By Senators Liias, McCoy, Nelson, Hobbs, Takko, Pedersen, Keiser, Rolfes, Kuderer, Saldaña, Palumbo, Hunt, Darneille, Conway, Frockt, Carlyle, Mullet, Billig, Hasegawa, Cleveland, Chase, Ranker, Fain, Zeiger, Braun, Warnick, O'Ban, Honeyford, and Wellman

WHEREAS, Mike Lowry was the 20th Governor of Washington State, serving from 1993 to 1997; and

WHEREAS, Lowry was born and raised in Whitman County Washington, in the town of St. John, and graduated from Washington State University in 1962; and

WHEREAS, Lowry began his 19-year political career in 1975 when he was elected to the King County Council, and, in 1979, was elected as a member of U.S. House of Representatives from Washington's 7th district where he served for 10 years; and

WHEREAS, While in congress, Lowry sponsored legislation to provide restitution for more than 110,000 Japanese-Americans and Aleuts interned during World War II, which was the first piece of legislation to address this in our nation's history; and

WHEREAS, Lowry was a leader in passing the 1984 Washington Wilderness Act, worked to protect our state's maritime habitat, and pushed to require safety equipment on commercial fishing vessels; and

WHEREAS, Lowry garnered respect from both political parties with his straight-forward nature, honesty, and willingness to reach across the aisle; and

WHEREAS, Lowry was a staunch protector of the environment and went on to found and cochair the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition with Governor Dan Evans; and

WHEREAS, Lowry will forever be remembered for his compassion towards the HIV/AIDS epidemic and for being one of the earliest advocates seeking funding to address the crisis; and

WHEREAS, Lowry revolutionized our state health care system by tying premiums to a family or an individual's ability to pay, and opening up coverage to low-income and middle-income families across Washington; and

WHEREAS, Family, friends, and colleagues will forever have fond memories of Lowry's annual summer shrimp feeds; and

WHEREAS, After his retirement from public service, Lowry continued his service to the State of Washington by doing pro bono work for many nonprofit and charitable organizations, including Washington Agricultural Families Assistance, which advocates for building affordable housing for migrant farm workers; and

WHEREAS, Mike Lowry is survived by his wife Mary, daughter Diane Lowry Oakes, son-in-law Scott Oakes, grandsons Tyler and Lucas Oakes, sister Suellen Lowry, nephews Keith Vertrees and Matthew Hibschman, and niece Ann Vertrees;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor former Governor Mike Lowry for a life truly dedicated to public service, during which he exemplified the attributes of courage, fairness, compassion, and forthrightness in service to the citizens of Washington State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Mike Lowry's family.