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Issue record

Veterans

In short

Lawrence's campaign says he will defend the VA against staff cuts and back veterans' housing and health care. Barrett's campaign cites his 22 Army years and his seat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Dedrick has no campaign site, and no position on this topic was found. On the record, Barrett's veterans benefits bill passed the House in May 2026 and sits in a Senate committee; as a state lawmaker, he sponsored five veterans laws.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

William Lawrence

He says he will defend the VA against staff cuts and work to make sure veterans have good housing and health care.

Tom Barrett

A 22-year Army veteran, he sits on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and sponsored the veterans benefits bill the House passed in May 2026.

Shane Dedrick

No position found. His one public statement found, at his party's April 25 convention, named workers' rights, the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. He has no campaign site, and the FEC lists no committee or website for him.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

    The House passed his bill 235-179 in May 2026 with his Guard and Reserve home buying bill inside it, and it now sits in a Senate committee.

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    His House office says the House passed his Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, and that it carries his Home Affordability for Guard and Reserve Act. Congress.gov lists him as sponsor of H.R. 6047. The House passed it on May 21, 2026, 235 to 179 (Roll Call 191), with his Yea. Section 5 of the House-passed text is the Home Affordability for Guard and Reserve Act, which he also sponsored as H.R. 7009. The Senate sent H.R. 6047 to its Veterans' Affairs Committee on June 2, where it remains. Limit: Passed by the House, not law. The benefit increases the release describes were not checked against the bill's text.

  2. official action

    Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

    He sponsored five veterans bills that became law and held two Senate committee posts on veterans' issues, but no record settles who counts as a leading voice.

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    Full detail

    His campaign says that after the Army he ran for the legislature and became a leading voice for veterans in Lansing. Michigan Legislature records list him as sponsor of veterans bills that became law in both chambers. In the House: HB 5332 of 2016, changing the state's definition of veteran (Public Act 199 of 2016), and HB 5725 of 2018, naming part of M-5 for Staff Sergeant Duane J. Dreasky (Public Act 547 of 2018). In the Senate: SB 125 of 2019, on unclaimed property of active-duty service members (Public Act 79 of 2020); SB 1110 of 2020, on the Michigan veterans' facility authority (Public Act 351 of 2020); and SB 25 of 2021, a state income tax deduction for disabled veterans whose student loans are forgiven (Public Act 120 of 2021). In the Senate he also chaired the budget subcommittee on Military and Veterans Affairs/State Police and was vice chair of the Families, Seniors and Veterans Committee (Senate Resolution 180 of 2022). Limit: Five enacted bills and two Senate committee posts show steady work on veterans' issues. "Leading voice" is a judgment no record settles. The Senate's tribute calls him "a voice for veterans", but a tribute is praise, not a record.

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Sources16 source records

How we use sources

  1. Platformhttps://wewill2026.com/platform/

    Friends of William Lawrence · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source, in his own words: nineteen sections. Undated. Its lines about his opponent are out of scope here.

    candidate statement

    For: William Lawrence: campaign position

  2. Senate Resolution No. 180 of 2022, a resolution of tribute for the Honorable Tom Barretthttps://legislature.mi.gov/documents/2021-2022/resolutionenrolled/Senate/htm/2022-SER-0180.htm

    Michigan Senate · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Enrolled tribute resolution, adopted by the Senate November 29, 2022, as he left the Senate. It records 22 years of Army service, retiring in 2022 as a Chief Warrant Officer 2; service in the House for the 71st District from 2015 to 2018 and in the Senate from 2019; that he chaired the Appropriations subcommittee on Military and Veterans Affairs/State Police and was vice chair of the Families, Seniors and Veterans Committee. A tribute resolution is ceremonial; its praise is not a record.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: campaign position; Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  3. Committees and Caucuseshttps://barrett.house.gov/about/committees-and-caucuses

    Office of Congressman Tom Barrett · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    His House office's list of his committees: Transportation and Infrastructure, and Veterans' Affairs, where he is chairman of the Technology Modernization subcommittee.

    candidate statement

    For: Tom Barrett: campaign position

  4. H.R. 6047, Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6047

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsored by Barrett, introduced November 17, 2025. Passed the House May 21, 2026; referred to the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee June 2, 2026. Section 5 of the House-passed text is the Home Affordability for Guard and Reserve Act.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: campaign position; Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  5. How an unknown candidate secured the Green Party nod in Michigan with minimal vettinghttps://www.wlns.com/your-local-election-hq/dedrick-michigan-congressional-race-controversy/

    WLNS 6 News (Brad LaPlante) · Published Aug 18, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    Quotes Dedrick's answers to delegates at the party's April 25 convention, which match the party's recording. Its reporting on his past donations and work is not used.

    original reporting

    For: Shane Dedrick: campaign position

  6. DEDRICK, SHANE, candidate H6MI07306https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H6MI07306/

    Federal Election Commission · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Candidate record: Green Party, House, Michigan 7th, 2026, with a Brighton address. No committee, no filings and no money raised as of October 1, 2026.

    fec filing

    For: Shane Dedrick: campaign position

  7. Candidateshttps://migreenparty.org/candidates/

    Green Party of Michigan · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The party's candidate page links profiles for its other House nominees; none for Dedrick, and a site search for his name returned nothing, October 1, 2026.

    endorsement

    For: Shane Dedrick: campaign position

  8. House Approves Barrett Legislation to Deliver Historic Benefit Increase for Wounded Veteranshttps://barrett.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-approves-barrett-legislation-deliver-historic-benefit-increase-wounded

    Office of Congressman Tom Barrett · Published May 21, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    His House office's release, in his own words where quoted.

    candidate statement

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  9. Roll Call 191, H.R. 6047, Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, on passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2026191

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

    Recorded vote of May 21, 2026. Passed 235 to 179. Barrett's vote read from the Clerk's roll-call XML by his member ID, B001321.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  10. H.R. 7009, Home Affordability for Guard and Reserve Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7009

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsored by Barrett, introduced January 12, 2026.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  11. Tom Barrett for Congress, home pagehttps://www.tombarrettforcongress.com/

    Tom Barrett for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source, the committee's filed website. A biography and links to X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube (@tombarrettmi7). It states no issue positions; his positions come from his House office.

    candidate statement

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  12. House Bill 5332 of 2016 (Public Act 199 of 2016)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2016-HB-5332

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor Tom Barrett (District 71). Modifies the state's definition of veteran. Approved by the governor June 21, 2016.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  13. House Bill 5725 of 2018 (Public Act 547 of 2018)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2018-HB-5725

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor Tom Barrett (District 71). Names part of M-5 the Staff Sergeant Duane J. Dreasky Memorial Highway. Approved December 27, 2018.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  14. Senate Bill 125 of 2019 (Public Act 79 of 2020)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2019-SB-0125

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor Tom Barrett (District 24). Unclaimed property of active-duty service members. Approved April 2, 2020.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  15. Senate Bill 1110 of 2020 (Public Act 351 of 2020)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2020-SB-1110

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor Tom Barrett (District 24). Michigan veterans' facility authority. Approved December 30, 2020.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  16. Senate Bill 25 of 2021 (Public Act 120 of 2021)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2021-SB-0025

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor Tom Barrett (District 24). State income tax deduction for student loan forgiveness for disabled veterans. Approved December 7, 2021.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction