LANSING – Rep. Andy Dillon (D-Redford Township) today was sworn in as the 70th Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, pledging a new era of bipartisanship and a House that will be fully committed to giving Michigan's working families every opportunity to succeed in today's global economy.
"The people elected us to get the job done, not to advance personal and partisan agendas," Dillon said in his address opening the 94th session of the Legislature. "We can make a commitment right here and right now to lay the framework for a Michigan that we can be proud of – one where you can pursue a rewarding career that pays a wage that allows you to house, clothe and feed your family, get a world-class education, and have access to affordable healthcare, the arts and recreation."
Telling the chamber that Michigan is at a crossroads, Dillon pledged to lead a united House that will work tirelessly to give middle-class and working families every opportunity to succeed in today's high-tech economy.
"Never before in our lifetime has Michigan confronted so many challenges," Dillon said. "The bottom line: We have a lot of work to do."
Dillon said the House will move quickly to strengthen Michigan's working families by:
- Expanding access to affordable health care;
- Strengthening public schools and education;
- Fixing the state's structural deficit;
- Addressing Michigan's energy needs; and
- Making Michigan a magnet for 21st-Century jobs by rewarding those who invest in the state.
"None of these goals can be met unless we employ a bipartisan approach," Dillon said. "From the U.P. to Detroit, from Grand Rapids to Flint, we can unite for the sake of Michigan to fight for our common future together."
Democrats hold a 58-52 majority in the 94th Legislature.