Representative Tom Barrett, Spending, 1 May 2025
From Representative Tom Barrett, 1 May 2025
Dear Dr. Jackson,
Thank you for reaching out to me regarding your opposition to the Trump administration's review of funding for federal agencies. I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with me.
Congress has the sole authority to appropriate funding. For years, however, federal agencies have misused vaguely appropriated funding to promote political agendas and support initiatives outside of the intended scope of authorized grant programs. In these instances, the President of the United States and federal agencies have the ability to redirect that funding and other authorized purposes.
I believe reviewing and rethinking these programs is a healthy and productive process that will ultimately achieve the worthy goal of reducing spending and saving you money. That’s why I am committed to working together with my colleagues in Congress, as well as the Trump administration, to cut wasteful spending and address any misplaced priorities. This can and should be done without causing panic for families, small businesses, and communities in mid-Michigan and across the country. Additionally, I will continue fighting to save and strengthen critical safety-net programs like Medicare and Social Security that are currently on a path towards bankruptcy.
As your representative, please know I will continue to closely monitor developments related to this issue and remain in contact with the administration to ensure any actions taken serve the best interests of Michigan’s 7th Congressional District. For regular updates on my work in Washington, D.C., I encourage you to subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here.
Sincerely,
Tom Barrett Member of Congress
Representative Barrett:
I am in possession of your letter dated 1 May 2025. Rather than addressing my specific concerns I am, once again, disappointed by the standard boilerplate response.
You claim that the Trump administrations evisceration of the federal budget is justified because, "federal agencies have misused vaguely appropriated funding to promote political agendas and support initiatives outside of the intended scope of authorized grant programs." This bald assertion is completely unjustified by any evidence in the public record. Scientific and medical research on childhood cancer and climate are not part of some "political agenda" but vital to the national interest of the country. Moreover, if funds are "vaguely appropriated," the solution to the problem is for Congress to do a better job in the appropriation process, not to surrender its authority to the executive branch to destroy programs on nothing more than their ideological whim.
You claim that the goal of Musk's chainsaw is the "worthy goal of reducing spending and saving you money." This is utter nonsense. The office of the Inspectors General already has the responsibility to do that, if the Trump's goal was really government efficiency, it would direct funding to those offices. Instead DOGE has recklessly cut the Inspectors General offices in order to enable the continuing grift of the Administration. So, please do not tell me that the Trump's goal has anything other than to undermine the foundation of our country.
You claim that the cuts can be done without "causing panic for families, small businesses, and communities in mid-Michigan and across the country." You can make this claim only because you are not holding town hall meetings in your district. If you would, you would see the panic. By the end of this month, our ports will be empty, shortages of goods will be widespread and prices will skyrocket. The good people of Michigan will blame you for allowing this to happen. You will never serve another term.
John Jackson