WHEREAS, Slade Gorton, born in 1928, after graduating from Dartmouth and Columbia, and after serving in the United States Army and United States Air Force, went on to lead a life of matchless service to the citizens of Washington and to this country; and
     WHEREAS, Slade Gorton married Sally Clark, from Yakima, his wife and teammate of 53 years, whose dedication has made possible his contributions to the general public welfare; and
     WHEREAS, Slade Gorton, first elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1958, subsequently rose to become the Majority Leader of the House; and
     WHEREAS, Slade Gorton's tireless work on redistricting, which has shaped the political landscape of Washington for decades and will continue to shape its future, and his advocacy for equality in representation has ensured parity and vitality in our democratic process; and
     WHEREAS, Slade Gorton became an early champion of Puget Sound environmental stewardship, stringent fuel economy standards, the Mountains to Sounds Greenway National Scenic Byway, salmon recovery, and Columbia River Gorge preservation; and
     WHEREAS, Slade Gorton would serve three terms as Attorney General of Washington, appearing before the bench of the United States Supreme Court fourteen times, offering the best arguments before the Supreme Court of any attorney general in America; and
     WHEREAS, His work on behalf of the citizens of Washington as Attorney General not only included serving as a faithful consumer advocate, but also brought professional baseball back to the Northwest, and later helped erect Safeco Field; and
     WHEREAS, Slade Gorton would serve three terms in the United States Senate, where during his tenure there would be no greater intellectual adversary in opposition, or better champion as an ally, where he distinguished himself in matters of deficit reduction, and where, as chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, and through pioneering education reform, he worked to enfranchise rural Washingtonians, and offered us many other notable accomplishments; and
     WHEREAS, His work on the 9-11 Commission resulted in a clearer, distilled understanding of the tragedy, its causes, and strengthened our national security through its substantive recommendations; and
     WHEREAS, His legacy of service continues through the Slade Gorton International Policy Center and the informal Gorton School of Public Affairs, which advanced the careers of countless women through employment in public service; and
     WHEREAS, The civic accomplishments born of Senator Gorton's energy, drive, and talent, extend throughout this state, to every corner, where such work is clearly evidenced;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That it is with the greatest respect, that the Washington State Senate honor the accomplishments of a statesman of outstanding courage, who represented our state with integrity, dignity, determination, and conviction, whose leadership so enriched our great state and its citizens, who has given Washingtonians a full life in service, our former House Majority Leader, Attorney General, and United States Senator, whose wisdom serves us still, Slade Gorton.