Election 2026 · Public beta

Independent, source-first accountability

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Issue record

Federal spending and the debt

In short

McCann's campaign says Washington should be getting costs down, not exploding the debt. Huizenga's campaign calls the debt unsustainable and backs a balanced budget amendment. Barnett's campaign lists no position on this topic on the pages checked. On the record, Huizenga's debt proposals have had no vote, and the balanced budget amendments he backed did not pass; he voted for a 2025 law the Congressional Budget Office estimates adds $3.4 trillion to deficits through 2034.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

Sean McCann

He says Washington should be getting costs down, not exploding the national debt, and opposes "huge tax breaks to special interests".

Bill Huizenga

He calls the national debt unsustainable, wants wasteful programs cut and entitlements reformed while protecting current beneficiaries, and supports a balanced budget amendment.

Shafina Che Barnett

No position found on her campaign site, the Green Party's page for her or the public Facebook posts read October 1, 2026. Michigan Advance's voter guide prints no answers from her.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    Bill Huizenga: Matches stated direction

    He sponsored a 2025 fiscal commission bill and a 2026 deficit-target resolution, neither voted on, and voted for the 2025 law that CBO estimates adds $3.4 trillion to deficits through 2034.

    Read the full check

    Full detail

    His House website calls the deficit and the national debt unsustainable. He sponsored the Fiscal Commission Act (H.R. 3289) on May 8, 2025. It would set up a commission to find ways to cut the debt and deficit and bring the public debt to no more than 100 percent of GDP by fiscal 2039. On January 7, 2026 he sponsored H.Res. 981, which says Congress should set a target of cutting the deficit to 3 percent of GDP or less by the end of fiscal 2030. Both are still in committee. Limit: Neither has had a vote. He also voted for the 2025 tax and spending law (Public Law 119-21), which CBO estimates adds 3.4 trillion dollars to deficits over 2025-2034, relative to its January 2025 baseline.

  2. official action

    Bill Huizenga: Matches stated direction

    He voted for balanced budget amendments in 2011 and 2018, both of which fell short, and cosponsored another in 2024 that never left committee.

    Read the full check

    Full detail

    His House website says he strongly supports a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. He voted for a balanced budget amendment on November 18, 2011 and again on April 12, 2018. Both fell short of the two-thirds needed. He was an original cosponsor of another, H.J.Res. 113, in February 2024; it never left committee. Limit: None of these passed. This card tests support for the amendment, not his wider record on spending and deficits.

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Sources14 source records

How we use sources

  1. Meet Seanhttps://seanmccannforcongress.com/about/

    Sean McCann for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source, "Paid for by Sean McCann for Congress". The FEC lists this site for his committee. Biography and reasons for running.

    candidate statement

    For: Sean McCann: campaign position

  2. Issues: Budget and spendinghttps://huizenga.house.gov/issues/issue/?IssueID=23459

    Office of Rep. Bill Huizenga · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    His official House website's statement on the budget. Undated; it gives the national debt as more than 31 trillion dollars, a level passed in January 2023, so it was written no earlier than that.

    candidate statement

    For: Bill Huizenga: campaign position; Bill Huizenga: Matches stated direction

  3. Issueshttps://huizengaformichigan.com/issues/

    Huizenga for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source: five issue sections. The page carries no date.

    candidate statement

    For: Bill Huizenga: campaign position

  4. Shafina Barnett for Congress 4th District, home pagehttps://www.shafinabarnettforcongress4thdistrict.com/

    Shafina Barnett for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Her campaign site, linked from the Green Party's page for her. It lists four priorities. It carries no paid-for line, its other pages are empty or hold website-template text, and it names places in Macomb County, outside the 4th District.

    candidate statement

    For: Shafina Che Barnett: campaign position

  5. Shafina Che Barnett, 4th District U.S. Representative in Congresshttps://migreenparty.org/shafina-che-barnett-4th-district-u-s-representative-in-congress/

    Green Party of Michigan · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The party's candidate page: an email address, a Facebook link and a campaign website. No platform or biography.

    endorsement

    For: Shafina Che Barnett: campaign position

  6. Shafina Che’ Barnett for Congress, Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593105305814

    Shafina Barnett for Congress · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    Her campaign page, linked from the Green Party's page for her. Public posts were read without signing in on October 1, 2026. Posts show a month and day but no year.

    social profile

    For: Shafina Che Barnett: campaign position

  7. Voter Guide: U.S. House, 4th Districthttps://michiganadvance.com/voter-guides/contests/4th-district-representative-in-congress/

    Michigan Advance · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    Read October 1, 2026. It names her as on the ballot for the Green Party; its candidate sections cover only Huizenga and McCann. No date is shown.

    original reporting

    For: Shafina Che Barnett: campaign position

  8. H.R. 3289 (119th): Fiscal Commission Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3289

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor: Huizenga. Introduced May 8, 2025, with 42 cosponsors by October 2026; referred to the Budget and Rules Committees, no action since. Text: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr3289ih/html/BILLS-119hr3289ih.htm (section 3(a)(2)(A) sets the 100 percent of GDP by fiscal 2039 goal).

    official legislative record

    For: Bill Huizenga: Matches stated direction

  9. H.Res. 981 (119th): A 3 percent of GDP deficit targethttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-resolution/981

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor: Huizenga. Submitted January 7, 2026; referred to the Budget, Ways and Means and Rules Committees, no action since. Text: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hres981ih/html/BILLS-119hres981ih.htm (resolving clause 1 sets the target no later than the end of fiscal 2030).

    official legislative record

    For: Bill Huizenga: Matches stated direction

  10. House roll call 190 of 2025, H.R. 1 (119th)https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025190

    Clerk of the U.S. House · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Final House vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, concurring in the Senate amendment, July 3, 2025: 218-214. Huizenga: Aye. It became Public Law 119-21 on July 4, 2025.

    official legislative record

    For: Bill Huizenga: Matches stated direction

  11. Estimated Budgetary Effects of Public Law 119-21, Relative to CBO's January 2025 Baselinehttps://www.cbo.gov/publication/61570

    Congressional Budget Office · Published Jul 21, 2025 · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    CBO's cost estimate for the law as enacted: a 3.4 trillion dollar net increase in the deficit over 2025-2034, relative to its January 2025 baseline.

    official legislative record

    For: Bill Huizenga: Matches stated direction

  12. House roll call 858 of 2011, H.J.Res. 2 (112th)https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2011858

    Clerk of the U.S. House · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Balanced budget amendment, November 18, 2011: 261-165, short of the two-thirds needed. Huizenga: Yea.

    official legislative record

    For: Bill Huizenga: Matches stated direction

  13. House roll call 138 of 2018, H.J.Res. 2 (115th)https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2018138

    Clerk of the U.S. House · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Balanced budget amendment, April 12, 2018: 233-184, short of the two-thirds needed. Huizenga: Yea.

    official legislative record

    For: Bill Huizenga: Matches stated direction

  14. H.J.Res. 113 (118th): Proposing a balanced budget amendmenthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-joint-resolution/113

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor: Jodey Arrington. Huizenga an original cosponsor, February 7, 2024. Never left the Judiciary Committee.

    official legislative record

    For: Bill Huizenga: Matches stated direction