(JUNEAU) - Alaska's House of Representatives unanimously passed HR 7 yesterday, a resolution dedicating the Capitol's House Resources Committee Room to the late Ramona Barnes. Representative Barnes was the longest serving woman legislator in Alaskan history, during which time she held every legislative leadership position, including Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Minority Whip and Speaker of the House.

House Speaker Pete Kott stated, "I can think of no other individual who has so tirelessly devoted her time, energy and passion to further our state's interests. There are those who might disagree with her methods, but there is no one who could disagree with her motives. Ramona's motives were always pure; pure Alaska. There are very few people in Alaska's history as well known. Her spirit and her contributions to our state live on."

Representative Norman Rokeberg (R-Anchorage) spoke of Barnes on the House Floor. "This is our House and this is the people's House. She taught me, as she taught many of you, what it meant to respect this particular institution. Her strength of character, her iron discipline and her philosophic consistency was tempered by a warm heart, helping hand and a real sense of humor." He went on to say, "She was truly a gentle lady. She guided, counseled and educated many of us and our predecessors in this body, which she revered. She was the mother of this House. She is missed."

Representative Beverly Masek (R-Wasilla) remembered the woman she called her "mentor" in her floor statement. "She's done a lot for the State of Alaska. She's touched people statewide, and I'm really proud to see us naming the Resource Room for her after all she's done to champion that issue for years and years. I miss her a lot, and I'm just so happy to see that the body here has named the Resource Room in her honor."

An inscribed plaque will be hung outside the House Resources Room honoring Representative Barnes.

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