Bill Text: VA SR733 | 2021 | 2nd Special Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of John William Warner III.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2021-08-05 - Bill text as passed Senate (SR733ER) [SR733 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2021-SR733-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, the Honorable John William Warner III, a respected elder statesman of the Virginia Congressional delegation who represented the Commonwealth in the United States Senate for three decades, died on May 25, 2021; and
WHEREAS, John Warner grew up in Washington, D.C., and joined many of the other young men and women of his generation in service to the nation during World War II, enlisting in the United States Navy in 1945 after graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School; and
WHEREAS, John Warner earned a bachelor's degree from Washington and Lee University, then enrolled at the University of Virginia School of Law; he postponed his education for a second time to serve his country in the Korean War with the United States Marine Corps as a ground aircraft maintenance officer with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing; and
WHEREAS, after his service in the Korean War, John Warner continued serving in the Marine Corps Reserve, eventually reaching the rank of captain; and
WHEREAS, John Warner returned to the University of Virginia to complete his law degree; he worked as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia in the trial and appellate divisions, then joined the law firm Hogan & Hartson in 1960; and
WHEREAS, John Warner left Hogan & Hartson to become Undersecretary of the United States Navy in 1969; he was appointed Secretary of the United States Navy in 1972 and in that post made significant contributions to the de-escalation of tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Nixon and Ford administrations; and
WHEREAS, John Warner won his first of five terms in the United States Senate in 1978; a member of the Republican Party, he often diverged from strict party lines to build bipartisan coalitions advancing the best interests of Virginia and the United States; and
WHEREAS, during his 30-year tenure in the United States Senate, John Warner offered his expertise to various committees, including the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; he earned praise from Republicans and Democrats alike for his strength of character and his work to foster bipartisan understanding and respect and build consensus on important issues; and
WHEREAS, John Warner also served as chair of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he increased national security and bolstered the Virginia economy through his support for military installations and shipbuilding firms in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, after his retirement from the United States Senate in 2008, John Warner became a highly admired community leader in Alexandria; he played a vital role in the repair and modernization of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge by fostering good communication between officials in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland; and
WHEREAS, John Warner was a true Virginia gentleman who inspired trust through his honesty and wise insights and served the United States and the Commonwealth with the utmost humility, integrity, and dedication; and
WHEREAS, John Warner will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife, Jeanne; his children, Virginia, Mary, and John IV, and their families; and numerous other family members, friends, and colleagues on both sides of the aisle; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of the Honorable John William Warner III, a distinguished public servant who represented generations of Virginians in the United States Senate; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of the Honorable John William Warner III as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for his memory.
