Rep. Sykes Opposes Government Funding Bill That Fails Ohio Families

Rep. Sykes Opposes Government Funding Bill That Fails Ohio Families

Shutdown ends, but Ohio families still face higher costs and lost access to affordable health care

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) voted 'No' on the government funding bill, citing the deal's failure to lower costs or protect Americans' access to affordable health care.

"I was clear: any deal that would earn my support needs to lower costs and keep healthcare accessible and affordable," said Rep. Sykes. "Our local economy relies on healthcare not only for our well-being, but also for jobs and economic growth. This deal does not get us there and leaves thousands of my constituents without healthcare and spending more money to live than they ever have. I will continue to fight to deliver the relief that families in Ohio's 13th District and across the country deserve."

Rep. Sykes has consistently recognized the toll the shutdown has taken on Ohioans and families nationwide.

"Every day, I hear from Ohioans who are struggling to make ends meet, who are worried about losing their health care, or who are unsure when their next paycheck will come," Rep. Sykes said. "I share their frustration and pain - and I am fighting to make sure they are not forgotten in Washington. While this so-called deal ends the shutdown, it fails to address the challenges that matter most to families in Ohio and across the country. My focus remains on solutions that put people first - lowering health care costs, improving affordability, and creating good-paying jobs."

Standing Up for Ohio Families During the Shutdown

Rep. Sykes never stopped working for the people of Ohio's 13th District during the government shutdown. She continued delivering for her constituents, providing direct assistance, and communicating openly with Ohioans about the situation in Washington.

She held Telephone Town Halls, both individually and with fellow Ohio House Democrats, to answer questions and share updates. She hosted press conferences in the district, participated in press events in Washington, and completed dozens of interviews to keep the public informed about the shutdown's impact and the path forward.

Her district and Washington, D.C. staff continued serving constituents without interruption, answering phone calls, meeting with residents, providing guidance on benefits and services, and supporting her legislative and communications priorities throughout the shutdown.

Rep. Sykes visited TSA workers and air traffic controllers at Akron-Canton Airport, joined volunteers with the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank to distribute food to federal workers, and attended three Veterans Day events to honor those who served. She also met with the National Military Families Association to understand firsthand how the shutdown affected service members and their families.

Delivering Results Through Legislative Action

Rep. Sykes worked throughout the shutdown to protect Ohioans from harmful effects and maintain critical services:

• Introduced the bipartisan Pay Our Military Act to ensure service members continued to receive pay during a shutdown. House Democrats attempted to pass this legislation by unanimous consent, but Republicans refused to allow a vote.
• Introduced the Feed Our Families Act to establish a three-month reserve of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, funding to prevent families from going hungry during funding lapses.
• Introduced the bipartisan Guaranteed Uninterrupted Access to Retiree Disbursements (GUARD) Act to keep the Social Security Administration fully operational during shutdowns.
• Cosponsored the Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protect Act to ensure all federal wildland firefighters and firefighters on federal properties continued to receive pay and were protected from workforce reductions.
• Cosponsored the Resolution to Keep Americans Fed During Government Shutdown that called on the Trump Administration to fully fund SNAP benefits by using the program's contingency funds and interchange authority.

Rep. Sykes also led and cosigned several letters advocating for benefits and services for Ohio families:

• She led a letter to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost urging protection of SNAP benefits.
• She cosigned a letter to Governor Mike DeWine regarding continuity of WIC services.
• She cosigned a letter to the Office of Management and Budget urging back pay for furloughed federal employees.
• She joined the Democratic Women's Caucus letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson on the health care crisis and shutdown impacts.
• She cosigned a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins advocating for protections for the SNAP contingency fund.

Rep. Sykes will continue working in Washington to deliver results and solutions that matter to families in Ohio's 13th Congressional District.