LANSING – Upper Peninsula State Representatives Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard), Steve Lindberg (D-Marquette) and Mike Lahti (D-Hancock) today announced a bold agenda to tackle Michigan's challenges head-on and move the state in a new, positive direction. The plan includes reducing high health care costs, expanding educational opportunities and new policies that will attract investments in 21st century jobs.
"One of the best ways to move northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula forward is to create the best-educated workforce possible, turning us into a magnet for 21st century jobs," McDowell said. "Michigan's citizens called for change last November, and our plan will bring positive change to Michigan."
McDowell, Lindberg and Lahti said their health and education committees will be working on major reforms to health care and education in Michigan. They also laid out their vision for a six-point plan for the House. The plan will:
1. Fight the skyrocketing cost of health care.
"Making health care more accessible and more affordable is a top priority," Lindberg said. "Using our bulk-buying power will help us lower the cost of prescription drugs, which are draining the wallets of our citizens. No one should have to choose between buying groceries and paying for the life-saving medicines they need."
The plan includes proposals to lower health care costs and looking at a statewide catastrophic health care pool, as well as programs to bulk purchase prescription drugs and provide health care to more than 1 million uninsured Michigan workers.
2. Strengthen schools and open the doors of educational opportunities for all citizens.
"Our plan will create a highly skilled and well-trained workforce in Michigan," said Lahti. "Too many of Michigan's students are being educated here and going to work somewhere else. From skilled trades to high-tech jobs, we need to ensure that we find a place for everyone in an ever-changing job market. This can be accomplished by providing our young people with the skills they need to compete in a global economy so as to attract new businesses and help bolster our economy here at home in Michigan."
Two key education committees have been consolidated to help strengthen our schools. The New Economy Committee also will strengthen schools and build the best-trained, best-educated workforce. McDowell, Lindberg and Lahti propose expanding the Michigan Promise Grant to provide student loans to all Michigan residents looking to go beyond high school.
3. Address Michigan's energy needs.
The House will tackle the state's looming energy shortage and promote alternative energy and conservation. Work groups will convene to study ways to increase alternative energy in Michigan, and introduce proposals to address the groups' findings.
4. Protect Michigan's Great Lakes, and fight Canadian and out-of-state trash.
"The Great Lakes are a vital part of our economy," McDowell said. "Protecting our water isn't an option, it's a necessity. Our plan will help protect our Great Lakes water from being sold for profit and keep it here in Michigan, where it belongs."
McDowell and his colleagues want to stop big water bottling companies from shipping Great Lakes water and other sources of freshwater to other states and countries. Legislation has been introduced to curb Canadian and out-of-state trash. A range of proposals also will be pursued to attack the economics of the trash trade.
5. Strengthen consumer protections.
Legislation has been introduced to repeal Michigan's unfair and one-of-a-kind 1996 law that gives big drug companies total immunity when they sell drugs like Vioxx that harm or kill people, and to protect consumers from identity theft by ensuring consumers are informed of security breaches and increasing penalties against violators.
"For too long, the profits of drug companies have been put ahead of people," McDowell said. "It's time to end the drug industry's free ride here in Michigan."
6. Restore integrity to the House.
The proposals include banning public officials from lobbying for a year after they have left office; prohibiting conflicts of interest; requiring personal financial disclosures; and banning lawmakers from getting state grants.