Greenwood Responds to Governor’s Budget Address, Highlights Need to Focus on Health Care Access

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – State Rep. Latoya Greenwood, D-East St. Louis, issued the following statement Wednesday in response to the governor’s budget address:

“As our state continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s essential to work toward a bipartisan, balanced budget that works for all Illinoisans. While the governor’s address is just the start of a longer process, it is clear that we need to prioritize investment in affordable and accessible health care. As chair of the House Health Care Access and Availability Committee, I look forward to leading the fight to ensure that no one gets left behind.

“The pandemic has exposed the inequities that exist in our healthcare system and how free and accessible testing can help mitigate the spread of highly contagious viruses such as COVID-19. To ensure the short-term and long-term health of residents, health care needs to be at the forefront of budget negotiations. By doing everything we can to limit the spread of the coronavirus and ensuring residents have access to a safe vaccine, we can then more effectively begin to focus on fully reopening our economy and reinvesting in our communities.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the governor’s office to achieve a balanced, responsible and fair budget.”