The day began with a roundtable discussion with NYSUT President Melinda Person, Mannion, and eight regional local leaders representing higher education, public hospitals and K-12 schools. “I want to give some of our leaders an opportunity to talk about how the federal government can provide support for vital resources in their region,” said Person of the many concerns facing those constituencies.

UUP President Fred Kowal noted that “Upstate [Medical University] is the only poison control and burn center for 22 upstate counties,” but has faced funding cuts for nearly 20 years, hamstringing providers’ abilities to provide care and train the next generation of professionals.

Mannion pledged his support for increased funding saying, “the federal government must acknowledge that our public universities and hospitals are essential to making sure that everyone has access to healthcare.” He advocated for loan forgiveness programs to attract healthcare staff and stressed the importance of robust Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates to keep facilities strong.

Matt Smith, UUP chapter leader at SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, advocated for keeping public higher ed affordable, noting that SUNY allowed him to earn his degrees and pursue a better life. “Disinvestment means I can’t provide my students the same level of service I received … and that’s just morally reprehensible.”

Thanking Mannion for his efforts to overhaul state testing and bring Micron’s investment to the region, Nicole Capsello, Syracuse Teachers Association president, asked “Once you take that leap into Congress how will you ensure that this kind of success spreads?”

Mannion affirmed his support for common-sense testing and programs that provide opportunities for career exploration and highlighted the value his classroom experience would bring to Washington. “The test-and-punish dynamic is ineffective, and I understand the impact of No Child Left Behind and ESSA — we’ve got to do better,” he said. “Part of the reason Micron is coming here is because of our amazing public schools and public higher ed … we need to continue that at the federal level so we can meet our workforce needs.”