FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
June 16, 2026
Contact: Levi Teitel, levi@progressmichigan.org
RFK Jr. Visiting Charlotte with Rep. Barrett to Cover Up Their Extreme Records on Healthcare
MICHIGAN – This morning U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is coming to Michigan’s Seventh Congressional District for an event hosted by a public policy organization controlled by Donald Trump’s political allies. The event, co-headlined with U.S. Representative Tom Barrett, is titled “Healthy America,” despite the Trump administration taking away healthcare from millions of Americans last year. In anticipation of today’s event, Justin Mendoza, MPH, executive director of Progress Michigan, issued the following statement:
“Having RFK Jr. and Tom Barrett co-headline an event about health is like having Kid Rock headline Electric Forest — it just doesn’t make any sense. Right now, Michigan families are facing a healthcare crisis of epic proportions because Congressional Republicans like Tom Barrett voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Now, 71 percent of Michigan Affordable Care Act plans saw premiums increase by 15 percent or more this year, and premiums jumped by 114 percent on average under these plans nationwide.
“The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress simply pulled the rug out beneath these people, and many are facing tough decisions about whether or not they’ll be able to put food on the table for their families or afford the care they need. For me, it’s personal. Before the Affordable Care Act lowered costs, my father racked up enough medical debt to avoid care for the rest of his life. He died a decade later from a preventable illness. With the actions of Congressional Republicans like Barrett and HHS Secretary RFK Jr, many folks are on track to be in the same boat as my father. That’s not making America healthy — it’s putting us all in danger and making our healthcare system even more precarious. Instead of gallivanting around with RFK Jr., maybe Rep. Barrett can chalk it up to experience and actually listen to the needs of his constituents.”
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