H.R. No. 277
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, Canada and the United States have long enjoyed a
    1-2  mutually rewarding relationship based on respect, cooperation, and
    1-3  international friendship, and in that spirit, the Ministry of
    1-4  Natural Resources of the Province of Ontario, Canada, recently
    1-5  offered its assistance to halt the spread of rabies in Texas; and
    1-6        WHEREAS, Efforts to combat this life-threatening epidemic
    1-7  have steadily increased since the first life was claimed by the
    1-8  canine strain of the virus in South Texas in 1988, and the
    1-9  ministry's advice and technical assistance in an oral rabies
   1-10  vaccination project have provided the best hope yet of containing
   1-11  and eradicating the disease; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources provided
   1-13  specially equipped aircraft needed to drop vaccine-laced bait to
   1-14  the coyote population in South Texas, and many of their best
   1-15  pilots, engineers, and support crews traveled thousands of miles to
   1-16  aid the Texas Department of Health in carrying out this crucial
   1-17  project; and
   1-18        WHEREAS, Precision flying by the Canadian pilots enabled
   1-19  public health officials to drop the vaccine along an arc stretching
   1-20  from Laredo to San Antonio to Corpus Christi, thus creating a
   1-21  barrier of vaccinated coyotes that should prevent the rabies
   1-22  outbreak from spreading northward; this represents a major step
   1-23  forward in the battle to protect children and adults alike from the
   1-24  deadly threat of rabies; and
    2-1        WHEREAS, In addition to expressing appreciation to the people
    2-2  of Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the
    2-3  members of this chamber would like to personally recognize the
    2-4  following individuals for their outstanding efforts and extend to
    2-5  each of them the prestigious title of Honorary Texan: Daniel Robert
    2-6  Marshall, Mike Power, Chris Nunan, Mike Pedde, Peter Bachmann, Neil
    2-7  Ayers, Joe Spence, Bill Turcotte, Eldon Germain, Berj Sailian,
    2-8  Garry Stewart, Caroline Fielding, Dave Johnston, Lloyd Walton, and
    2-9  Bob Thomas; and
   2-10        WHEREAS, Texans are greatly indebted to the staff of the
   2-11  Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for their generosity and
   2-12  assistance; the professionalism, integrity, and expertise they
   2-13  displayed throughout this project have earned them the respect and
   2-14  admiration of all who had the privilege of working with them, and
   2-15  the citizens of the Lone Star State look forward to future
   2-16  professional and cultural exchanges between the State of Texas and
   2-17  the Province of Ontario; now, therefore, be it
   2-18        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   2-19  Legislature hereby commend the personnel of the Ontario Ministry of
   2-20  Natural Resources for their assistance in eradicating rabies and
   2-21  declare them all Honorary Texans in recognition of their invaluable
   2-22  efforts; and, be it further
   2-23        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-24  prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources as an
   2-25  expression of appreciation and highest regard by the Texas House of
   2-26  Representatives.