State Rep. John Roth, R-Interlochen, today released the following statement of support after the House Oversight Committee voted to allow Chairman Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, to authorize a subpoena for Michigan Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel to testify before the committee. The order comes amid ongoing concerns related to the foster care system, welfare fraud, juvenile justice, and other issues under the department’s oversight.

“House Republicans have raised serious questions for months about troubling reports involving MDHHS — including children sleeping on floors, young people being placed in unvetted out-of-state facilities, instances of welfare and Medicaid fraud, and taxpayer-funded services being extended to individuals without legal status. These issues deserve a full and transparent review.

“Our goal has always been to work collaboratively behind the scenes to investigate these concerns, but unfortunately, we have not been able to secure the cooperation we had hoped for from the department. When a state department is unwilling to engage with the people’s representatives on matters this serious, we are left with no choice but to take further steps to obtain the information the public deserves.

“If Director Hertel is confident in the department’s direction, she should welcome the opportunity to address these questions directly. I look forward to hearing her perspective and having a candid conversation about how we can work together to improve services for Michigan families.”