Beatty, Brown, Sykes & Landsman Unite for “Straight Talk on the Shutdown & Health Care”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) hosted a live virtual town hall titled Straight Talk on the Shutdown & Health Care Crossroads to help Ohioans understand and navigate the ongoing federal government shutdown and its connection to the growing health care coverage crisis.  

Beatty was joined by members of Ohio’s Democratic Congressional Delegation — Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (OH-13), and Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01) — for an hour-long discussion on the real-life effects of the Republican government shutdown on families, small businesses, and federal workers across the state.

The event connected with thousands of residents by phone and was livestreamed on Facebook Live. Most of Congresswoman Beatty’s constituents joined the virtual town hall by phone to ask questions in real time, with participation spanning all four Ohio congressional districts represented on the panel through both written and live questions.

Key topics included:

• Understanding the shutdown and what’s at stake for Ohio families and communities.
• Navigating state and local resources to sustain vital programs like SNAP, WIC, and housing assistance during a prolonged closure.
• Responding to the health care crossroads, including the potential loss of Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace tax credits and historic Medicaid cuts under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
• Standing with federal workers reinforcing their protections during the shutdown.

“This shutdown is more than politics — it’s about people, paychecks, and priorities,” said Congresswoman Beatty. “Behind every budget fight are families wondering whether their benefits will continue, seniors worried about their health coverage, and workers unsure when their next paycheck will come. We came together to give Ohioans straight answers and to encourage them to engage all their elected officials in pursuing an end to this shutdown.”

This event was part of ongoing nationwide efforts by House Democrats during the government shutdown to highlight the importance of health care to American families—and their continued fight to protect it in the government funding process.

The full recording of last night’s event is available HERE.