WASHINGTON, D.C. — Both United States senators from Ohio have taken the lead on new legislation that would increase access to lead testing for children. Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican Rob Portman have both sponsored a bill that would guarantee lead testing for children that are enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

“According to the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, more than two-thirds of homes in Ohio are old enough to contain at least some lead-based paint,” Brown said during a conference call on Wednesday. “Most of those homes were built before I was born, and many of those homes have lead dangers.”

Joining Senator Brown on the call was Dr, Edward Barksdale, Jr., Surgeon-in-Chief at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, who stressed the importance of the bill due to the long-term health effects he has seen come from lead poisoning.

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