Barrett Introduces 4 Bills to Restore Trust in Government, the First Pillar of His Blueprint for a Better America

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07) today announced a sweeping package of government reform legislation to begin building out the first pillar of his Blueprint for a Better America — Restoring Trust in Government. The bills and constitutional amendments Barrett announced today aim to reverse the decline of trust in government by restricting the frequency of redistricting, increasing oversight of federal agencies, and preserving judicial independence. 

The package of legislation builds on the first government reform bill Barrett announced last week, which would ban stock trading by members of Congress. Barrett’s plan takes serious action to ensure the federal government prioritizes the public interest over political gain.

“For too long, the American people have watched as their government works to serve career politicians and the well-connected rather than everyday families,” said Barrett. “These reforms are about returning power to where it belongs — with the people. That's the foundation we need to rebuild in order to restore trust and make Washington work again.”

Barrett announced the following proposals within his plan to Restore Trust in Government.

• Make It Count Act (H.R. 7167): This bill Barrett introduced would limit congressional redistricting to once every 10 years — after each census — prohibiting state officials from redrawing congressional districts for partisan advantage in the middle of the decade. The bill would also require that only U.S. citizens are counted toward district apportionment and electoral votes. The census would still count all persons for other purposes.

• Supermajority Statehood Amendment (H.J.Res. 141): This constitutional amendment Barrett is leading would require a two-thirds supermajority in both chambers of Congress to add a new state to the union, blocking politically motivated attempts to add states for the purpose of gaining an advantage in the Senate or Electoral College. Currently, the Constitution only requires a simple majority to add states to the union.

• Keep the Nine Amendment (H.J.Res. 28): This constitutional amendment Barrett is co-sponsoring would require that the Supreme Court of the United States be composed of nine justices. The high court has had nine justices by law for more than 150 years, and the constitutional amendment would block future attempts to pack the court for partisan advantage.

• The Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act (H.R. 143): This bill Barrett is co-sponsoring would automatically phase out any federal spending on programs that aren’t explicitly authorized by Congress after three years. It would also require any reauthorizations of these programs to include a sunset clause. This requires Congress to reclaim the power of the purse by routinely scrutinizing and updating federal government programs.

About Barrett’s Blueprint for a Better America
Restoring Trust in Government is the first of five pillars of Barrett’s Blueprint for a Better America. The Congressman will continue to unveil additional proposals in the coming weeks to address all of the five key policy areas this agenda is built on:

• Restoring Trust in Government: Making Government Serve the People, Not Special Interests

• Reviving the American Dream: Helping Families Afford Homes in Mid-Michigan

• Making Health Care Affordable Again: Lowering Costs for Working Families

• Recalibrating American Foreign Policy: Ending Endless Wars and Promoting Peace Through Strength

• Reforming Campaign Finance: Putting Governing Before Campaigning

To learn more, click here or visit Barrett.house.gov/reform.

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