[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 4 (Monday, January 8, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E11-E12]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    MACOMB COUNTY 200TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 8, 2018

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 200th 
Anniversary of the founding of Macomb County, Michigan. Residents and 
leaders of Macomb County will kick off a series of bicentennial 
celebrations on January 10, 2018. I have been privileged to represent 
major portions of Macomb County for over 25 years and to have played a 
role in so many efforts vital to the economic interests of its 
residents, and in many other facets important to their lives.
  Macomb County's first residents were immigrants attracted to Michigan 
by the fur trade.

[[Page E12]]

It was organized on January 15, 1818, and was the third county created 
in what was then the Michigan territory. It was named for General 
Alexander Macomb, a native of Detroit who commanded U.S. Army troops in 
defeating the British in Plattsburgh, NY during the War of 1812. 
General Macomb later became the commanding general of the U.S. Army.
  Economic opportunity has driven the growth of Macomb County ever 
since, and with more than 18,000 businesses, Macomb County is a leader 
in a wide array of industries, including the auto industry, defense, 
advanced manufacturing, health care, agriculture, and many more.
  Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler employ 35,000 people at 10 
facilities in Macomb County, and 460 companies in Macomb provide 
products and services for the auto industry. The effort beginning in 
2009 to save the domestic auto industry, in which my Michigan 
colleagues in the Congress and I were deeply involved, was critically 
important to the country, and was deeply essential to the well-being of 
Macomb County and its people.
  The vital role Macomb County has played in our nation's defense was 
prominently displayed to the world during World War II, when the 
Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant, located in Warren, MI produced a quarter of 
the tanks used in the war. Due to the efforts of federal, state, and 
local leaders, Macomb County has become an increasingly important 
center for the defense sector. Today, with strong support from us in 
Congress, the U.S. Army's TACOM Life Cycle Management Command; Tank and 
Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC); 
Selfridge Air National Guard Base; and the Michigan Defense Center are 
all major drivers of Macomb County's economy while contributing to the 
strength of our country.
  As important as businesses are to Macomb County, its vitality rests 
on its more than 867,000 people. Macomb County residents take pride in 
their communities and are constantly engaged in making them even 
stronger. They value the 22 strong elementary and secondary school 
districts in the County, as well as Macomb Community College, 
recognized as one of the finest community colleges in the nation. They 
appreciate the important role that water resources including Lake St. 
Clair and the Clinton River play in the County's quality of life, as 
well as in its economy. And as Macomb County continues to grow, they 
join with elected leaders in welcoming new residents, whether they come 
from other communities in Southeast Michigan or from other countries, 
such as Iraq, India, Albania, Mexico, Lebanon, Yemen, Bangladesh, and 
many others. This is why leadership of Macomb County created and 
implemented the successful ``OneMacomb'' program, which promotes 
multiculturalism and inclusiveness as the County's population becomes 
increasingly diverse.
  Mr. Speaker, since its inception 200 years ago, Macomb County has 
made immeasurable contributions to the Metro Detroit region, to the 
entire State of Michigan, and to our country. I encourage my colleagues 
to join me in celebrating Macomb County's bicentennial and in 
congratulating the people of Macomb County on this important historical 
milestone.

                          ____________________