on www.gcpartnership.com - a question-and-answer session with leading government officials about issues of importance to the nation and to Northeast Ohio.
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones is the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio. She is a lifelong resident of the 11th District, which encompasses most of the East Side of Cleveland, and parts of the West Side and of 22 suburbs.
Currently in her fifth two-year term in office, the Congresswoman chairs the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics) and serves on the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Prior to winning election to Congress in 1998, Congresswoman Tubbs Jones served as the first African-American and the first female Cuyahoga County Prosecutor. She previously served as a Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge and as a Cleveland Municipal Court Judge.
She and her late husband, Mervyn L. Jones Sr., who died in 2003, have a son, Mervyn L. Jones II.
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Greater Cleveland Partnership: First of all, thank you for joining us.
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: You're welcome.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: Let me start with a broad question. As you well know, Democrats have control of the House and the Senate for the first time since the 1993-94 session of Congress. What does that mean for business in Ohio, and in greater Cleveland?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: To specifically say what it means for business is hard for me to capture in a word or two, but what I would say is that it is unfortunate that people want to paint the Democrats as anti-business, or not pro-business when in fact, Democrats understand the importance of business to the success of their districts as well as to the success of the country.
I think there will be some opportunities to move forward in a lot of areas, in particularly, in relationship to having a Democratic governor, Ted Strickland; a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate where we may have the opportunity to propose an urban agenda which could in fact be beneficial to the business community particularly to that in the city of Cleveland.
I have been pressing a number of issues on behalf of the business community in Cleveland and now that I am in the majority, hopefully some of those issues will come to fruition.
I am just going to give you an example; I was working very diligently on cash balance plans - these are for retirement plans - to try and get some changes in some legislation to assure the companies - and there are four in my congressional district who converted to cash balance plans who were in question as to whether their cash balance plans would be viewed as being inherently age discriminatory. But fortunately, the court just ruled on the IBM case saying that IBM's cash balance plan was not inherently age discriminatory, so that worked to the favor of business. But in the interim I was trying to do some legislation in that area.
I have been working with Lincoln Electric on a wire rod issue regarding domestic steel, and that's still percolating along. I have been a huge supporter of research and development tax credits for businesses; that they be made permanent so that businesses aren't in a quandary whether they are going to have a tax credit this year and not going to have one next year so that they can do some planning. Hopefully, we can bring that back to the table.
Other than that, what I am prepared to do is to sit down with the business community in my congressional district to have an opportunity to discuss with them some of the issues, the burning issues, that they have and to see where we may be on the same page.
We're not going to always agree. For example, I was opposed to the bankruptcy bill. But I know we can have a meeting of the minds on these issues and I am prepared to be a spokesperson on their behalf.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: How has your job changed as a result of the November elections? How are things different? What's it like being in the majority?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: You know it's so new that it's hard to describe. I did a C-SPAN interview today and I said it's the first time I had been in the majority because as an African American and a woman, I had never been in the majority before and I was excited about it.
And to go to the House floor and be able to vote for a resolution and know that it is going to pass - that's significant. Or to be able to go to the House floor and know you aren't restricted solely to a motion to recommit. But I think that these first 100 hours, the push that Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi had on the behalf of Democrats has been great and has actually loosed up some of my Republican colleagues to be able to do what they want to do. In fact, 132 of them voted with us on the student loan provision and a number of them voted with us on the minimum wage increase, although the drug bill was a little closer.
Going back to your first question, I am now on the Health Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee. I chose that subcommittee because of the health institutions in my congressional district employ more people than any other area. I wanted to go on that committee to be able to push legislation that would be supportive of the health community. But also I want to be able to figure out a way in which we that all people access to health care. I am not sure what the format's going to be, but I think we have to open ourselves to greater opportunities for discussion on the issue because healthcare is a huge cost for business.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: That leads me to my next question. What do you hope to accomplish in the Ways and Means Committee? Also, what are your priorities for this Congress?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: Health and pensions. Even though we have addressed the cash balance plans, the issue of how we handle pensions is troubling. When you look at the steel industry and the Pension Benefit Guaranty board taking over pensions…. and you look at the whole discussion about Social Security - and I tie pensions in with Social Security. I am on the Social Security Subcommittee (of the House Ways and Means Committee) as well. I think that we could have a bipartisan fix to Social Security if we have the opportunity to sit down and have some discussions on the issue.
I also am serving on the Oversight Subcommittee where we hope to go back and have some hearings. We have oversight over a many of the federal agencies, like the IRS. We could have a hearing with regard to the IRS; Social Security, or any agency that falls under our jurisdiction to see what we are doing to either be more supportive of the people and business and how we are not and what we can do to fix that. It may be couched in reporting; it may be couched in to their access to people that have a discussion about their problems or their dilemmas. So I'm looking forward to that.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: I couldn't imagine anything that affects more people, more residents of Ohio and of your district and of the country than health and retirement issues.
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: Oh, they are huge. Huge. And they're important not only for the people themselves but for businesses.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: The other thing I was to talk about is your chairmanship of the House Ethics Committee. Do you see this position and this committee as a way to improve the public's perception of Congress and how will you approach this as your job now?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: Absolutely, I think I'm chosen as the chair of the ethics committee because of my background and my experience. Nancy Pelosi described me as being tough and smart. I like those descriptions and I think they come as a result of the work I have done on the ethics committee for six years.
One of the areas of focus that we're going to have is to make sure that everybody understands the rules. Now the people who violated the rules in this past year, they understand the rules, but they chose to violate them. With a large number of new members of Congress, we want to make sure that they are well-educated so that they don't fall into the pitfalls. I gave the example that when I was prosecutor, I may have not made the law, but I was required to enforce the law. Now, I may have not made all the decisions with regard to the rules about ethics, but I am required to uphold those rules.
And if I can keep my name out of the papers; the ethical issues are not in the paper, then I have done my job.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: Another reform that has been talked about is earmark reform. As a Member of Congress, you have had an opportunity to influence legislation that has been very important to Greater Cleveland, especially infrastructure and development projects in the downtown area. Now that we are facing earmark reform, how do you think this will impact your ability to continue to secure funding for such projects in Northern Ohio?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: To be real honest, I don't know. I am not sure just how no "earmarks" will impact each member's ability to return money to their district. One of the things that people were concerned about the earmarks was that they were done without people having the ability to see what's going on.
I think with openness and clarity perhaps we will still have an opportunity to do something. There will still be money that will be allocated to programming and projects across the country; it's just going to be done in a different fashion. So at this point, I am not in the position to answer that question.
But I promise the people of the 11th Congressional District that if there is a way for me to bring money back to the 11th Congressional District, I promise I will do that - within ethical bounds.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: To what extent have members of the Ohio congressional delegation been able to work together to accomplish common goals? Has this changed, and if so, how?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: You know what; we work very hard together. We've worked on NASA projects and we've worked on other projects. When the Republicans controlled the House and the Senate as well as the governor's mansion in Ohio, there were relationships and things were done. Now that the Democrats control the House and the Senate and the governor's mansion, you shouldn't expect anything less.
In fact, this morning, we had our first bipartisan Ohio delegation meeting (this year) under the leadership of Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, (D-Toledo) who is the dean of the Democratic delegation and is also the longest-serving woman in the House of Representatives. I am optimistic that collectively that we are going to have the opportunity to do a lot of things. We have a Republican senator and we have a Democratic senator from Ohio. We have both sides covered in the Senate; we have both sides covered in the House. We have a history of being a delegation that can work together, and what we are going to have to do is exercise a little bit more muscle.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: And you've got the muscle to exercise.
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: Collectively, as a delegation, we do.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: I have a specific project to ask you about. NASA Glenn, which you mentioned earlier, continues to be one of the Greater Cleveland Partnerships top priorities in terms of the economic impact in Northeast Ohio and the state. But as a community, we haven't hit a home run yet, as a lot of other NASA centers seem to get the lion's share of work. How can Greater Cleveland, as a region, be more successful in our efforts going forward? What will it take?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: You know, I wish I could answer that question. What I do know has been successful is the willingness of the delegation to work together and make NASA Glenn a priority. And that is something we have done and it helped us even though we didn't get the one center, but as we move forward, we have to not only shore up NASA Glenn but to make sure the businesses in our communities have the capability to do the work that is needed to be done under the auspices of NASA Glenn. That is why it is important to try to continue to attract businesses to Northeast Ohio that who can support the work of a NASA Glenn.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: I have a couple questions about specific issues. First, do you see any major initiatives or changes in how the country deals with the availability and cost of health insurance? What role should the private sector have in the delivery of health insurance? Do you support single pay or government operated or market driven operated by the private sector?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: Loaded question.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: It is about five questions combined into one.
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: I am on record in support of single payer health care; it seems to be less complicated. But I can be persuaded to support other means of accessing health care for my constituents. We need to sit down and have a real discussion, a bipartisan discussion, about the delivery of healthcare and how we can best do it. It may be a mix.
Over past years that we've been so divided - it's either a Republican agenda or a Democratic agenda or there was no agenda. Charlie Rangel, the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, has already hosted two meetings of members of the committee. We have sat around a big square table - Democrats sitting next to Republicans -- just having a real discussion about what we have talked about, the energy bill that is coming up today and we also talked about the prescription drug benefit and the ability of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate drug prices.
I think there is an opportunity for us to try to come a better way of delivering health care. It appears that America has the best healthcare system but not the best delivery of health care, and I think that is what we need to focus in on. I think that hospitals should be paid; I think the doctors should be paid; but I think the people should get the best bang for their buck.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: What about energy? You mentioned the energy bill that is on the floor today. There certainly is a growing interest in renewable energy and a number of people are seeking to promote development of an advanced energy industry in Northeast Ohio. How do you see yourself and the congressional delegation playing a role in nurturing that kind of development?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: We have an opportunity to do that. In fact, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur has been in the forefront of the discussion on renewable energies. Collectively as a delegation, we want to work on that. We've got to figure out a way where we are not reliant on foreign oil and that we are not solely reliant on petroleum.
What you'll see us attempting to do is to provide opportunity for research as well as pilot projects on trying new ways of providing energy. We also will be looking at our existing energy sources and providers to see what we can do to make what they do - and the way in which they do it - smarter and more cost-effective. I think that it is worthy of discussion and I am prepared to be part of any group that wants to work on those issues on behalf of Northeast Ohio.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: So far we have talked about policy, but let me ask a different question. At what part in your life did you decide to pursue a career in public service? And as you look back, over a very respected career, what would you say was your most important accomplishment?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: I decided to run for my first public office in 1981 after having worked on the campaign on a very good friend of mine for a municipal court judgeship. I can recall working in Carl Stokes's campaigns in high school and college, but to come to the point where I was a candidate was not until 1981. When I was a judge, I didn't view myself as political as I was when I was freed of the restrictions of not being able to support a candidate or talk about the issues. So I guess the real point came when I became the prosecutor in 1991 where I knew that I was a political person and I could support candidates. What was the second part of the question?
Greater Cleveland Partnership: What would you say was your most important accomplishment?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: My first thought is Mervyn Jones II (laughs).
The first one was becoming prosecutor and letting young men and women of all races that it is a possibility in Ohio, and giving them opportunities to become an assistant prosecutor and address long-term policy issues. When I became prosecutor was the first time I had the opportunity to really look at long-term policies such as drug courts, diversion programs and prevention in addition to the traditional job of a prosecutor prosecuting criminal cases. I think being the prosecutor gave me the taste for wanting to come to Congress. I never really thought about becoming a member of Congress. Who would? Lou Stokes was an icon! So my second greatest accomplishment was getting elected to Congress and being appointed to the Ways and Means Committee because the Ways and Means Committee is the committee when you are talking about long-term policy on issues like healthcare, trade, taxes, Social Security and human resources. It is the committee where you have the ways and the means to accomplish things.
But each step was an accomplishment. Becoming a Municipal Court judge, at 31 was a great accomplishment. But each accomplishment means I have staying power. I can remember walking across the stage to get my high school diploma and feel some of that same energy here I am 40 years along and I have the staying power and I pray that God will continue to bless me and give me opportunity and wisdom to stay in this business.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: If you could share advice with the members of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, what advice would that be?
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones: To not presume that any elected official at any level is going to be with or against you. To take more opportunity to sit down and bring your issues to the elected officials. I think the Partnership could take better advantage of relationships with elected officials and should not presume that because we take a stance on one thing or another that on behalf of the people of Ohio we would not change course.
I have enjoyed the work that I have done with the Partnership on DFAS and BRAC and some other things, but I look forward to - and am anxious to - have a greater and more in-depth relationship.
Greater Cleveland Partnership: Thank you so much for your time.