By:  Lucio                                       S.R. No. 168
    1-1                           SENATE RESOLUTION
    1-2        WHEREAS, The Texas Department of Health has a duty to
    1-3  the citizens and taxpayers of this state to do everything in
    1-4  its power to ensure that its many duties and responsibilities
    1-5  are carried out as efficiently as possible with available
    1-6  resources, and much can be achieved toward this goal by the
    1-7  department's forming a partnership with the private sector to
    1-8  better serve the public; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, Because of a recent documented increase of
   1-10  neural tube birth defects in the Rio Grande Valley, the Texas
   1-11  Department of Health recommends that all women of childbearing
   1-12  age in Cameron and Hidalgo counties supplement their diets with
   1-13  folic acid, a B vitamin, which studies show may reduce the
   1-14  incidence of such defects; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, Lederle Laboratories donated 70,000 bottles of
   1-16  multi-vitamins with folic acid to be dispensed in South Texas
   1-17  health clinics and contributed $75,000 to help with the cost of
   1-18  a Texas Department of Health media campaign to educate the public
   1-19  about folic acid, first in the Rio Grande Valley and then in other
   1-20  parts of the state; and
   1-21        WHEREAS, The success of this project will help reduce the
   1-22  risk of neural tube defects in the state; now, therefore, be it
   1-23        RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
    2-1  73rd Legislature, hereby commend Lederle Laboratories for its
    2-2  outstanding work on behalf of the health and welfare of the people
    2-3  of Texas; and, be it further
    2-4        RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
    2-5  Lederle Laboratories as an expression of the appreciation of the
    2-6  Texas Senate.
    2-7                                 _____________________________________
    2-8                                        President of the Senate
    2-9                                      I hereby certify that the
   2-10                                 above Resolution was adopted by
   2-11                                 the Senate on February 8, 1993.
   2-12                                 _____________________________________
   2-13                                        Secretary of the Senate
   2-14                                 _____________________________________
   2-15                                         Member, Texas Senate