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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) (pictured), a Warrensville Ht. Democrat whose 11th congressional district includes most of Cleveland, voted against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), H.R. 2670, which passed the House on a largely party-line vote. In an unprecedented action, House Republicans added a number of provisions to the NDAA, angering some democrats and  limiting access to reproductive and gender-affirming care for the nation's military and curtailing efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the military.

The annual defense policy bill passed the House of Representatives on Friday afternoon after Republicans added provisions on abortion and transgender surgeries —  The legislation passed 219-210 and now heads to the U.S. Senate for review

Rep. Brown, one of three Blacks in Congress from Ohio, all of them women,  released the following statement relative to the controversial issue:

"My extremist colleagues are once again choosing politics over people by prioritizing grievances over good governance. A handful of my colleagues hijacked the originally and historically bipartisan NDAA at the expense of the American people, and our armed services.Regrettably, I must oppose this bill, which is dead-on-arrival in the U.S. Senate. I owe it to my constituents to vote no on any legislation that would strip away reproductive healthcare from our service members, eliminate crucial diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and discriminate against transgender servic members."

The congresswoman went on to say that "providing for the national defense and supporting our service members is one of my core responsibilities as a lawmaker, and I will not stop working towards that end. She added that "it is expected that the House will hopefully revisit a reasonable and responsible NDAA later this year, and I will continue to fight for those who already sacrifice so much in service to our country."

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com

CLEVELAND,Ohio--As the July 5 deadline ends Ohio advocates seeking to get abortion enshrined in the Ohio constitution  have submitted some 710,000 signatures to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose in an effort to get the  issue before voters in November, far more than the roughly 413,000 needed under state law.

On Monday, volunteers from across the state processed petitions collected over the weekend in Ohio's biggest cities like Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Toledo and in some suburban and rural areas.

State officials have until junly 20 to reviewthe signatures for duplicates and other potential errors and until July 25 to certify the petitions. (Signatures can be thrown out, for example, if the person wasn’t registered to vote at the address submitted or if the person’s handwriting was unreadable.)

A competing measure, an Aug 8 ballot measure where the state legislatures is asking voters to raise the threshold for passing future constitutional amendments in Ohio from a simple majority to a super majority, or 60 percent of voters, has not slowed the momentum,

Polling shows that the reproductive rights amendment to enshrine abortion into the Ohio constitution would likely pass with somewhere between 50 to 60% support. time will tell.

Hundreds of women in greater Cleveland, led by Women's March Cleveland. Ohio's largest grassroots women's rights group that has been fighting for reproductive rights since 2017 when Donald Trump took office as president for a first term, rallied and marched outside of Cleveland City Hall on  Sat., June 24, the one-year anniversary of  the overturning of Roe v wade by the U.S. Supreme Court. These same women's' advocates, and others, are the ones pushing for a constitutional amendment for abortion access in Ohio.

Last year, on June 20, 2022, the nation's high court ended access to abortion for women nationwide and gave individual states the authority to legislate abortion, including to restrict or outright outlaw the procedure all together, causing a firestorm of protests throughout the country.

More than 14 states have near-total abortion bans during any point in pregnancy in effect, and at least six states have implemented abortions bans with other limits from six to 20 weeks bans. Ohio has a six-week abortion ban dubbed "the heartbeat bill" that is on hold per a judge's ruling as abortion advocates hope to get abortion on the November ballot in Ohio.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) (pictured)  a Warrensville Hts Democrat whose 11th congressional district includes the city of Cleveland,  will welcome U.S.Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to Cleveland on Thursday July 6, the congresswomen said in a press release on Wednesday.

One of two Blacks in Congress from Ohio, Brown and Secretary Becerra will hold a roundtable discussion at MetroHealth Hospital and tour the Lincoln-West School of Science and Health facilities located there. The round-table discussion will include Steed, MetroHealth President and CEO Dr. Africa Steed, and Lincoln-West Principal Juliette King, a recent graduate of the program and other officials.

Lincoln-West is the only high school in the nation located inside a hospital.

Secretary Becerra is a member of President Joe Biden's cabinet and is the first Latino in american history to hold such office

Media are asked to RSVP to will.mcdonald@mail.house.gov

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Today, Ohio Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-Cleveland)(pictured), a Cleveland area Democrat who's 23rd state legislative district includes 14 of Cleveland's 17 wards, issued a statement against the state budget after the Republican-dominated Ohio Senate approved it on Friday. via a vote along party lines.

The controversial $!91 billion operating budget , dubbed House Bill 33, includes $1.3 billion in income tax cuts for private school vouchers, which has upset Democrats and teachers unions. among other budget provisions. Opponents say the monies can be put to better use.

"It is the responsibility of the Ohio General Assembly to create a fair and transparent budget that works for all Ohioans," said Antonio after voting againt the state operating budget. "We had a chance to pursue a bipartisan budget in conference committee, but instead, we have proposed a partisan budget that fails to prioritize the needs of all Ohioans. This budget puts Ohio on a path that will leave behind those who are struggling the most to get ahead."

House Bill 33 creates universal school subsidies, slashes nearly $1 billion from Medicaid, and cuts taxes to the benefit of Ohio's wealthiest residents. Additionally, it contains a number of controversial policy provisions, including Senate Bill 1 to transfer most powers of the state Board of Education, which is comprised primarily of elected members, to a new executive agency, as well as Senate Bill 117 to create new centers for "conservative indoctrination" at five state universities.

House Bill 33 now heads to Gov. DeWine for his signature. The governor has line-item veto power and should properly use it, Antonio said.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.