[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 16, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL ROSEN

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 16, 2017

  Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Michael Rosen 
who was an economics professor at Milwaukee Area Technical College 
(MATC) for 29 years. He is president of MATC's faculty and staff union, 
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 212 and is the longest-
serving President in Local 212's proud history. He is retiring on May 
31, 2017.
  Dr. Rosen received his BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, 
the school which both his parents attended. He received both his 
Masters and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has 
fought for public education at all levels from K-12 through higher 
education. Dr. Rosen is a prominent critic of for-profit colleges and 
helped draft Milwaukee's groundbreaking legislation that denies for-
profit colleges city subsidies. Dr. Rosen has authored a number of 
studies on the labor market, trade, taxation and economic issues and is 
a nationally recognized expert on the automobile industry. Dr. Rosen 
brought an unprecedented level of activism and awareness to AFT, Local 
212 in order to insure excellent representation and contracts for their 
members. However, he also led Local 212 with compassion and a 
cooperative spirit, during the Great Recession the union gave back a 
previously-negotiated raise to allow MATC to serve more students, 
calling it a ``$5 million investment in our students.''
  He has served on numerous boards, commissions, and councils over the 
years including: AFT-Wisconsin Executive Board, the President's Cabinet 
for the MATC Promise, the C4 board of Voces de la Frontera which is 
Wisconsin's largest immigrant workers' rights organization, Wisconsin 
Technical College System Board, the Wisconsin Regional Training 
Partnership Board, the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership, 
the Mayor's Task Force on Tax Incremental Financing Districts and 
Milwaukee's African American Employment Task force. Dr. Rosen has been 
a frequent commentator on Milwaukee and Wisconsin Public Radio and 
Milwaukee Public Television on economic issues and international trade 
and was a frequent contributor to Milwaukee Public Television's Fourth 
Street Forum and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  I am grateful to have had the opportunity to know and work with 
Michael for over 30 years. Michael has provided invaluable counsel and 
support over the years to me, other elected officials and community 
leaders. I have truly appreciated his candor and clear moral compass; 
he has truly stood for justice for all. I am so sorry I am unable to 
join him, his family, friends and colleagues at his retirement dinner 
celebration on May 25, 2017. However, I wish him much success as he 
transitions into a different phase of his life with more time to spend 
with his wife Glorie and children Corrine, Jesse, and Gina, stepson 
Miguel, stepdaughter-in-Iaw Kelley and foster daughter Lila.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Michael and I am proud to call him 
friend. The citizens of the Fourth Congressional District and the State 
of Wisconsin are privileged to have someone of his ability and 
dedicated service working on their behalf for so many years. I am 
honored for these reasons to pay tribute to Michael Rosen.

                          ____________________