III 

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; 


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•SRES 48 ATS 

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; 


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•SRES 48 ATS 

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 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) it is the sense of the Senate that— 

3 (A) the people of the United States should 

4 observe and celebrate the sesquicentennial of 

5 Oregon on February 14, 2009, to honor the ad6 mission of Oregon as the 33rd State of the 

7 United States; and 

8 (B) Oregonians should be honored for their 

9 pioneering spirit and innovation; and 

10 (2) the Senate respectfully requests the Sec11 retary of the Senate to transmit to the Governor of 

12 the State of Oregon an enrolled copy of this resolu13 tion for appropriate display. 

Æ 


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