IV 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 18

Honoring the life and dedicated service of former Congressman Wayne Owens 

of Utah. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 7, 2003

Mr. MATHESON (for himself, Mr. CANNON, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. 

DAVIS of Florida, Mrs. CAPPS, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. MORAN

of Virginia, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. ISSA, and Mr. HOUGHTON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

House Administration 

RESOLUTION

Honoring the life and dedicated service of former 

Congressman Wayne Owens of Utah.

Whereas Wayne Owens was born and raised in Panguitch, 

Utah, and attended the University of Utah as both an 

undergraduate and a law student; 

Whereas Owens worked his way through college and law 

school by washing dishes at the Bryce Canyon Cafe; 

Whereas Owens worked as a lawyer in private practice and 

as a staff person for 3 United States Senators, Frank 

Moss of Utah, Robert Kennedy of New York, and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, before running for Congress in 1972; 
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•HRES 18 IH 

Whereas during his first campaign for Congress, Owens 

walked the length and breadth of the entire 2nd Congressional District, which comprised half of the State of 

Utah, and brought his own energy to Congress; 

Whereas Owens served the State of Utah and the Nation as 

a member of the House of Representatives for 8 years; 

Whereas Owens sought to establish Utah as a place where 

environmental and economic concerns complemented one 

another; 

Whereas Owens supported legislative efforts to secure muchneeded water for Utah through the Central Utah Project; 

Whereas while in Congress, Owens reached across the political aisle to work with members of both parties to hold 

hearings on the effects of nuclear radiation exposure, ensuring that radiation exposure victims, also known as 

‘‘downwinders’’, were adequately compensated by the 

Federal government in 1990; 

Whereas Owens served as a member of the Foreign Affairs 

Committee, while in Congress, where he focused his efforts on the Middle East peace process; 

Whereas Owens was committed to promoting peace in the 

Middle East and visited the region virtually every 3 

months during the last 5 years of his service in Congress; 

Whereas Owens founded the Center for Middle East Peace 

and Economic Cooperation in 1993, and continued working towards a lasting peace in the region; establishing 

working relationships with leaders from Jordan, Egypt, 

Israel, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia, among other nations 

in the region; 
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•HRES 18 IH 

Whereas Owens served as Mission President for the Church 

of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Montreal, Canada, for 3 years; 

Whereas Owens was a role model and mentor for a generation of young people in the State of Utah who later went 

on to prominent careers in law, politics, medicine, and 

public service; and 

Whereas on December 18, 2002, Wayne Owens passed away 

in Tel Aviv, Israel: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) honors the life and dedicated service of 

3 former Congressman Wayne Owens of Utah, and re4 members him for his enthusiasm and determination; 

5 and 

6 (2) extends its condolences to his wife, Marlene, 

7 and his children.

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