[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 48 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 48

           Honoring the sesquicentennial of Oregon statehood.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 12, 2009

    Mr. Wyden (for himself and Mr. Merkley) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Honoring the sesquicentennial of Oregon statehood.

Whereas 53,000 settlers traveled the Oregon Trail, the longest of the overland 
        routes used in westward expansion of the United States;
Whereas approximately 80 Native American tribes inhabited Oregon before the 
        pioneers settled, making Oregon rich with Native American history and 
        culture;
Whereas the ``Father'' of Oregon, John McLoughlin, valued the Oregon Country and 
        reached out to settlers from the United States who were heading west to 
        seek a new life in a land rich with resources and opportunity;
Whereas Oregon was admitted to the Union 150 years ago, on February 14th, 1859;
Whereas Oregon is the only State in the United States to have a 2-sided flag;
Whereas Oregon is home to the deepest lake in the United States, Crater Lake, 
        known for its beautiful deep blue waters;
Whereas Oregon is home to the Sea Lion Caves, the largest sea lion caves in the 
        world, where Steller sea lions and a variety of wild birds reside;
Whereas the State fish of Oregon, the Chinook salmon, is the largest of the 
        Pacific salmon;
Whereas among the natural bounty of Oregon, the State produces some of the 
        finest nuts, berries, pears, wines, and microbrews in the world;
Whereas the varied geography of Oregon ranges from mountains to rivers, deserts 
        to lakes, fossil beds to deep canyons;
Whereas the forests of Oregon have diverse ecologies and histories, from 
        temperate rainforests to ancient old growth forests;
Whereas Oregon is home to Forest Park, the largest urban forest reserve in the 
        United States;
Whereas Oregon is the home of companies such as Nike, Intel, and Columbia 
        Sportswear, which are responsible for employing tens of thousands of 
        people in the United States;
Whereas the largest city in Oregon, Portland, known as the ``Rose City'', is 
        home to the International Rose Test Garden, which was founded in 1917 
        and is the oldest official rose garden in the United States;
Whereas Oregon has been a national leader in democratic innovations, such as a 
        ballot initiative system that dates back to the turn of the 20th 
        century;
Whereas the Oregon legislature was the first in the United States to pass a 
        ``bottle bill'', a landmark piece of legislation that promoted 
        conservation and environmental responsibility; and
Whereas the Oregon legislature has passed a ``beach bill'' and instituted a 
        state-wide land use planning process to protect the very resources that 
        brought people to Oregon: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) it is the sense of the Senate that--
                    (A) the people of the United States should observe 
                and celebrate the sesquicentennial of Oregon on 
                February 14, 2009, to honor the admission of Oregon as 
                the 33rd State of the United States; and
                    (B) Oregonians should be honored for their 
                pioneering spirit and innovation; and
            (2) the Senate respectfully requests the Secretary of the 
        Senate to transmit to the Governor of the State of Oregon an 
        enrolled copy of this resolution for appropriate display.
                                 <all>