Bill Text: VA HR281 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending the Honorable Mark Lee Keam.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2024-03-08 - Bill text as passed House (HR281ER) [HR281 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HR281-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, the Honorable Mark Lee Keam, an esteemed public servant, attorney, and public affairs professional, greatly served the citizens of the Commonwealth as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for nearly 13 years; and
WHEREAS, Mark Keam was born in Seoul, South Korea, and lived with his family in Australia for some time before ultimately settling in Orange County, California; and
WHEREAS, Mark Keam earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Irvine, in 1989, followed by a juris doctor degree from what is now the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, in 1995; and
WHEREAS, after serving as United States Senator Richard J. Durbin's chief counsel from 2001 to 2007, Mark Keam served as the senior advisor for strategic alliances with the telecommunications company Verizon from 2007 to 2015; and
WHEREAS, Mark Keam was elected to serve as the delegate for the 35th District in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2009, becoming the first Korean American and Asian-born immigrant to be elected to a state-level office in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, after being sworn into office on January 13, 2010, Mark Keam worked tirelessly to represent his constituents and their interests in the Virginia House of Delegates, advancing several measures over the years to promote environmental justice and reform, including the Virginia Environmental Justice Act and the Solar Freedom Act, as well as other important causes; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, Mark Keam co-founded the Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus in the General Assembly to develop and support legislation and policies that enhance support and protections for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Mark Keam announced his retirement from the Virginia House of Delegates on September 6, 2022, after accepting a position as deputy assistant secretary leading the National Travel and Tourism Office within the International Trade Administration of the United States Department of Commerce; and
WHEREAS, Mark Keam has received numerous honors in recognition of his leadership and service, including a 2020 Fairfax County Environmental Excellence Award and accolades from the Virginia League of Conservation Voters and the Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Honorable Mark Lee Keam hereby be commended for his legacy of service as a member of the House of Delegates; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Honorable Mark Lee Keam as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his contributions to the Commonwealth.
