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Dear Neighbor, Earlier this week, House Republicans passed House Bill 4706, an omnibus budget combining multiple department budgets into a single bill. Introduced nearly two months past the statutory deadline and without the usual committee process, the proposal makes significant reductions to core state services, including public health, housing and human services. It now moves to negotiations with the Senate and the governor ahead of the new fiscal year beginning on October 1.
From my perspective, this omnibus budget is not a reflection of Michigan’s values or the needs of my constituents. We cannot balance this budget by pulling support from the care that keeps families healthy and communities stable. As the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Medicaid and Behavioral Health, the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee for Military and Veterans Affairs and a former chair of the Health Policy Committee, I am deeply concerned about the reductions and uncertainty in Medicaid, behavioral health and public health. In my view, these choices put babies and children at risk of losing preventive care, set back maternal health, make it harder for seniors to age with care and strain the providers who serve our communities every day.
Public health is the quiet work that keeps Michigan running. It keeps drinking water safe, tracks and stops outbreaks, supports vaccinations, protects maternal and infant health and helps people get mental health and family planning services before problems become crises. When we cut public health, we all feel it, directly or indirectly: more missed school days, more ER visits, higher costs for families and employers and more pressure on rural and urban hospitals. Strong public health keeps kids in school, workers on the job and our economy steady.
I opposed this bill because I believe Michigan can do better. I look forward to working with my colleagues in both chambers and the governor to negotiate a budget that is transparent, balanced and focused on what matters: strong schools, accessible health care, safe communities and an economy that works for every family.
Sincerely,
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Julie M. Rogers |