LANSING – State Representative Woodrow Stanley (D-Flint) today announced that House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.) has named him to both the Labor and Economic Development Committee and the Health Committee of the National Conferences of State Legislatures (NCSL). Stanley will join lawmakers from across the country to share ideas and pursue cooperation on policy issues.
"I will use this great honor as an opportunity to sell Michigan to the rest of the country," Stanley said. "We were the state that put the world on wheels, and while we've been knocked down, we're certainly not out. With the recent passage of our first-in-the-nation tax credits for advanced battery technologies and our efforts to attract emerging industries like renewable energy, we're poised to take advantage of our established manufacturing base and lead on economic development issues."
Stanley, a member of the House New Economy and Quality of Life Committee, was appointed to represent Michigan on the NCSL's Labor and Economic Development Committee, as well as the Health Committee. These committees are two of twelve standing committees for the NCSL, which meets three times a year to allow lawmakers from different states to share ideas on pressing state issues.
Founded in 1975, the NCSL is a bipartisan organization that provides research and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on problems facing states. The organization also advocates for state governments before Congress and other federal agencies.
"With the recent developments concerning labor contracts with GM and Chrysler – as well as the national effort to fight the H1N1 outbreak – these two committees will play a key role in state responses to these pressing issues," Stanley said. "Michigan is ground zero for many of the issues that will affect labor and health policy in the coming years, and we must ensure that Michigan has its say. I look forward to the opportunity to work with lawmakers from across the country to find ways to grow our economy and create jobs for our workers."