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Washington, DC – Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), a Warrensville Hts. Democrat who represents Ohio's 11th congressional district, and one of three Black women in Congress from Ohio, spoke in opposition to the Republican Reconciliation Bill on the U.S. House of Representatives floor Wednesday, calling attention to the bill's cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (food stamps).

The Senate-passed Reconciliation Bill ( The One, Big Beautiful Bill Act) includes a $186 billion federal funding cut to SNAP, the largest cut in the program's history. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that some five million Americans will lose SNAP benefits if the president's "big beautiful bill" becomes law, a disproportionate number of them Black and low-income single mothers. Congressional Democrats oppose the bill in unison, calling it a "big ugly bill" that targets America's most vulnerable across the board and increases the nation's deficit. Following Senate approval, the bill awaits final passage in the House.

Rep. Brown stated the following:

"This policy punishes those who can least afford it, seniors on fixed incomes, veterans, and families already forced to choose between gas and groceries."

The Republican budget bill would require, for the first time, that states, including Ohio, pay for a portion of SNAP benefits and cover an increased share of program administration costs. Under current law, the federal government and states split program administration costs 50/50. The bill would make this a 25/75 split between federal and state governments.

On these new costs for states, Brown stated, "States will be stuck in a corner [and forced to] cut benefits, cut eligibility, or cut public safety, education, housing, and mental health programs just to stay afloat."

A number of states further split the state administration costs between the state and the county, meaning this will also create new funding burdens on Cuyahoga County, which includes the majority Black city of Cleveland.

The Governor of Pennsylvania has said that his state may not be able to administer SNAP at all, given these increased costs. For a full explainer on the bill's SNAP cuts, click here.

Read Congresswoman Brown's Remarks as Delivered (VIDEO) on the House floor below:

Thank you Ranking Member McGovern for yielding.

I rise in strong opposition to this Rule and the underlying bill.

For the first time in history, this bill would force states to pay for part of SNAP benefits. And it would require states to increase their share of administrative costs.

This is an unfunded mandate—plain and simple.

And let's be clear: the costs are staggering.

The consequences? Devastating. And the cruelty? Deeply

disturbing.

This policy punishes those who can least afford it: seniors on fixed incomes, veterans, and families already forced to choose between gas and groceries.

States will be stuck in a corner.

Cut benefits. Cut eligibility. Or cut public safety, education, housing, and mental health programs just to stay afloat.

This isn't just a budgeting decision. It's a values decision.

And for what?

To take from the hungry... and give it to the wealthy.

To slash SNAP benefits—just $6 per day – and hand a quarter-million-dollar tax break to the top 0.1%. 0.1%

That's not policy. That's plunder.

The math doesn't lie.

In North Carolina, its $400 million. More than the entire state budget for child development and early education.

In Georgia – its $500 million. DOUBLE what the state spends on

child welfare.

And in my state of Ohio, its $300 million. Four times the transportation budget.

My colleagues are writing checks that their Governors can't cash.

And when the money runs out? The food runs out.

Children go hungry. Seniors skip meals. Veterans, working mothers, and fathers will be turned down and turned away.

All because of a vote taken here today.

This mandate isn't just unfunded – it's unfathomable.

So, I urge my colleagues: Reject this provision. Reject this rule.

Reject this betrayal.

Don't reward the rich on the backs of hungry Americans.

Thank you, I yield back.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com are the most-read Black digital newspaper and blog in Ohio. Tel. 216-659-0473. Email-editor@clevelandurbannews.com

By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief,  Cleveland Urban News.Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com, Ohio's No 1 and No 2 online Black news venues (www.clevelandurbannews.com) Reach Cleveland Urban News.Com by email at editor@clevelandurbannews.com and by phone at 216-659-0473

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio-The Ohio Eighth District Caucus group, an organization founded by former East Cleveland City councilman Charles Bibb, a longtime affiliate of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, will host a candidates debate forum on community issues for those seeking election or reelection to one of three of five city council seats up for grabs in November in East Cleveland on  Saturday, October 5, 2013.The event begins at 1 pm at the East Cleveland Public Library, 14101 Euclid Avenue. A majority  impoverished suburb of Cleveland, the city has some 18,000 residents. For more information contact Senior Spokesman Charles E. Bibb at 216-659-4619.

The election is November 5 as no primary for city council seats is held pursuant to the city charter.

On Tuesday Oct. 1 incumbent Mayor Gary Norton won the Democratic primary over City Council President Joy Jordan, who placed second, above third place candidate Vernon Robinson. With no Republican in the race for November, Norton secures his mayoral position.

By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor, associate publisher

CLEVELAND, Ohio-The city of Cleveland officially recognized former mayor Carl B. Stokes on Mon., June 30, 2025 as the city's first Black mayor, naming it Carl B. Stokes Day, Stokes the first Black mayor of Cleveland and of a major American city.

June 30 is now Carl B. Stokes Day and his life and legacy will be celebrated annually in Cleveland.

Current mayor Justin Bibb, who led Monday's event, pointed to the portrait of Stokes during a ceremony held in the Rotunda at City Hall that included family members of Stokes, community affiliates, and elected officials.

Bibb is Cleveland' fourth Black mayor, behind Frank Jackson, his immediate predecessor, Michael R. White, and Stokes, the city's 51st mayor who won office in 1967 when Cleveland, a majority Black major American city, was largely White. All of Cleveland's Black mayors were Democrats when they won election, though the mayor's race is nonpartisan.

Elected for a first term in 2021 and running for re-election this year, Mayor Bibb is president of the National Democratic Mayor's Association. He called Stokes a legend and part of the city's history, adding that Cleveland has long been a stable of political power for Black leaders and the Civil Rights Movement.

"Cleveland is the birthplace of Black political power in this country,” Bibb said, after presenting the Stokes family with a proclamation.

Cordell Stokes, Carl's son, said the honor for his father is well deserved."I’m just so proud of him," the younger Stokes said.

Councilmember Richard Starr presented a council resolution that reflects that council has officially made June 30 Carl B. Stokes Day in Cleveland.

Carl B. Stokes was the younger brother of former congressman Louis Stokes, a Civil Rights attorney and the first Black congressperson from Ohio.