Biography
Tom Barrett is in his first term as the U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District. He was born and raised in Michigan and learned the value of hard work and the importance of family by watching his dad work two jobs while his mom stayed home to raise him and his six siblings. As Tom was finishing high school, he decided to join the United States Army and serve his country. After graduation he took the first airplane ride of his life as he departed for Basic Combat Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Tom’s service in the military continued for 22 years, serving in the Iraq War, Guantanamo Bay, Kuwait, the Korean DMZ, and logging in more than 1,000 hours in some of the most advanced helicopters in the world. When Tom returned to Michigan, he was shocked to find so many veterans struggling to find opportunities back home. Michigan had the second highest veteran unemployment rate in the nation and Tom decided to act, running for the legislature and becoming a leading voice for veterans in Lansing. After eight years in the state legislature, Tom ran for Congress, and was one of only five Republicans nationally to flip a Democratic seat. He serves on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, the House Veterans Affairs Committee, and is chairman of the Technology Modernization Subcommittee. Tom attended Western Michigan University on the Montgomery GI Bill and graduated with honors in 2007. He lives in Charlotte with his wife, Ashley, and their four young children, Patrick, Eleanora, Gwendolyn, and Louis. Michigan’s 7th Congressional District includes all of Ingham, Clinton, Shiawassee, and Livingston Counties, most of Eaton County, and portions of Oakland and Genesee Counties.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives write and vote on federal laws, including the federal budget. Each represents one district and serves a two-year term. Tax bills must start in the House, only the House can impeach federal officials, and members oversee federal agencies through their committees.
