| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, The Honorable Kevin Brady of The Woodlands is |
|
|
retiring from the United States House of Representatives following |
|
|
his 13th term in office, drawing to a close an exemplary political |
|
|
career spanning more than three decades; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, One of the most senior members of the Texas |
|
|
delegation, Representative Brady was first elected to Congress in |
|
|
1996; he was appointed to the powerful House Ways and Means |
|
|
Committee and rose to become chair; designated by the House speaker |
|
|
to negotiate an end to the 40-year ban on selling U.S. crude oil |
|
|
overseas, he accomplished that crucial step towards energy |
|
|
independence; he led sweeping reform of the nation's tax code, and |
|
|
his successful initiatives also included the first reform of the |
|
|
IRS in two decades and the elimination of the Affordable Care Act |
|
|
individual mandate and the three largest ACA taxes; in addition, he |
|
|
was instrumental in making permanent the Research & Development tax |
|
|
credit and in the passage of the Family Savings Act and a national |
|
|
ban on surprise medical bills; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Representative Brady played a key role in the |
|
|
passage of numerous trade agreements, most notably the United |
|
|
States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement; moreover, he was the White |
|
|
House point person for the Central American trade agreement, and in |
|
|
2016, he authored an important post-9/11 reform of trade rules to |
|
|
speed up secure, legal trade across U.S. borders; among many |
|
|
leadership positions, he served as chair of the Joint Committee on |
|
|
Taxation and of the Ways and Means Subcommittees on Health Care and |
|
|
Trade; he has been recognized by such organizations as Watchdogs of |
|
|
the Treasury and Citizens Against Government Waste, and he has been |
|
|
repeatedly honored for his efforts in behalf of taxpayers, small |
|
|
businesses, and seniors; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Previously, Representative Brady served for six |
|
|
years in the Texas House of Representatives; he was instrumental in |
|
|
securing passage of legislation that created the Town Center |
|
|
Improvement District in The Woodlands as a special purpose |
|
|
government unit, which provided economic development services, |
|
|
including a convention center and other amenities; TCID later |
|
|
expanded to cover the entire Woodlands under a new name, The |
|
|
Woodlands Township; dedicated to the prosperity of The Woodlands, |
|
|
Representative Brady was president of The Woodlands Area Chamber of |
|
|
Commerce from 1985 to 1996; he holds a bachelor's degree from the |
|
|
University of South Dakota, which acknowledged him as one of its |
|
|
Distinguished Alumni; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, A champion of families, free enterprise, free trade, |
|
|
and the vitality of the small business community, Kevin Brady has |
|
|
greatly benefited his fellow Texans through his vision, expertise, |
|
|
and deep commitment to public service, and as he looks forward to |
|
|
the next exciting chapter of his life, he may indeed reflect with |
|
|
pride on his contributions as a lawmaker; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Kevin Brady on his |
|
|
retirement from the United States House of Representatives and |
|
|
extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for Congressman Brady as an expression of high regard by |
|
|
the Texas House of Representatives. |