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.

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