Joyce speaks at Growth Partnership meeting

Sep. 1—HARPERSFIELD — U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-South Russell) spoke and answered questions at a Growth Partnership meeting at Ferrante Winery and Ristorante on Thursday afternoon.

Growth Partnership Executive Director Greg Myers introduced Joyce, and thanked him for coming.

Joyce spoke about his work protecting the Great Lakes.

"It's drinking water for 40 million people, right now," he said.

Joyce said he has seen a positive energy over the last decade in Ashtabula County and the rest of his district.

"We're on the move, we're on the mend," he said. "Things are going to get better here, and it's just a matter of time. So we've got to all keep rowing together to make this work."

One piece of consistent feedback Joyce said he hears from constituents is that they are making more, but things are also costing more.

"The expenses are higher for just about everything you can think of," he said.

Joyce said his job on the House Appropriations Committee is to make sure taxpayer money is spent on things that matter.

"So we passed out of our committee 10 of our 12 bills," Joyce said. "We've got two left to pass out of committee, but then when we get back in September, we're going to go to the floor.

"I know a lot of you have heard that we're going to shut the country down," he said. "Unfortunately, those folks who say those kind of crazy things get on TV, but there's a good working majority in place."

Congress will continue to move forward, Joyce said.

He also took time to answer questions from attendees.

Geneva City Manager Joseph Varckette asked how money from the federal infrastructure bill is being distributed.

Joyce said the distribution of those funds is moving slowly.

"That's the thing we can't get across to this administration, is that a project that was bid ... is now at 125 or 150 percent of what it was originally bid at," he said.

Joyce said northeast Ohio has the qualities that are necessary for expansion, and the area just needs the right projects to move forward.

Commissioner J.P. Ducro asked if there has been progress streamlining the legal immigration process.

"I wish I had a better answer for you," Joyce said. He said the current backlog for someone starting the process today is 11 years.

Confirming the identity of people seeking citizenship is among the issues slowing down the process, he said.

"We need to work on it, you're absolutely right," he said.

Joyce said there has been discussions on how to bring people who are here illegally out of the shadows.

Joyce was also asked about regulation of artificial intelligence.

Joyce said a congressman recently gave a speech on the House floor written entirely by AI.

"After he read it, he said 'This was created by AI, I had nothing to do with it, but it sure sounded a lot like me,'" he said.

It is something the government needs to stand up on, Joyce said.

A-Tech Superintendent Scott Wludyga asked if it was possible to increase the amount of Perkins funding for career and technical education, and asked if red tape could be reduced.

Joyce said the idea of forgiving student loans makes him sick.

"I've got no problem with re-negotiating or spreading it out, fixing it to make it fit your finances," he said. "But this administration seems hell-bent, especially going into the next election, to cut those loan programs, and that's what's created an ill will, if you will, toward a lot of those type of grants and programs, that are actually very beneficial."