HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 36
INTRODUCED BY HARPER, LYNCH, AHNER, J. ANDERSEN, BARNHART, BARTLETT, G. BECK, T. BECK, BROWN, BUZZAS, CHRISTIAENS, P. CLARK, COLE, CRIPPEN, CRISMORE, CURTISS, DALE, DELL, DEPRATU, DOHERTY, ECK, EGGERS, ELLINGSON, R. ERICKSON, EWER, FISHER, FRANKLIN, FUCHS, GALLUS, GALVIN-HALCRO, GILLAN, GLASER, GOLIE, GRINDE, GROSFIELD, GUGGENHEIM, GUTSCHE, HAGENER, HAINES, HALLIGAN, HARGROVE, HARP, HARRINGTON, HURDLE, JERGESON, JUNEAU, KEATING, KITZENBERG, KRENZLER, LENHART, LINDEEN, MAHLUM, MANGAN, MATTHEWS, MCCANN, MCCARTHY, MCCULLOCH, MCKENNEY, MCNUTT, MENAHAN, MESAROS, MOHL, OHS, PAVLOVICH, QUILICI, RANEY, ROSE, ROUSH, RYAN, SCHMIDT, SHEA, SIMON, SLITER, SOFT, SOMERVILLE, SQUIRES, STANG, SWANSON, TASH, L. TAYLOR, M. TAYLOR, TESTER, B. THOMAS, TROPILA, TUSS, WALTERS, WATERMAN, WILLIAMS, WYATT, ZOOK
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA HONORING THE LIFE AND CAREER OF J.D. HOLMES.
WHEREAS, Joseph Defrees Holmes, more widely known as J.D. Holmes, served the people of Montana as the Associated Press Capitol correspondent, exemplifying the conduct and appearance of the Capitol journalist, during a career spanning 30 years; and
WHEREAS, during that period, he covered 16 regular and 6 special sessions of the Montana Legislature; and
WHEREAS, over the same period, he reported the actions of five Montana governors: John Bonner, Hugo Aronson, Don Nutter, Tim Babcock, and Tom Judge; and
WHEREAS, he served the people of Montana in an exemplary manner by providing accurate and unbiased reporting of actions and activities of their state government, facts attested to by Governor Tim Babcock who praised him as, "the fairest person I ever knew," adding, "when he wrote something, you didn't have to worry about its accuracy"; and
WHEREAS, his capable news gathering and tracking of state expenditures and taxes were such that public officials relied upon them to make important public policy decisions at a time when his notes were the sole source of such information, a fact reflected in a statement by former Representative Francis Bardanouve who recalled that Holmes, "knew more about how much money we spent than we did"; and
WHEREAS, J.D. Holmes once discovered a significant error in the budget action of the Legislature, which resulted in a special session that year; and
WHEREAS, in 1991, the Legislature recognized the exemplary service of J.D. Holmes by summoning him to the well of the House of Representatives to accord him highest honors and a certificate attesting to his many contributions to the benefit of his fellow citizens--a presentation that packed the House chambers with members of the House and Senate and citizens from throughout the state; and
WHEREAS, the journalistic services of J.D. Holmes transcended the reporting of events and he achieved the status of having been the invaluable recorder of history who was called upon often in life to fill in otherwise forgotten detail and meaning by reference to his meticulous recordings of the significant roles and actions of state officials, now saved for posterity with his "little black book" archived in the State Historical Society, and his work remains a lode of information; and
WHEREAS, J.D. Holmes exemplified outstanding citizenship throughout his life; and
WHEREAS, he became a citizen soldier when he left Montana to serve honorably in the U.S. Army during World War II; and
WHEREAS, his citizenship is further reflected in his generous help in building Frontier Park in Helena, supporting the success of Grandstreet Theater in Helena, benefiting individual artists and art in Montana through his support and legislative representation, and helping many individuals get started in business as a volunteer counselor with the Senior Corps of Retired Executives and the Small Business Administration; and
WHEREAS, J.D. Holmes's foundation was found in his family, whose members he served as husband and father with lifelong security and positive leadership; and
WHEREAS, his younger daughter Vicki, as a young child, expressed eloquently the sense of the man as he was known to so many in these words engraved upon a birthday present plaque: "Honest Press Man".
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
That, following Capitol renovation, the Press Room on the third floor of the Montana Capitol be named "The J.D. Holmes Press Room" to permanently honor the professionalism and citizenship exemplified by the life of Joseph Defrees Holmes.
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