Summary
Current Position: US Representative
Affiliation: Republican
Candidate: 2020 US Representative
Congressman Bob Latta represents Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District and is currently serving his sixth term in the United States House of Representatives.
As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection, and as a member of the Committee’s Subcommittees on Energy, Communications and Technology, and Health, Bob oversees a variety of issues, including energy, telecommunications, food and drug safety, health care, and interstate and foreign commerce. He also serves as Deputy Whip, Co-Chairman of the Rural Broadband Caucus, and is a past Co-Chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus.
About
Source: Government page
Since 2007, Congressman Bob Latta has served the people of Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Congressman Latta is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee where he plays an intricate role in crafting the nation’s energy, telecommunications, environment, health care, and interstate commerce policy. Latta is Republican Leader of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, where he advocates for policies that help consumers, grow our economy, and spur innovation.
Latta is also a member of the Subcommittee on Energy and the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, which he chaired last Congress. Along with his committee positions, Congressman Latta is a Deputy Whip and Co-Chairs the Rural Broadband Caucus and the Congressional Propane Caucus.
Throughout his tenure, Congressman Latta has advocated for the interests of the people of Northwest and West Central Ohio through policies that further economic prosperity and job creation. His top priorities include balancing the budget, maintaining a strong national defense, and implementing commonsense government reforms.
Latta believes that hearing from constituents is essential to representing them in Congress and has held more than 1,000 meetings in Ohio’s 5th Congressional District since 2012. He also has held more than 130 Courthouse Conference one-on-ones with constituents where he is available to answer questions, discuss issues, and help solve problems with Federal agencies.
Congressman Latta has had more than a dozen bills signed into law during his Congressional tenure.
As a Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Latta worked with his colleagues to pass landmark legislation to combat the opioid crisis. Included in that bill was legislation he authored, the INFO Act, which helps provide needed data and information to those on the front lines of this crisis.
Latta has championed efforts in Congress to protect Lake Erie and improve water infrastructure in Ohio. Latta-authored legislation that was signed into law, the Drinking Water Protection Act, assesses and manages the risk of algal toxins in drinking water. In addition, provisions he authored to provide communities more flexibility to fund water projects were signed into law by President Trump in the 115th Congress.
Latta also wrote the Safeguarding America’s Pharmaceuticals Act, a law that established a tracking system for pharmaceutical drugs through the supply chain to prevent adulterated and counterfeit drugs from endangering Americans.
Other laws that Congressman Latta has authored have ensured Ohioans have access to propane during the coldest parts of the winter, helped farmers use cutting-edge technology, and provided the Department of Homeland Security with needed tools to prevent terrorist attacks.
Latta is a steadfast advocate for our nation’s veterans, authoring legislation passed by the House to expedite the processing of VA appeals claims and taking action to ensure Ohio veterans that are suffering from cancer can receive health care closer to home. Latta also wrote legislation to expand access to Tri-Care for national guard members.
Congressman Latta is an avid sportsman and lifelong resident of Northwest Ohio. He and his wife Marcia live in Bowling Green and they have two daughters, Elizabeth and Maria.
Experience
Work Experience
- Member/ Representative
Ohio House of Representatives
2001 to 2007 - Member/ Senator
Ohio State Senate
1997 to 2000
Education
- J.D.
University of Toledo
1981 - B.A.
Bowling Green State University
1978
Personal
Birth Year: 1956
Place of Birth: Bluffton, OH
Gender: Male
Race(s): Caucasian
Religion: Catholic
Spouse: Marcia Latta
Children: Elizabeth Latta, Maria Latta
Contact
Email:
Offices
Washington D.C. Office
2467 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6405
Bowling Green Office
1045 North Main St, Ste 6
Bowling Green, OH 43402
Phone: (419) 354-8700
Defiance Office
101 Clinton St, Ste 1200
Defiance, OH 43512
Phone: (419) 782-1996
Findlay Office
318 Dorney Plaza, Rm 302
Findlay, OH 45840
Phone: (419) 422-7791
Web
Government Page, Campaign Site, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Wikipedia
Politics
Recent Elections
2018 US Representative
| Bob Latta (R) | 176,569 | 62.3% |
| John Michael Galbraith (D) | 99,655 | 35.1% |
| Don Kissick (L) | 7,393 | 2.6% |
| TOTAL | 283,617 |
Source: Ballotpedia
Finances
LATTA, ROBERT E (BOB) has run in 11 races for public office, winning 10 of them. The candidate has raised a total of $7,185,657.
Source: Follow the Money
Committees
Committees
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Subcommittees
Communications and Technology
Consumer Protection and Commerce
Energy
Voting Record
See: Vote Smart
New Legislation
Source: Congress.gov
Issues
Governance
Economy
Education
Environment
Health Care
Immigration
Infrastructure
Veterans
Family Values
Social Security
War on Terror
News
News Posts
Latta: Modernizing The OTC Product Approval Process
Government page – April 23, 2020
“More innovation and competition mean better products and lower costs for American families. This will pay dividends as we seek to win the fight against COVID-19, and it also will benefit us well into the future.”
Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) championed bipartisan legislation to reform the over-the-counter (OTC) monograph system with his bill, the Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act. This legislation was recently signed into law as a part of the CARES Act.
This law modernizes the monograph framework and allows new, safe products to come to market more quickly while addressing label changes and expanding consumer choice. It also allows the Food and Drug Administration to make scientific determinations for OTC ingredients through an administrative order process, which is much more efficient than the current rulemaking system.
Congressman Latta penned an op-ed in the American Healthcare Journal highlighting the importance of OTC monograph reform as we combat the coronavirus pandemic:
Rep. Latta: Modernizing The OTC Product Approval Process
April 22, 2020
How do we better address public health issues, provide economic relief or supplement the heroic efforts of our private sector to combat a crisis like the one we are facing now with the coronavirus pandemic?
Congress is addressing these obstacles through legislation.
Recently, Congress passed the CARES Act, legislation to help those affected by this crisis through direct payments, small business loans and grants, and support for our nation’s healthcare providers. The CARES Act also includes a bill that I’ve long championed that will make it easier for Americans to protect themselves against COVID-19 by reforming and modernizing the way over-the-counter (OTC) products are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Nearly all Americans purchase OTC products regularly, and we’ve seen just how important they can be to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and treat those who are afflicted. With OTC products like hand sanitizer playing an important role in helping people stay safe, approval of these products should be quick and streamlined. The traditional FDA process for OTC drugs and products is too burdensome, doesn’t use the most up-to-date science and limits the development of new OTC options. That’s why making this fix now was so important. …
Reforming the OTC monograph system has been a long time coming and has seen Republicans working hand in hand with Democrats to address the problem. After countless bipartisan discussions, I introduced the Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation and Reform Act and garnered the backing of manufacturers of OTC products, consumer groups and officials at the FDA. …
The legislation ends the current practice of requiring OTC drug monographs to go through a burdensome rulemaking process that takes far too long. Additionally, the bill makes it easier to update products on the market today using the latest scientific or safety information without needing to go through the cumbersome rulemaking process. It’s hard to believe, but the previous process actually discouraged using the newest science because of the bureaucratic hoops that would be required for approval. That problem now is solved.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen the heroics of our healthcare workers on the front lines. We’ve seen communities coming together to support their friends and neighbors who have been affected the most by this pandemic. We’ve seen businesses and manufacturers completely revolutionize their production lines to help in the fight against the coronavirus. Americans have been united and have shown their resiliency.
Congress needs to ensure that the laws and rules on the books don’t hinder these efforts. Reforming the way OTC products are made is one way we’ve reduced barriers to innovation and provided certainty for consumers. More innovation and competition mean better products and lower costs for American families. This will pay dividends as we seek to win the fight against COVID-19, and it also will benefit us well into the future.
To read the full op-ed in the American HealthcareJournal, click here.
Congressman Latta encourages anyone who needs assistance to contact his office in Bowling Green at 419-354-8700. Ohioans living in the Fifth Congressional District can also call 419-318-8925 to leave a message and Congressman Latta’s team will respond as soon as possible. For up-to-date information, visit Congressman Latta’s website at www.latta.house.gov.
Videos
Speeches
Latta Calls Out Secret Impeachment Process on House Floor
CongressmanBobLatta
Published on October 23, 2019
By: CongressmanBobLatta
