PETER WONG
Oregon Capital Bureau
Oregon's official state song, nearly a century old, is about to get a makeover to remove words that advocates of change say reflect a racist past.
The Oregon House has adopted and sent to the Senate a resolution that changes some of the words to "Oregon, My Oregon," which the Legislature approved as the state song in 1927.
House Concurrent Resolution 11, which passed 47-6 on Friday, replaces the first verse by J.A. Buchanan: "Land of the Empire Builders, Land of the Golden West/Conquered and held by free men, Fairest and the Best."
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Monday dared his colleagues in the Senate to vote against the Democratic-sponsored COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act he is sponsoring.