“Couldn’t Have Been Happier:” Matt Hall Takes Victory Lap on Budget Cuts and $645M Project Freeze

Press Release

January 21, 2026

LANSING, Mich. — Speaker Matt Hall is taking a victory lap on Republican budget cuts and the freeze of $645 million in critical state project funding for children with cancer, sexual assault survivors, veterans, and first responders — calling it “waste,” saying he “couldn’t have been happier” with the cuts, and boasting that “it was exactly what I expected. It’s exactly the deal that I made.”

“When a leader celebrates taking help away from families in crisis, that tells you everything about his priorities,” said Amber Gantt, spokesperson for the Michigan House Democratic Fund. “Michigan families are worried about paying for groceries, health care, and housing — not cutting political deals. Families don’t feel ‘wins’ at the grocery store or the gas pump. They feel higher bills — and they deserve leaders who take that seriously.”

Just some of the critical programs impacted by Michigan Republicans’ budget cuts and funding freeze:

• $18.5 million from prenatal and infant support programs
• $3 million from local food assistance programs
• $368,000 from Michigan veterans and veteran-serving organizations
• Funding for children undergoing cancer treatment
• Funding for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence