WHEREAS, Almost half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent, and nine governors of the original thirteen states were of Scottish ancestry; and
     WHEREAS, Many early explorers and settlers of the Pacific Northwest were of Scottish or Scots-Irish ancestry and include: William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame; John McLoughlin, Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver, a fur trader, and empire builder; James Douglas, Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver; Archibald McKinley, Factor at Fort Walla Walla; Ulysses S. Grant, Civil War General and President who served at Fort Vancouver and for whom Grant County was named; J.C. Mac Grimmon, a Yakima Valley pioneer and orchardist; Alexander Colin Campbell, farmer, banker, miner, and former mayor of Puyallup; James Dinnie, fur trader and founder of the city of Cathlamet; James Urquart, founder of the city of Napavine and three-term member of the Territorial Legislature; and Abigail Scott Duniway, a suffragette who helped bring passage of the suffrage amendment to the state Constitution; and
     WHEREAS, Many current and former legislators and elected officials are of Scottish or Scots-Irish ancestry and include: The late Senator George Sellar and former Senator Dan McDonald; former appointed and elected officials: William Wallace, territorial governor of Washington and Washington's representative to Congress; and Ralph Munro, former Secretary of State. Current elected officials of Scottish or Scots-Irish ancestry are Governor Christine O. Gregoire and Secretary of State Sam Reed; and current members of the Legislature of Scottish or Scots-Irish heritage are: Senators Karen Fraser, Jim Honeyford, Cheryl Pflug, and Val Stevens; and Representatives Glen Anderson, Mike Armstrong, Tom Campbell, Bill Hinkle, Joyce McDonald, Ed Orcutt, and Maureen Walsh; and
     WHEREAS, The Scots-Irish are Americans of Scottish origin whose ancestors first colonized northern Ireland in the late 1600s before emigrating to the English colonies of North America during the 1700s; and
     WHEREAS, The Scots-Irish immigrants to America were devout Presbyterians who dedicated their lives to God and to the ideals of freedom and liberty; and
     WHEREAS, The Scots-Irish immigrants to America valued a strong worth ethic and embraced a philosophy of common sense; and
     WHEREAS, The Scottish Treaty of Arbroath on April 6, 1320, inspired the contents for America's Declaration of Independence; and
     WHEREAS, National Tartan Day is observed each year on the sixth day of April; and
     WHEREAS, The Scots-Irish played a pivotal role in winning the American Revolution; and
     WHEREAS, The Scots-Irish were in the vanguard of frontiersman who carved a great civilization out of the American wilderness; and
     WHEREAS, According to the United States Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey, there are more than 157,000 people of Scots-Irish ancestry in the State of Washington; and
     WHEREAS, In April 2006, the Triad St. Andrews Society, the Triad Highland Games, and the Scottish-America Military Society proclaimed and declared April 2006 and every April thereafter as National Scots, Scots-Irish Heritage Month; and
     WHEREAS, The Governor of the State of Washington has proclaimed April 2007 and every April thereafter as "Scots, Scots-Irish Heritage Month" in Washington;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of Representatives officially recognize Scots, Scots-Irish Heritage Month and the unique and invaluable contributions of Scots-Irish to America and to the State of Washington.