• House Speaker Matt Hall declares emergency over despite ongoing health impacts on children
• Cuts eliminate funding for school psychologists, nurses, social workers serving affected students
• Move part of larger $645 million budget slash executed without Senate or governor approval

FLINT, MI (TDR) — Michigan House Republicans voted to block $8.3 million in funding allocated for programs supporting Flint water crisis victims, with GOP leaders declaring the decade-old emergency finished despite ongoing health impacts on exposed children. The cuts eliminate support services including psychologists, nurses, and counselors working with students affected by the 2014 lead contamination disaster.

Speaker Defends Cuts as Waste Elimination

Republican House Speaker Matt Hall justified the funding cancellation by characterizing the programs as wasteful spending on a resolved crisis. Hall stated the Flint drinking water emergency has ended, noting that even Governor Gretchen Whitmer acknowledged this fact, yet Democrats continued wanting to “squirrel away money” for the programs.

“The Flint drinking water emergency is over. Even Gov. Whitmer has acknowledged that, but yet they continue to want to fund it and squirrel away money for it. That isn’t happening.”

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10

The cuts were part of a larger $645 million budget slash executed through a rarely-used provision in the Management and Budget Act. The mechanism allowed House appropriators to unilaterally deny previously approved work project spending without Senate or gubernatorial approval, drawing accusations of corrupt abuse of power from Democrats.

Ongoing Health Impacts Ignored

The eliminated funding supported critical services for students experiencing long-term health effects from lead exposure. According to the Mayo Clinic, even low-level lead exposure causes cumulative damage over time, with children facing elevated risks for brain damage and kidney system impairment. Very high exposure levels can trigger seizures, unconsciousness, and death.

Flint water activist Melissa Mays described the cuts as worse than a slap in the face, calling them a stab in the back to the community. She emphasized that children continue struggling with learning disabilities while adults face behavioral challenges they should not have to endure.

Democrats Condemn Republican Action

State Senator John Cherry of Flint condemned the Republican action as cruel and shameful, emphasizing the harmful consequences for his constituents and residents statewide. The Democratic lawmaker argued that Flint residents and all Michiganders deserve better treatment than the unilateral funding elimination.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE THE DUPREE REPORT

Democratic Representative Jason Morgan characterized the move as corrupt, describing it as a completely untransparent process that bypassed normal legislative procedures and public input.

Broader Budget Cuts Impact State Programs

The Flint funding represented just a fraction of the $645 million in canceled spending affecting programs across Michigan. Additional cuts included $18.5 million for RxKids expansion, a program providing cash assistance to new and expecting mothers that started in Flint in 2024; $159 million for economic development programs; and $56,600 for wigs provided to cancer patients undergoing treatment.

Hall defended the sweeping cuts as necessary to force discussions about obtaining value for taxpayer dollars rather than allowing the Whitmer administration to carry funds over to the new fiscal year as work projects. He and House Appropriations Committee Chair Ann Bollin characterized state departments as maintaining slush funds while claiming their goal involved identifying waste, fraud, and abuse.

Some Republican lawmakers voiced concerns about the process and specific cuts. Representative Matthew Bierlein expressed disappointment in how the action occurred, particularly regarding funding slated for projects in his district including a Hemlock Semiconductor project that received $40 million in appropriations.

Will Michigan Democrats successfully restore funding for Flint water crisis recovery programs through new legislation, or will children affected by the contamination lose critical support services?

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10