HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, Texas military veterans have served their country

 1-2     and  Texas with great honor and distinction, fighting and dying for

 1-3     freedom in world wars, regional interventions, and humanitarian

 1-4     endeavors around the world; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, The military presence in Texas has a significant

 1-6     economic impact on the Lone Star State each year, with direct and

 1-7     indirect economic contributions from veterans and military services

 1-8     estimated to represent more than $20 billion in payroll and

 1-9     contracts and 1,000,000 jobs; and

1-10           WHEREAS, The unique skill and insight of veterans is

1-11     underrepresented in decision-making bodies of the Texas government;

1-12     Texas has the highest percentage of veterans in the general

1-13     population, yet the lowest percentage of veterans in government

1-14     employment of any state in the nation; and

1-15           WHEREAS, Veterans should be rewarded for their heroic

1-16     sacrifices with substantial assistance for higher education and job

1-17     training, and this assistance should meet the demands of the

1-18     rapidly changing global economy and the downsizing of the military

1-19     infrastructure; and

1-20           WHEREAS, The Texas Constitution grants the governor the

1-21     authority to make appointments to Texas boards and commissions with

1-22     the advice and consent of the senate, and the governor should use

1-23     this power to increase veterans' representation on state boards and

1-24     commissions to better reflect their many contributions to our

 2-1     state; now, therefore, be it

 2-2           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

 2-3     hereby encourage the governor to consider increasing veteran

 2-4     representation on  Texas boards and commissions where this

 2-5     perspective would benefit Texas veterans, especially on the Texas

 2-6     Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce

 2-7     Commission; and, be it further

 2-8           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

 2-9     copy of this resolution to the governor of the State of Texas.

                                                           Turner of Coleman

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.C.R. No. 2 was adopted by the House on May

         2, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.C.R. No. 2 was adopted by the Senate on May

         26, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor