State Rep. Kathleen Clyde Votes against Partisan Budget that Denies Medicaid Expansion

COLUMBUS- The Ohio House of Representatives passed the state budget today without including the expansion of Medicaid, despite widespread support from groups all across the political spectrum and the healthcare industry. Medicaid expansion would have provided healthcare coverage to more than 275,000 Ohioans and created thousands of jobs in the healthcare field. Following the vote, State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D- Kent) issued the following statement:

 “This budget gives a tax cut favoring the wealthy, fails to adequately fund K-12 education, and lets more than 275,000 working Ohioans go without healthcare. To say I am disappointed would be an understatement.

 “Furthermore, both of my amendments were rejected by the GOP, who continues to work in a hyper partisan manner throughout the budget process. The first amendment would have restored federal funding to Planned Parenthood which provides care to 1 in 5 women in their lifetime, 97 percent of that care being cancer screenings, family planning, and other critical preventative healthcare services. The second amendment would have eliminated the Republican effort to disenfranchise Ohio college students.

 “I will continue to advocate on behalf of all of these important provisions to the Ohio Senate and Governor Kasich, and I hope my constituents will continue to do the same.”