ICYMI: Husted hears from workers, small businesses, educators, health care workers across Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) has been meeting with Ohio workers, small business owners, educators and health care workers in Findlay, Toledo, Marietta, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and Akron, Ohio. 

“Listening to and learning from employers, workers and educators about issues they face allows me to better represent them and their values in Congress. It’s my goal to bring Ohio values to Washington as we work to make the American Dream more affordable and accessible to every Ohioan. Spending time with Ohioans is an essential part of representing our state in the U.S. Senate,” said Husted. 

ICYMI: Listen to Husted discuss his visits with local radio here.

Strengthening Ohio’s workforce

Husted visited several educational institutions that are expanding access to quality job training and high-paying careers, including Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Sinclair College, Ohio University and Washington State College of Ohio. The expansion of Pell Grants to include short-term career certifications puts career education within reach for more low-income Ohioans who may lack the time and financial resources to pursue a college degree.

“Throughout my visits, we discussed a common theme: how to set Ohioans on a path towards good jobs and rewarding careers—without the cost of the traditional college route. The Workforce Pell Grants that I helped pass into law this summer will help provide affordable career training for more workers to fill the jobs Ohio industries are creating. Employers today often need skills more than degrees, and these schools are working diligently to equip Ohioans for in-demand careers,” said Husted.

“After years of determined advocacy, community colleges across the nation are celebrating a long-awaited breakthrough: Workforce Pell Grants are now law,” said Dr.Jo Alice Blondin, president of Clark State College, ahead of Husted’s visits.

“This is a change that will help thousands of Ohioans gain the skills they need to launch rewarding, in-demand careers. We’re especially proud that Ohio played a key role in this achievement. Senator Jon Husted, newly appointed to his seat earlier this year, provided leadership on the Senate HELP Committee that was instrumental in advancing this important policy. Senator Husted’s leadership comes as no surprise to those of us in education and workforce development,” she added.

“The inclusion of Workforce Pell in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a major win for Ohio community colleges, students, and employers. For years, community colleges have advocated for the creation of Workforce Pell Grants to ensure short-term, high-quality training programs are eligible for federal financial aid. These programs help students quickly gain the skills and credentials they need to secure in-demand jobs, and expanding access to financial aid will open the door for more learners to benefit. We’re especially grateful to Sen. Jon Husted, whose role on the Senate HELP Committee was critical to advancing this provision,” said Sandy Barber, who chairs the Ohio Association of Community Colleges.

These visits build on Husted’s support for expanding access to affordable job training and well-paying jobs through his work on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

ICYMI: View local coverage of these community college visits here.

Supporting local businesses and employees

Husted met with Ohio small business owners and workers, including Dorr Street Cafeemployees, Diestsch Brothers Chocolates & Ice Cream team members, Washington County and Hancock County business leaders, Dayton Area Chamber members, Ohio Teamsters members and Eramet Marietta Inc. workers, to hear directly about their experiences in Ohio industry.

“Hardworking Ohioans deserve to keep more of what they earn, and that’s exactly why I supported the working families tax cuts package. Making no tax on tips and no tax on overtime a reality helps workers and their families. At the same time, giving businesses tax certainty and more ways to invest in their future and their employees supports good Ohio jobs,” said Husted.

ICYMI: View local coverage of Husted’s visits with job creators and workers here.

Fighting for rural hospitals

Husted visited Blanchard Valley Hospital in Findlay, Ohio to tour its facility and discuss how the budget law’s rural health care transformation fund will support Ohio’s rural hospitals and the patients they serve.

“Many Ohioans who live in rural parts of the state rely on the care they receive from rural hospitals. These important facilities are making health care accessible, and that’s why I worked so hard to support rural providers and boost their Medicaid funding,” said Husted.

“During my conversation with Senator Husted, his message was clear: rural doesn’t mean forgotten. He came not with prepackaged solutions but with questions, curiosity, and an open ear. That kind of leadership is rare—and it’s what we need more of,” said Myron Lewis, president and CEO of Memorial Health System, after Husted’s meetings at the Findlay hospital.

Ahead of Husted’s visit to rural health care providers, Scott Cantley, the president and CEO of Memorial Health System, wrote, “I feel compelled to expand upon how historic this investment is for our rural hospitals.”

“I am proud that Ohio’s U.S. Senators, Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno, showed exactly what effective, principled leadership looks like in the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ process. They worked to secure vital changes that will allow my hospital in rural Ohio to be fairly compensated for its high levels of treatment of folks on Medicaid, and to avoid devastating cuts that would have resulted in closed hospital doors in rural Ohio. Through the senators’ efforts in Washington, they helped ensure critical provisions were added to the bill that will drive record levels of Medicaid and federal spending on health care to my community,” he continued.

“Let me say that again: this bill will send more federal investment into health care in my community than we have ever seen before. My community will feel the benefit every time a child gets life-saving care close to home, every time a local nurse keeps his or her job and every time a hospital’s doors stay open—thanks to Ohio’s U.S. Senators,” Cantley added.

Support for Husted’s work creating the rural health care transformation fund spans the state, from Findlay, to Marietta, to Dayton.

“I want to express heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made this possible, starting with Senator Jon Husted. His leadership was instrumental in shaping and advancing this legislation. Because of his efforts—and the collective will of so many others—Ohio is now poised to receive more than $10 billion in additional healthcare funding over the next several years. That’s not just a number. That’s a lifeline for the families, nurses, and physicians who rely on and deliver care every day,” said Mike Riordan, president and CEO of Premier Health.

ICYMI: View local coverage of Husted’s time with rural health providers here.

Fighting human trafficking

Husted spent time in Akron, Ohio with the Summit County Collaborative Against Human Trafficking to discuss his work to fight labor trafficking in Ohio.

“Human trafficking is not a partisan issue. It’s a human tragedy, and that’s why I’m leading a bipartisan solution to rescue more victims and bring their abusers to justice. Because these crimes often go unrecognized, my bill would help Labor Department officials spot the signs of human trafficking and alert law enforcement to potential abuse,” explained Husted.

Husted’s bill, the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, would direct the Department of Labor to train its employees to identify human trafficking as they encounter it at job sites and refer suspected trafficking crimes to law enforcement.

ICYMI: View local coverage of Husted’s work with anti-trafficking leaders here.