Tom Barrett Heads Home for Recess as Michiganders Struggle to Pay for Gas, Groceries, Utilities

Lansing, Mich. –  This week, Congressman Tom Barrett is headed back home to Michigan, where he’s not holding public events to answer for his failure to protect constituents from skyrocketing costs. Unfortunately for them, Trump’s war in Iran is sending gas and diesel prices through the roof, making everything from airfare to groceries more expensive. This comes after Republicans voted to gut energy production, taking clean energy projects offline at a time when energy demand and utility costs are exploding. 

Here are just a few ways Michiganders are worse off thanks to Trump and Barrett: 

• In the past month, the price of gas has increased by more than 30% in Michigan.
• Since Trump took office, average household electricity prices in Michigan have increased by 5.6%.
• Nearly 200,000 households in Michigan are behind on their utility bills, with an average debt of $865.
• Trump has jeopardized over 7,800 clean energy jobs and over $1.1 billion in investment in Michigan. 

Here are some questions Tom Barrett owes Michiganders answers to: 

• Why aren’t you holding public events for your constituents?
• What would you say to Michiganders who are struggling to pay for the rising cost of groceries, gas, and utilities – especially with Consumers Energy’s largest rate hike in decades last week? 
• What’s your response to the majority of Michiganders who don’t support Trump’s war in Iran?
• Why haven’t you stood up against President Trump’s war on clean energy in Michigan?

Republicans in Congress like Tom Barrett have voted to gut clean energy projects in their own districts that would have created jobs and protected Americans from global energy shocks. Meanwhile, Trump is bragging about making money off of the war and telling Americans to quit whining about soaring gas prices, leaving vulnerable Republicans scrambling to spin his disastrous economic agenda. 

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