For Immediate Release
May 22, 2025
Contact:
Laura Millard Ross
lauramr@mlpp.org
(517) 281-1084
League denounces passage of U.S. House budget bill that puts Michiganders’ lives on the line to give major tax breaks to the wealthy
Planned cuts to Medicaid and SNAP will strip health care and food away from hundreds of thousands of Michiganders
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statement today denouncing the U.S. House Republicans’ passage of a budget bill that could strip health care and food away from millions of Americans, including hundreds of thousands of Michiganders, in order to offset the cost of major tax giveaways for the wealthiest U.S. households and corporations. The statement can be attributed to League President and CEO Monique Stanton.
“This is ‘one big beautiful bill’ for millionaires and billionaires…not the rest of us. There is nothing beautiful about taking away food and health care from over half a million Michiganders and millions more around the country. Celebrating this bill means celebrating the loss of jobs, economic security and essential support systems in communities all around our state. People in our country, including those who call Michigan home, deserve so much better than this.”
“The U.S. House Republicans who voted for this unconscionable budget bill have effectively turned their backs on the people they are supposed to represent and are putting millions of lives at risk — all to further line the pockets of the wealthiest among us.
“The cuts to Medicaid will strip essential care away from an estimated 740,000 people in Michigan through harsh work requirements, while making it more difficult for many more of the 1 in 4 Michiganders who rely on Medicaid to afford the care they need through a plan to impose co-pays. And beyond these very real human costs, the cuts will more than likely force hospitals and other health care facilities — especially those in rural areas — to close their doors, resulting in accessibility issues and major job losses within our already-stretched-too-thin health care system. And our state economy will suffer as a result of reduced federal revenue, additional administrative costs due to new and unnecessary red tape requirements and restrictions on how Michigan raises money to pay for Medicaid. The far-reaching impact of these cuts will be felt not just by those who participate in Medicaid, but by every person in our state.
“Members of our Congressional delegation have heard loud and clear that the vast majority of Michiganders across political views and party affiliations — 83% — don’t want cuts to Medicaid, yet they are forging ahead with this reckless plan. Today’s vote was a huge slap in the face for their constituents. Lives will be put at risk as a result.
“Food insecurity among families in Michigan will also continue to spike as a result of the cuts to SNAP at a time when food banks are already struggling to keep up with community needs. More than 300,000 Michiganders could see their benefits reduced or taken away entirely as a result of the expanded work requirements, which will do nothing to help those who are out of work to find jobs faster. Taking food away from those who need it most, including children, will only result in worse outcomes in health, education and overall well-being. SNAP cuts will also impact grocery stores and Michigan’s agriculture industry — one of our state’s largest economic drivers.
“House Republicans have shown where their loyalty lies and it is not with the everyday, working people in our country. It’s with wealthy individuals, businesses and large corporations. Under this bill, the average tax filer earning $1 million or more would receive about $90,000 in tax breaks at the expense of life-saving programs like Medicaid and SNAP, while families earning less than $50,000 would get under $300 in tax cuts in 2027, amounting to less than a dollar a day. The tax cuts that families with low incomes will receive are negligible and will do nothing to help them considering the increased costs they will face if more tariffs are enacted and their health care and food is stripped away. And the expanded Child Tax Credit leaves 17 million children behind whose families earn too little, while the bill takes the credit completely away from 4.5 million citizen or legal permanent resident children by requiring both parents to have a Social Security number.
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on opportunity for all. Its mission is to advance economic security, racial equity, health and well-being for all people in Michigan through policy change. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
