[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E920]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING THE CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 26, 2018

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the City of 
Sterling Heights, Michigan, as it celebrates the 50th Anniversary of 
its founding. It is a privilege to represent the city, and I am honored 
to be attending the anniversary celebration on June 28th.
  During the mid-1950s, the booming auto industry in Michigan led the 
Big 3 automakers to build new auto plants outside of the City of 
Detroit. The Ford Motor Company and the Chrysler Corporation settled 
into what was then Sterling Township. Following this tremendous growth, 
auto workers relocated with their families to the township.
  After an initial effort to create a city charter fell short in 1966, 
a new charter commission favoring a City Management government was 
formed in 1968. On May 25, 1968, voters overwhelmingly passed the new 
city management charter, and the City of Sterling Heights was 
officially incorporated as a municipality on July 1, 1968.
  Today, Sterling Heights is the fourth largest city in Michigan, and 
has much to offer for both its residents and the surrounding 
communities. Sterling Heights is home to vibrant parks, including the 
newly renovated Dodge Park, where the anniversary celebration will be 
held, strong public schools, and a quality of life which has helped 
lead to its impressive population growth over the last several decades.
  Sterling Heights has long been a leader in celebrating diversity and 
inclusion. The City was one of the first ``Welcoming Cities'' in Macomb 
County, and has welcomed immigrants and refugees since its founding. 
The city hosts the American Polish Festival, to celebrate Sterling 
Heights rich Polish-American history. Sterling Heights is also home to 
rapidly-growing population of Iraqi Christians, known as Chaldeans, 
leading to the recent opening of a major Chaldean Community Center in 
the city. Over the years I have had the privilege of attending the 
Sterling Heights Cultural Exchange dinner and numerous other events 
celebrating the diversity of the City.
  Economic opportunity in Sterling Heights has been driven by a wide 
variety of industries, including auto, manufacturing, and defense. 
Fiat-Chrysler Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, the Fiat-Chrysler 
Stamping Plant, the Ford Van Dyke Transmission Plant, and the Ford Axle 
Plant employ thousands of skilled workers and help to anchor a strong 
manufacturing sector in the City. The Sterling Heights Regional Chamber 
of Commerce & Industry has become a leading business organization in 
Macomb County with more than 1,600 members. I am also proud to have 
been able to assist in appropriating more than 700,000 dollars in 
federal funding for the Macomb-Oakland University Incubator. The 
Macomb-OU Incubator in Sterling Heights supports economic development 
in the city, and more broadly in Southeast Michigan, by accelerating 
high-tech businesses and by encouraging innovation and research and 
development.
  On June 28, 2018, residents and leaders will gather to celebrate the 
past, present, and future of this great community, which was founded 50 
years ago. As the City of Sterling Heights commemorates this milestone, 
I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the leaders, 
residents, churches, businesses, and organizations that make this city 
so great. And I especially want to thank the residents of Sterling 
Heights who have provided me with the honor of representing them in 
Congress.

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