HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 58

46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Daniel R. Foley

A JOINT MEMORIAL

EXPRESSING THE CONDOLENCE OF THE LEGISLATURE UPON THE PASSING OF FORMER REPRESENTATIVE COLIN MCMILLAN.

     WHEREAS, Colin McMillan, a former member of the New Mexico house of representatives, passed away on July 24, 2003; and

     WHEREAS, McMillan graduated from the university of North Carolina in 1957 with a Phi Beta Kappa key and a bachelor of science degree in geology; and

     WHEREAS, McMillan served with the United States marine corps from 1957 to 1962 and was an officer in the United States marine corps reserves until 1972; and

     WHEREAS, he came to New Mexico in 1961 as a geophysicist and started an energy development business; and

     WHEREAS, he was also a banker in the Roswell area; and

     WHEREAS, McMillan acted as chairman and chief executive officer of Permian exploration corporation, a Roswell-based seismic surveying company; and

     WHEREAS, he was an active rancher and owner of the Three Rivers ranch in Otero and Lincoln counties; and

     WHEREAS, McMillan served in the New Mexico house of representatives from 1971 to 1982; and

     WHEREAS, former representative McMillan served as minority whip and as chairman of the house taxation and revenue committee for four years; and

     WHEREAS, he was viewed as a pioneer in tax reform and sponsored the "Big Mac tax cut" passed in 1981; and

     WHEREAS, former representative McMillan was a leading political figure; and

     WHEREAS, he led the New Mexico presidential campaigns of Gerald Ford, Bob Dole, George H. W. Bush and the current president Bush; and

     WHEREAS, McMillan served George H. W. Bush as assistant secretary of defense for production and logistics from 1990 to 1992; and

     WHEREAS, McMillan ran for a United States senate seat in 1994; and

     WHEREAS, President George W. Bush named McMillan chairman of the Sallie Mae student loan program in 2001; and

     WHEREAS, President George W. Bush nominated McMillan last year as secretary of the navy; and

     WHEREAS, McMillan will be remembered as a patriot and a respected political leader; and

     WHEREAS, McMillan will be missed by his family and his many friends;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that condolences be extended to the family and friends of former representative Colin McMillan, a devoted public servant.

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