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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Legendary Texas Congressman and State |
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Representative Mickey Leland is being posthumously honored with the |
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dedication of an Official Texas Historical Marker at Texas Southern |
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University on August 18, 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Lubbock in 1944, George Thomas "Mickey" |
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Leland III grew up in Houston's Fifth Ward; a graduate of Phillis |
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Wheatley High School, he went on to earn a bachelor's degree in |
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pharmacy at TSU; even before he embarked on his career as an elected |
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official, he demonstrated a deep concern for those in need, and |
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while working as an instructor of clinical pharmacy at his alma |
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mater, he developed an educational outreach campaign offering |
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medical screenings to low-income residents; and |
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WHEREAS, Beginning his legislative service at the state |
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level, Congressman Leland first won election to the Texas House of |
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Representatives in 1972; he quickly gained renown in the area of |
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health care policy, and he helped coordinate the passage of |
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legislation for affordable generic drugs and supported the creation |
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of health maintenance organizations; a member of numerous |
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committees, he became the first African American to serve on the |
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Senate-House Conference Committee as a member of the House |
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Appropriations Committee, and he held the office of vice chair of |
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the Joint Committee on Prison Reform; and |
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WHEREAS, After three terms in the Texas House, Congressman |
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Leland was elected to the United States House of Representatives in |
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1978; taking a leading role on the issue of food insecurity, he |
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founded the House Select Committee on Hunger, secured $784 million |
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in funding for famine relief, and won passage of bills providing |
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fresh produce to low-income families and food and medical resources |
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for the homeless; he also helped establish the National Commission |
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on AIDS and served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus from |
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1985 to 1987; moreover, he won praise from the State Department for |
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arranging the release of four Americans imprisoned in Cuba; and |
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WHEREAS, Congressman Leland tragically lost his life in a |
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plane crash in 1989 while leading a relief mission to a refugee camp |
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in Ethiopia; though his time on this earth proved far too brief, his |
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contributions have continued to resonate through the years, |
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inspiring legions of activists and public officials; in recognition |
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of his accomplishments, a number of facilities and initiatives have |
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been named in his honor, including a federal building and the Mickey |
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Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men in Houston and the |
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Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Internship Program; in |
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addition, the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs |
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at TSU celebrates the contributions of these two groundbreaking |
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representatives from the 18th Congressional District; and |
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WHEREAS, Mickey Leland made a lasting, positive impact |
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through his tireless efforts to improve the lives of people in Texas |
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and around the globe, and the establishment of this official |
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historical marker is a fitting tribute to his remarkable legacy; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of an Official Texas |
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Historical Marker honoring Congressman Mickey Leland. |