LANSING — Following the confusion on Donald Trump’s disastrous federal funding freeze, Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party Lavora Barnes released the following statement: 

“The chaos this has wrought on Michigan veterans, working families, police officers, nurses, students, and cities across the state has been devastating — and all at the behest of the billionaire class. No one should be playing games with real people’s lives, not knowing if they could pay rent or put food on the table. Trump has shown once again that he does not care what his agenda does to working Michiganders as long as it lines the pockets of billionaires. Let’s not forget, funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the infrastructure bill remain in limbo— leaving thousands of jobs at risk.”

Michigan leaders across the state have been calling out Trump’s cruel back and forth over the federal grants and funding freeze that would ruin middle-class families. Education funding, infrastructure, law enforcement, veterans, opioid treatment, and food and housing assistance all were held hostage by Trump’s extremist agenda. 

This isn’t about party, this is about the millions of Michiganders who rely on the programs, community grants, jobs, and support from that money that Trump has decided to play games with. 

Check out what just a few Michiganders had to say about this: 

WXYZ

• U.S. Army veteran Lawrence Gary on Trump’s attacks on veterans’ services: “I’ve always said that (veterans) should be taken care of, and the ball has been dropped. And now, it’s not being dropped, it’s being kicked…Coming from a veteran’s perspective, they’re depending on these programs, they’re depending on some of those grants and loans. I don’t mean they want this — I mean they are depending on it.”

Detroit Free Press

• Senator Elissa Slotkin on harm to Michiganders: “The Trump administration’s unilateral move to block thousands of federal programs is clearly unlawful. This isn’t a wonky, Washington conversation — there are real, actual effects that will harm Michigan and put a hold on federal dollars that were already awarded.”
• Michigan Nonprofit Association President and CEO Kelley Kuhn on disruption to nonprofits: “This reckless action by the administration could have serious consequences for nonprofit organizations and the people they serve.”

Detroit News

• Sterling Heights Mayor Michael C. Taylor on defunding critical local services: “The City of Sterling Heights, like most communities, relies on federal funding to provide critical services to our residents. This pause, and potential cut, in previously promised funding will directly impact our ability to provide those services…The Community Development Block Grant program is threatened — a program that for over 50 years, has provided funding to assist the most vulnerable residents of our community.”

Midland Daily News 

• Senior Services Executive Director Charlie Schwedler on attacking senior Michiganders: “This is an extremely difficult situation for many organizations, ours included. We get that money through the Older Americans act. That’s in the law. It’s money that goes towards Meals on Wheels, transportation, care coordination, many things. It is absolutely necessary funding for us.”
• State Budget Director Jen Flood on attacking infrastructure: “Federal funding is critical to protecting the health and safety of all Michiganders—ensuring drinking water is clean and food is safe, keeping people in their homes and the power on, and funding homeland security and emergency management.”