1-1 By: Turner of Coleman (Senate Sponsor - Carona) H.C.R. No. 2 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1997; 1-3 May 6, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on State 1-4 Affairs; May 16, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 13, Nays 0; May 16, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, Texas military veterans have served their country 1-8 and Texas with great honor and distinction, fighting and dying for 1-9 freedom in world wars, regional interventions, and humanitarian 1-10 endeavors around the world; and 1-11 WHEREAS, The military presence in Texas has a significant 1-12 economic impact on the Lone Star State each year, with direct and 1-13 indirect economic contributions from veterans and military services 1-14 estimated to represent more than $20 billion in payroll and 1-15 contracts and 1,000,000 jobs; and 1-16 WHEREAS, The unique skill and insight of veterans is 1-17 underrepresented in decision-making bodies of the Texas government; 1-18 Texas has the highest percentage of veterans in the general 1-19 population, yet the lowest percentage of veterans in government 1-20 employment of any state in the nation; and 1-21 WHEREAS, Veterans should be rewarded for their heroic 1-22 sacrifices with substantial assistance for higher education and job 1-23 training, and this assistance should meet the demands of the 1-24 rapidly changing global economy and the downsizing of the military 1-25 infrastructure; and 1-26 WHEREAS, The Texas Constitution grants the governor the 1-27 authority to make appointments to Texas boards and commissions with 1-28 the advice and consent of the senate, and the governor should use 1-29 this power to increase veterans' representation on state boards and 1-30 commissions to better reflect their many contributions to our 1-31 state; now, therefore, be it 1-32 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-33 hereby encourage the governor to consider increasing veteran 1-34 representation on Texas boards and commissions where this 1-35 perspective would benefit Texas veterans, especially on the Texas 1-36 Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce 1-37 Commission; and, be it further 1-38 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 1-39 copy of this resolution to the governor of the State of Texas. 1-40 * * * * *