75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2009 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
 LC 3758
 
                       House Resolution 5
 
Sponsored by Representatives KAHL, READ, HANNA; Representatives
  BAILEY, BARKER, BARNHART, BARTON, BENTZ, BERGER, BEYER, BOONE,
  BRUUN, BUCKLEY, CAMERON, CANNON, CLEM, COWAN, DEMBROW, C
  EDWARDS, D EDWARDS, FREEMAN, GALIZIO, GARRARD, GARRETT, GELSER,
  GILLIAM, GILMAN, GREENLICK, HARKER, HOLVEY, HUFFMAN, HUNT,
  JENSON, KENNEMER, KOMP, KOTEK, KRIEGER, MATTHEWS, MAURER,
  NATHANSON, NOLAN, OLSON, RICHARDSON, RILEY, ROBLAN, SCHAUFLER,
  SHIELDS, G SMITH, J SMITH, SPRENGER, STIEGLER, THATCHER,
  THOMPSON, TOMEI, VANORMAN, WHISNANT, WINGARD, WITT
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Honors former Governor Victor G. Atiyeh for his achievements.
 
                        HOUSE RESOLUTION
  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.
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