Reps. Ward, Accavitti, Ball, Farhat, Gleason, Gosselin, Hansen, Jones, Lemmons, III, Marleau, Meyer, Mortimer, Pearce, Stahl, Stakoe, Tobocman and Vander Veen offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 165.

            A resolution to memorialize the President and the Congress of the United States to support policies that protect and encourage the cultural autonomy of the people of Macedonia.

            Whereas, In 1991, 95 percent of the voters of Macedonia voted for independence from Yugoslavia.

            Whereas, In 1993, the Republic of Macedonia became a member of the United Nations; and

            Whereas, In 1994, the United States of America recognized the Republic of Macedonia as a sovereign state, and the Republic of Macedonia was recently cited and honored by President Bush and the United States Department of State for its support in the war with Iraq; and

            Whereas, There is a large contingency of Macedonians living throughout the United States; and

            Whereas, Macedonians began to immigrate to Michigan in the late 1800s and continue to relocate and flourish here with a strong community ethic; and

            Whereas, There are more than 60,000 Macedonians now living throughout Michigan; and

            Whereas, The first, second, third, and fourth generation Macedonians living in Michigan are a positive force contributing to the economic, cultural, and educational basis of this state; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the President and the Congress of the United States to support policies that protect and encourage the cultural autonomy of the people of Macedonia, including the rights of Macedonians living throughout the Balkans to speak their language, to attend schools and churches offered in their language, to practice their customs, to be able to call themselves Macedonians, and to be granted all the civil and human rights required by international law; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be presented to the Office of the President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.