North Michigan News

Rep. Jack Bergman, who has represented Michigan’s 1st district in the U.S. Congress since 2017, posted a series of statements on social media regarding the impending government shutdown and legislative efforts to address congressional accountability.

On September 30, 2025, Bergman wrote, "Republicans in the House and Senate don’t want a shutdown. President Trump doesn’t want a shutdown. The American people don’t want a shutdown. It’s time to put our country first, end this chaos, and keep the government open."

Later that evening, he attributed blame for the potential shutdown to Democratic lawmakers: "Because of Democrats’ games, we are just hours away from a Schumer Shutdown. Republicans in the House passed a clean CR to keep the government open - Democrats rejected it because they didn’t get their $1.5 trillion left wing wish list." This statement was made as Congress approached a deadline to fund federal operations.

The following day, October 1, Bergman addressed what he described as recurring "shutdown tantrums" in Congress: "It’s simple: Congress throws shutdown tantrums because there are no consequences. That has to stop. I joined @RepRalphNorman and introduced legislation that says if Members shut down the government, they don’t get paid - and they don’t get back pay either."

Bergman is currently serving his constituents from Watersmeet, Michigan; he was born in Shakopee, Minnesota in 1947 and holds degrees from Gustavus Adolphus College and the University of West Florida. He succeeded Dan Benishek in representing Michigan's 1st District beginning in 2017.