By: Zaffirini S.R. No. 1327 1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION 1-2 WHEREAS, The Texas Committee for the Humanities, a state 1-3 program of the National Endowment for the Humanities, has been a 1-4 catalyst in fostering public understanding and appreciation of 1-5 Texas' participation in the global community and enlarges our 1-6 awareness of the role the Lone Star State can play; and 1-7 WHEREAS, The committee outlined what was being done to 1-8 advance Texas' position in the international marketplace and made 1-9 recommendations for future planning in its special report, Texas in 1-10 the 21st Century: The International Agenda, published in January of 1-11 1991; one of its recommendations was the establishment of a foreign 1-12 language academy; and 1-13 WHEREAS, The Texas Academy of Foreign Language and Culture 1-14 was created during the 73rd Legislature; and 1-15 WHEREAS, The mission of the academy is to advance the study 1-16 of foreign languages and cultures and to promote educational and 1-17 cultural exchanges between Texas and its current and prospective 1-18 trading partners; the academy is to accomplish its mission through 1-19 contracts with the Texas Committee for the Humanities; and 1-20 WHEREAS, Over the course of the past three years the Texas 1-21 Committee for the Humanities has sponsored 45 programs designed to 1-22 increase understanding and lead to the improvement of cross-cultural 1-23 relations; their activities have included public lectures, films, 2-1 video programming, symposia, and conferences; overall plans include 2-2 scholarships for Texas students majoring in a foreign language and 2-3 in-state summer camps for foreign language learning and practice; 2-4 and 2-5 WHEREAS, International business already occupies a large 2-6 niche in our economy and, with the passage of the North American 2-7 Free Trade Agreement, Texas can confidently expect more foreign 2-8 dollars to increase our future prosperity; the probable passage of 2-9 the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, will offer additional 2-10 opportunities, as well; and 2-11 WHEREAS, The North American Free Trade Agreement and its 2-12 impact upon Texas immediately increase the importance of the Texas 2-13 Academy of Foreign Language and Culture in assuring Texas becomes 2-14 the leader in the new global marketplace; and 2-15 WHEREAS, These benefits are not merely economic, because our 2-16 increased person-to-person contact and understanding of our trading 2-17 partners' needs will be an important part of the continued growth, 2-18 learning, and enjoyment of life that Texans feel when they explore 2-19 new places and people; and 2-20 WHEREAS, Sharpening our awareness of how other cultures 2-21 think, and, especially, being able to read and understand their 2-22 language and to speak it with some degree of skill, will prepare 2-23 us to attain a very significant advantage in trade and tourism 2-24 relations while broadening our own perspectives; and 2-25 WHEREAS, The Texas Committee for the Humanities deserves 3-1 special recognition for its successful efforts to secure the 3-2 assistance of private organizations, state agencies, and 3-3 knowledgeable individuals whenever necessary in order to fulfill 3-4 the duties which relate to the Texas Academy of Foreign Language 3-5 and Culture; now, therefore, be it 3-6 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-7 74th Legislature, hereby express its gratitude and appreciation 3-8 for the accomplishments of the Texas Committee for the Humanities; 3-9 and, be it further 3-10 RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be prepared for the 3-11 governing board of the Texas Committee for the Humanities as an 3-12 official expression of gratitude from the Texas Senate. 3-13 ______________________________________ 3-14 President of the Senate 3-15 I hereby certify that the above 3-16 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-17 on May 29, 1995. 3-18 ______________________________________ 3-19 Secretary of the Senate 3-20 ______________________________________ 3-21 Member, Texas Senate