WHEREAS, R. Ted Bottiger's career in politics and public service spanned the period from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama, from his first election to the House of Representatives in 1964, to his recently completed service on the Port of Tacoma Commission; and
     WHEREAS, Ted Bottiger served the people of Pierce County, the State of Washington, the Northwest region, and the nation with selfless dedication, consummate skill, and a great sense of humor; and
     WHEREAS, Ted Bottiger made a particular mark in the Washington State Senate, where he served as chair of the Energy and Utilities Committee at a time of dramatic change in the energy sector, when Mideast oil supply instability brought worldwide upheaval, and when Senator Bottiger served as chair of a special joint legislative committee whose investigative oversight of the Washington Public Power Supply System led to the unraveling of our state's then-ambitious nuclear power plant construction program; and
     WHEREAS, Ted Bottiger enjoyed the shortest stint on record for a Senate Majority Leader in 1981 due to one member of the 25-24 majority switching parties; and
     WHEREAS, Ted Bottiger returned to the helm of the Senate as Majority Leader in 1983 and effectively steered the Senate with a narrow majority through efforts to recover from the very severe recession of 1981-82; and
     WHEREAS, Among his many legislative accomplishments, Ted Bottiger's leadership was critical to eliminating the sales tax on food, ending the state budget accounting gimmick known as the 25th month, helping Washington become the first state to improve aircraft safety by requiring large, brightly colored balls to be installed on power lines near airports, and helping secure agreement on the landmark Puyallup land claims settlement; and
     WHEREAS, Ted Bottiger's statesmanship was on full display when, as Senate Minority Leader, he helped the Senate Majority Leader secure passage of controversial legislation needed to balance the state budget and said of the event, "The role of the Queen's loyal opposition must be just that, loyal. We shouldn't sink the ship," he concluded, expressing his deep commitment to values transcending partisanship; and
     WHEREAS, Ted Bottiger effectively brought the needs and priorities of Pierce County residents, rural, urban, and suburban, to the forefront, leading to breakthrough projects, revitalized infrastructure, and a transformed spirit of optimism in communities across Pierce County; and
     WHEREAS, Ted Bottiger exemplified through his unique brand of leadership a devotion in equal measures to principle and pragmatism, to process and substance, to ideas and people, and to humor and seriousness of purpose; and
     WHEREAS, Ted Bottiger always remembered who the majority leader was at his home in rural Graham, namely his beloved wife Darlene Bottiger, and he generally wasn't recognized in Olympia for the devoted husband, father, and family man he was;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor and remember the life and legacy of Senator R. Ted Bottiger - a gifted leader who never lost sight of the big picture nor the people impacted by state policy and funding decisions, a tireless public servant who never stopped looking for ways to contribute toward improving the lives and well-being of the people of Pierce County and the State of Washington, a dedicated husband and father, and a trusted, loyal, and true friend to all who knew him; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to R. Ted Bottiger's wife, Darlene Bottiger, and his daughters Tedene Bottiger and Teri Blair.