$39 Billion budget includes cash handouts and taxpayer-funded support for abortions

State Rep. John Roth on Tuesday demanded Senate Democrats rescind their 2026 budget proposal, which is riddled with wasteful programs and financial mismanagement. Roth, who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services, took particular issue with the Senate’s budget proposal for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), which adds nearly 100 new full-time employees and expands the department by more than $1.6 billion.

“MDHHS needs to realize that just because you hire someone to fill a cubicle three days a month – and sit at home in their pajamas for the rest of the time – doesn’t mean that person is doing a good job,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “People are having major issues with the services they receive from the state. MDHHS is having similar issues with hiring, with over 1,000 full-time positions vacant. It’s time to stop throwing money at the problem and start looking at the core reasons for failures within MDHHS.”

MDHHS has faced lawsuits for its treatment of kids in child protective services and the foster care system and criticism for undercounting the number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. Also, members of the public report continued issues with long wait times, confusing department requirements, and inconsistent communication from officials.

Roth added that, in his conversation with MDHHS, it’s become clear there are well over 1,000 unfilled positions within the nearly 16,000 full-time employees approved by the Legislature. The Senate MDHHS budget grows the department from over $37.6 billion last year to more than $39.3 billion in 2026.

The Senate MDHHS budget also includes several wasteful items that Roth called inappropriate. They include $18 million for unpaid water bill and medical debt bailouts, $58 million for cash handouts in low-income areas, and $10 million in taxpayer support for abortion expansion.

“Our roads and schools are falling apart, and Senate Democrats want to use taxpayer dollars on abortions and cash handouts,” Roth said. “This sort of wasteful spending isn’t going to fly. We’ve seen Democrats squander billions of our dollars in recent years. House Republicans are committed to stopping the bleeding. Our 2026 budget is going to prioritize the things that matter most – our schools, first responders, key infrastructure, education, and everything else that keeps our state moving in the right direction. Cherry-picked handouts and taxpayer-funded abortions aren’t going to make the cut.”

The overall Senate budget came in at $84.6 billion, more than $2 billion over the 2025 budget.

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