Capitol News

Congressman Tom Barrett, who represents Michigan's 7th congressional district, has recently posted a series of statements on his official X (formerly Twitter) account addressing ongoing political issues and community engagement.

On November 2, 2025, Barrett criticized Democratic lawmakers for their approach to the government shutdown. He wrote, "Clearly, no amount of pain or suffering will get through to the Democrats. Like @SenSchumer said, the longer this goes, the better it is for their political agenda. It’s the only leverage they have."

The following day, November 3, Barrett highlighted his visit to Morrice High School in Michigan. In his post he stated, "I enjoyed stopping by Morrice High School this week to meet with Mr. Jarrod Moore and his civics students, who recently wrote to me to share their thoughts on infrastructure and education. We had a great conversation about participating in our system of self-government, and I can".

Later that same day, Barrett addressed concerns over air traffic controllers working without pay during the government shutdown. He questioned Senate Democrats' willingness to resolve the situation: "Air traffic controllers in Michigan and across the nation are showing up to keep travelers safe even though they're not getting paid. How many paychecks do they need to miss before Senate Democrats decide it’s time to reopen the government?"

Government shutdowns in recent years have led federal employees—including air traffic controllers—to work without pay until funding is restored by Congress. These events often result from disagreements between parties over budget allocations or policy provisions.

Barrett's comments reflect ongoing partisan debates regarding responsibility for ending such shutdowns and highlight local efforts at civic engagement within his district.