Reps. Valentine, Ball, Barnett, Terry Brown, Caul, Constan, Cushingberry, Dean, Durhal, Geiss, Gonzales, Griffin, Hammel, Rick Jones, Robert Jones, Lahti, LeBlanc, Lemmons, Lipton, Liss, Lori, Miller, Neumann, Pearce, Polidori, Rocca, Roy Schmidt, Sheltrown, Spade, Switalski, Tyler and Leland offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 52.

A resolution honoring the 25th anniversary of MEA-Retired.

Whereas, Michigan Education Association-Retried (MEA-Retired) is celebrating its 25th anniversary as an organization of retired public school employees who remain exceptionally passionate about the cause of public education in our state; and

Whereas, After many years of advocacy for quality school employee retirement benefits through a variety of organizations and arrangements, the Michigan Education Association and the National Education Association formally created their respective retired organizations in the 1980s; and

Whereas, MEA-Retired's membership has grown to more than 40,000 members, including both retired and active school employees; and

Whereas, The legislative and political action of MEA-Retired is a critical component of MEA's overall success in advocating both for a quality education for all Michigan students and for quality work environments and retirement benefits for all public school employees; and

Whereas, MEA-Retired's leadership in the MEA Scholarship program has helped extend the hope and promise of a college education to hundreds of worthy students over the past decade; and

Whereas, The guidance and experience of MEA-Retired's elected leadership continues to provide sage counsel to those who have picked up the mantle of MEA leadership; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Michigan House of Representatives salutes MEA-Retired on the occasion of its 25th anniversary; and be it further

Resolved, That the MEA members value the continuing commitment of retired public school employees to ensuring an outstanding public education for Michigan's students.