WHEREAS, Mary Selecky is a leader who has served with distinction, both as the Secretary of the Washington State Department of Health for the past eleven years, and as President of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers for two terms; and
     WHEREAS, In both of her leadership roles, Secretary Selecky has advanced the goals of public health at both the state and national level through dedication, vision, and inspiring contributions; and
     WHEREAS, Secretary Selecky's contributions include a commitment to increasing childhood immunization rates, preventing communicable disease, developing standards for public health performance, promoting chronic disease prevention, and assuring safe health professional standards; and
     WHEREAS, Over the last nine years, under her leadership, the state's tobacco control program has reduced the number of youth smokers by 50 percent and has steadily reduced the number of adult smokers, giving the state the sixth lowest smoking rate in the nation; and
     WHEREAS, Today the State of Washington is well-prepared to respond to emergencies, with an incident command structure being used effectively across the state; and
     WHEREAS, During widespread storm and flood emergencies of 2007 and 2009, the Department of Health quickly communicated to citizens about ways to ensure safe drinking water, stop the spread of disease, and watch for signs of carbon monoxide poisoning; and
     WHEREAS, The state of Washington is regarded as a model for cooperation between state and tribal authorities in the interests of emergency preparedness and pandemic flu planning; and
     WHEREAS, Throughout her career, as a champion of public health, Mary Selecky has remained steadfast in her commitment to partnerships with local public health authorities and to her connection to rural communities, always listening to what people really need and how things actually work;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize and honor Washington State Secretary of Health Mary Selecky, as the 2010 recipient of the American Medical Association's Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service, in recognition and gratitude for her tireless efforts on behalf of the health care needs of American citizens; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Secretary of Health Mary Selecky.