House Resolution 5 Oregon Laws 2009

AN ACT

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh is a native Oregonian, a lifelong Washington County resident, the husband of Dolores and the father of two children; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh was a successful businessman prior to embarking upon a career of public service; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh honorably served in the Oregon Legislative Assembly both in the House of Representatives and the Senate; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh, in his long-term service to the Boy Scouts of America, holds the highest council and regional adult leadership awards; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh won a decisive victory, attracting 55 percent of the vote in the Oregon Governor’s race in 1978; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh was the first elected governor of Arab descent in the United States; and

          Whereas Governor Atiyeh demonstrated courage, leadership and bipartisanship when faced with the economic decline in the early 1980s, which resulted in a jobless rate of 12.1 percent and a deficit of nearly 20 percent of the state budget; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh cut his own salary three times to help balance the budget; and

          Whereas during Victor G. Atiyeh’s first term of office as Governor, he improved state management productivity and reformed workers’ compensation and welfare; and

          Whereas during Victor G. Atiyeh’s first term, major new programs in energy and economic development were launched, which helped create thousands of diversified jobs and attract new industries to Oregon following the decline in the timber industry; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh won his second term by attracting 61.6 percent of the vote, the largest gubernatorial margin in 32 years; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh launched a worldwide tourism initiative and opened Oregon’s first overseas trade office in Tokyo; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh reinstated a state employee suggestion program that saved Oregon taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars annually; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh provided leadership in the creation of a community-based and long-term care system, which enables older citizens of this state to enjoy their later years in health, honor and dignity, and entitles citizens with disabilities to enjoy lives of maximum freedom and independence, while also saving Oregon taxpayers millions of dollars annually; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh was described as the “most accessible Governor” by Oregon department managers; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh was instrumental in establishing Oregon Food Share, the nation’s first statewide food bank; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh served as chairman of the Western Governors Conference and as vice chairman of the National Governors Association Committees on International Trade, Foreign Relations, Criminal Justice and Public Protection; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh received the Oregon Statesman Award from the Oregon Business Association, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Oregon’s Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management and the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Oregon faculty; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh served as the first chairman of the Oregon Aviation Hall of Honor Committee; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh furthered his legacy of bipartisanship by co-chairing the “Yes on 49” campaign, supporting 2006’s Ballot Measure 49, with former Governors Barbara Roberts and John Kitzhaber, and current Governor Ted Kulongoski; and

          Whereas Victor G. Atiyeh has faithfully served the people of Oregon for 50 years; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Oregon:

          That we, the members of the House of Representatives of the Seventy-fifth Legislative Assembly, extend our gratitude to Victor G. Atiyeh for his 50 years of selfless public service, one-third of the life of our great state, and for his innumerable achievements and contributions to the betterment of the State of Oregon.

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 11, 2009

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