[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2254-S2255]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE SESQUICENTENNIAL OF OREGON STATEHOOD
Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 48, submitted earlier
today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 48) honoring the sesquicentennial of
Oregon statehood.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
(Mr. BEGICH assumed the Chair.)
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, we rise to offer this resolution in
recognition of a historic day for my STATE and the people of Oregon. On
February 14, 1859, 150 years ago, President James Buchanan signed the
bill that admitted Oregon as the 33rd STATE to join this great union.
Mr. President, 150 years ago, there were barely 50,000 people living
in Oregon. Pictures from that era show hearty men and women standing in
mud streets in front of clapboard buildings. That would soon change as
thousands migrated across the continent on the Oregon Trail, a trek
that would become synonymous with the American spirit.
Those who made that arduous journey were not nomads aimlessly
wandering the land looking for a quick buck. They came with a purpose:
to work hard and to make a new start in a new land. And what a new land
it was. Oregon was graced by providence with endless forests, rivers
teeming with fish, fertile valleys, majestic mountains, a dramatic
coast line, and rugged high deserts.
Today, more than 3,500,000 people live in Oregon, which continues to
boast some of the NATION's most unique and beautiful forests, farm
lands, mountains, coast line and high deserts. They still beckon to
those who seek a better life, much in the same way as those who endured
the Oregon Trail. In some parts of Oregon the tracks made by the
pioneers covered wagons are still visible, forever etched in the
landscape.
Oregon has its geographic icons such as the Columbia River, Crater
Lake, and Mount Hood. It has its great names: Wayne Morse, Mark
Hatfield, Tom McCall. It has been a national leader with innovations
such as an initiative stem that dates back to the turn of the last
century, a beach bill, a bottle bill and a statewide land use planning
process to protect those things that brought people to Oregon in the
first place.
[[Page S2255]]
Over its 150-year history, Oregon has earned a reputation as a
progressive, forward thinking STATE. We Oregonians are not without our
quirks, but we embrace them with enthusiasm and wear them with pride.
We have watched our economy change from one based on forestry and wood
products to one that has become a leader in high-tech innovation, from
wood chips to silicon chips. Millions of people around the world know
of Oregon because of companies like Nike, Intel, and Columbia
Sportswear that call Oregon home.
As our STATE embarks on another 150 years, Oregon is already working
to cultivate new economies grounded in alternative energy, green
buildings, and clean technology. Wind, geothermal, and wave energy are
either already being generated in Oregon or will be soon. The solar
energy industry has recognized the quality of Oregon's workforce and is
moving to our STATE in a big way.
But as Oregon embraces the new economy and new technology, we have
not forgotten those places for which we have become famous. With the
help of this body, thousands of acres of Oregon's most beautiful,
rugged, and pristine areas are destined for permanent protection. The
anticipated additions of the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness, the
Copper Salmon Wilderness, the Badlands Wilderness, the Spring Basin
Wilderness, and the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument guarantee future
generations of Americans will see firsthand why Oregon was the NATION's
first destination resort.
We are all aware that these are serious times that require our full
and undivided attention if we are going to restore America's greatness
as an economic power and rebuild our reputation with the rest of the
world. But at the same time, I believe there is value at looking back
to celebrate a place which has done so much to help make this country
great. Please join me at wishing the great STATE of Oregon a happy
birthday and many more to come.
Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Oregon's 150th
birthday. On February 14 of this year, we will begin a year-long
celebration of those who invested their lives in making Oregon a great
place to live, work, and raise a family.
I was born in Myrtle Creek, OR, the son of a sawmill worker and grew
up in Roseburg, OR. I later moved to East Multnomah County with my
family and am truly blessed to call Oregon my home and share all of its
natural beauty with my family.
There are so many diverse events that take place all across Oregon
which give our State its unique character. The Shakespeare Festival
held in Ashland, OR, draws tens of thousands of people from all over
the country and is one of the oldest non-profit theater companies in
the world. The Pendleton Roundup, located in Eastern Oregon, is one of
the largest rodeos in the world and has been going strong for nearly
one hundred years.
Oregon is one of the most geographically diverse States in the
country and people from all across the state love to celebrate the
great Oregon outdoors. The Hood to Coast Relay, which starts at Mount
Hood and ends in Seaside Oregon, is the largest relay in the world.
Every year, Oregonians compete in six events at the Pole Peddle Paddle
in Bend, OR, a relay race that begins at the top of Mount Bachelor and
ends on the grassy banks of the Deschutes River. The Pole Peddle Paddle
consists of a leg in alpine skiing/snowboarding, cross-country skiing,
biking, running, canoe/kayaking and a sprint to the finish line.
Each of these events and the many other cultural, artistic and civic
festivals held in the State--will have a special resonance this year as
we honor our sesquicentennial.
But even more than the beautiful vistas of Oregon or the countless
celebrations, Oregon is defined by the people who live there. I've
traveled all over the State and met so many amazing Oregonians who
continue to carry on the legacy of innovation and hard work that has
transformed our State into an influential civic laboratory and high
tech hub. Oregon has taken the lead on issues vital to our natural
resources and led the way in producing of some of the finest goods in
the country. As a United States Senator, I couldn't be prouder to
represent such a wonderful State, filled with people who are incredibly
kind and welcoming.
I encourage my fellow Oregonians to commemorate Oregon's 150th
birthday by taking part in local celebrations of our culture and
history and volunteering some of your time to a service project in your
community. I invite my colleagues here in the Senate, your
constituents, and citizens from around the world to come to Oregon this
year and experience all our wonderful State has to offer. Regardless of
where you live whether you are in North Carolina or Texas or Europe or
South America a world of opportunity awaits you in Oregon. Come see how
together we can make Oregon's next 150 years even more memorable.
(Mr. MERKLEY assumed the Chair.)
Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to
reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or
debate, and that any statements relating to the resolution be printed
in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 48) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 48
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.
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