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Senate adopts resolution recognizing Aurora State Airport’s emergency role amid concerns about expansion
Summary
The Oregon Senate committee unanimously advanced a resolution recognizing Aurora State Airport’s role in emergency preparedness. Several senators said they would support the resolution’s recognition language but not interpret their votes as endorsing any airport expansion, which they said is contested.
The Senate committee advanced Senate Resolution 2 recognizing the Aurora State Airport for its role in Oregon’s emergency preparedness and response efforts and saluted the Aurora Airport International Association for its work.
Senator Golden said she was uneasy about the resolution’s use, telling colleagues, “Resolutions come to us in my view for the purpose of expressing admiration, honor … and they are not meant to be used to advance a particular proposal.” She said she would vote for the resolution’s recognition language while making clear she was “not taking any position on the issue or the expansion of this airport.”
The committee’s staff summarized the measure as having no fiscal or revenue impact and as formally recognizing the airport’s emergency role. Multiple senators who spoke — including Senator Manning — echoed support for recognizing the airport’s emergency functions while distancing themselves from any implied endorsement of a proposed expansion.
Chair Johnson called the roll; senators recorded their votes and the motion passed. Senator Gerard was named the carrier for the measure.
The discussion combined affirmations of the airport’s emergency role with explicit cautions that the resolution’s passage should not be read as support for proposed expansion plans. Senator Golden singled out one “whereas” clause about soil studies and seismic settlement as a factual claim she was not comfortable endorsing without more information.
The committee closed its work session on the resolution and moved on to other bills on the agenda.
