Greetings!
I’m excited about the new year and hope you are too. For 2026, I remain focused on our district and what we need to continue making the place we call home, House District 16, one of the best places to live. I appreciate another year of service to you, listening to your needs and coming up with policy solutions.
I am looking forward to seeing you at our monthly community conversations and throughout the year at community events, like neighborhood meetings.
Please know I am listening, as your voice is necessary to ensure the needs of our community are being lifted up and fought for. As always, feel free to reach out with your thoughts about policies, community resources and the occasional compliment, by email at [email protected] or by phone at (517) 373-2576. I appreciate hearing from you!
Blessings,
Rep. Steph
Stephanie A. Young
State Representative
House District 16
Love Is The Work!
January Community Conversation Invite: SNAP! Claw Backs and More
Please join me for our first monthly community conversation of the new year! This month’s topic is: SNAP Update and Is Your Project Safe: Update on the Republican $645M Claw Back of previously approved and appropriated funding for critical programs at home and across the state.
We will meet virtually on Monday, Jan. 12, via Zoom, at 10 a.m. Join the Zoom Meeting here: bit.ly/RepStephCC. Meeting ID: 816 1636 8976. Passcode: 793305.
Updates on the $645M Republican Claw Backs at the End of 2025
Michigan promised dollars for kids with cancer, expecting moms and babies and folks suffering from hunger.
Instead, House Republicans stripped funding for critical programs to keep Michiganders fed, to increase infant health, and to help kids with cancer. House Republicans broke that promise and jerked that funding away.
My Democratic colleagues and I will continue to fight for critical work projects and seek transparency about the specifics of the claw backs, including project details from the State Budget Office.
IMPORTANT UPDATES ABOUT THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE POSTMARK
Did you know that last month, starting Dec. 24, 2025, the U.S. Postal Service now applies the postmark — the date stamp on your mail — when your mail is processed at a regional facility, not when you drop it in a mailbox or at a local post office?
This is important for a number of reasons, including the handling of time sensitive mail like your tax returns or bill payments, and mail-in ballots.
Here are a few steps you can take to help ensure your mail is sent off with an on-time postmark:
- Go inside the post office and ask for a manual postmark at the counter. This ensures the date matches when you handed it over.
- Use Certified Mail or Registered Mail for tracking and proof.
- Mail important items earlier than the deadline — don’t rely on last-minute drop-offs.
Important Updates about the Affordable Care Act
Enhanced premium tax credits enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic (8.5% cap, broader eligibility) expired on January 1 after Congress failed to extend them before the deadline. As a result, middle-income enrollees now face full unsubsidized premiums, increasing costs sharply.
Without the enhanced premium tax credits, the average annual premium is expected to increase from $888 in 2025 to $1,904 in 2026, according to the nonpartisan health policy research group, Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
In Michigan, an estimated 484,000 residents have benefited from those subsidies, according to the U.S. Joint Economic Committee. Without the tax credits, the committee estimated about 137,700 people could lose their ACA coverage.
Congressional action in January could restore subsidies; outcomes remain uncertain. My office will continue to monitor any changes. In the meantime, if you have experienced a substantial increase in your insurance premiums because of this, please share your story with me. We need to put a face to the detrimental impact this is having on Michiganders as we present our case for the need for these subsidies. Send your stories directly to me at [email protected]
Thank you!