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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Members of the Houston East End Chamber of Commerce |
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are gathering in Austin on February 4, 2025, to celebrate East End |
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Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Predating the founding of the city of Houston, the |
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East End can trace its origins to the 1820s, when New York |
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entrepreneur John Richardson Harris established Harrisburg at the |
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intersection of Brays and Buffalo Bayous; after briefly serving as |
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the capital of the Republic of Texas, the town was annexed by |
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Houston in 1926; today, the East End encompasses more than 234,000 |
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people and 7,700 businesses, and it remains a location of great |
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importance as the proud home of the Port of Houston, one of the |
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nation's foremost ports for international trade and one of the |
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largest port facilities in the world; and |
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WHEREAS, The Houston East End Chamber of Commerce was founded |
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in 1991 to ensure the economic prosperity of the area; guided by |
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this central goal, the chamber hosts a wide range of programs and |
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events that encourage new commercial ventures and support existing |
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businesses; moreover, the group created the Strategic Vision for |
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the East End in 2006, and the chamber and its partners have since |
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made outstanding progress, establishing an Economic Development |
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Division in 2009 and the East End Street Fest in 2013; the East End |
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serves as the commercial center of the city and the hub of its |
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transportation systems, and an investment exceeding half a billion |
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dollars has brought light rail and bus lines through the heart of |
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the district as well as street beautification projects; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to equipping the next generation with the |
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knowledge and skills necessary to succeed, the chamber foundation |
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has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to area students; in |
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addition, the chamber started an Education Symposium and helped |
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organize Port of Houston Maritime Academies at Stephen F. Austin |
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and Jack Yates High Schools as well as a National Engineering |
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Academy at Chávez High School; and |
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WHEREAS, The Houston East End Chamber of Commerce has |
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remained steadfast in its mission to promote economic vitality by |
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establishing strong connections throughout the community, and it is |
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a pleasure to recognize the organization for its myriad |
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contributions to the East End; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 4, 2025, as Houston East End |
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Chamber of Commerce East End Day at the State Capitol and extend a |
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warm welcome to the visiting delegation. |