FOX56: Protesters March Through Scranton Urging Congressman Bresnahan To Protect Medicaid

October 8, 2025

Scranton, PENNSYLVANIA - On Monday, Affordable Pennsylvania, Unrig Our Economy, and Action Together NEPA launched Bresnahan’s Soaring Costs –  a new campaign that highlights Congressman Bresnahan's votes that have benefited his fellow wealthy elites over the working-class Pennsylvanians he represents and calls on him to prioritize lower costs for Pennsylvania families over tax breaks for billionaires and large corporations.

For the first action of this campaign, concerned constituents came together in downtown Scranton and visited the offices of Congressman Rob Bresnahan and Senator Dave McCormick to call on them to lower costs for NEPA families’ health care and end the government shutdown. This shutdown comes after a Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a funding bill last month that failed to reverse their devastating health care cuts for working families and permanently extend health care tax credits.

“I stand before you today as a seasoned nurse, a patient advocate, and a mother to tell you this - the vast majority of people on Medicaid are children. Medicaid is among the top 5 payers for most hospitals in the U.S. Can you imagine NEPA with fewer acute care beds?” asked local nurse Jennifer Graham Partyka. “Rob Bresnahan claims the only people affected by these cuts will be those abusing the system, but that’s a lie. They are gutting care working Pennsylvanians rely on for the benefit of billionaires who want for nothing. We call on Congressman Bresnahan to prioritize NEPA families and our care over tax breaks for the wealthy elite.”

ICYMI: FOX56: Protesters march through Scranton urging Congressman Bresnahan to protect Medicaid

• A group of protesters gathered in downtown Scranton, urging Congressman Rob Bresnahan to oppose proposed Medicaid cuts as the federal government remains shut down. Organized by Action Together NEPA, the demonstration marched from Courthouse Square to Bresnahan’s district office, advocating for the protection of affordable healthcare access.

• Grace Robinson, a college student benefiting from Medicaid, expressed concern over the potential cuts. "Because of Medicaid, I’m doing well. I was able to get the care I needed. I improved a lot and I am a college student. I’m working towards getting a job where I can actually provide for myself and have insurance and all these things, but with Medicaid cuts, all that is in jeopardy now," she said.

• Registered nurse Jennifer Partyka, with 30 years in healthcare and mother of a child who benefits from Medicaid, highlighted misconceptions about Medicaid. "The most glaring misconception is that waste, fraud, and abuse is an actual thing that patients are somehow reaping the benefit of. The people who get the money from Medicaid are the people who bill for it. The people who use Medicaid are sick Americans," she said.

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