By Chavez                                             H.C.R. No. 50

         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, On February 5, 1997, many proud El Pasoans will be

 1-2     in Austin to celebrate El Paso Day at the Capitol, and this festive

 1-3     occasion serves to highlight the Pass of the North's many

 1-4     remarkable attributes; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, The fourth-largest city in Texas, El Paso sprang

 1-6     from indigenous communities and later Spanish missions and

 1-7     settlements in Texas, and throughout almost 400 years of history

 1-8     the continuous intermingling of Old World and New World has shaped

 1-9     this unique and distinctive region of the world and its residents,

1-10     creating a community that is truly binational, bicultural, and

1-11     bilingual; and

1-12           WHEREAS, El Paso's indigenous communities are present today

1-13     in the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Indian Tribe and Reservation that

1-14     exists in El Paso's lower valley, and it is one of only three

1-15     recognized Native American tribes in Texas; and

1-16           WHEREAS, El Paso's stature as a great international city

1-17     continues to attract both business and tourism, and together with

1-18     its adjoining city, Juarez, Mexico, this sprawling modern

1-19     metropolis comprises the largest border community in the world; El

1-20     Paso's abundance of skilled workers, combined with its friendly

1-21     people, diverse culture, and temperate climate, has created an

 2-1     attractive and productive atmosphere for new businesses and

 2-2     industries, and this has brought unprecendented economic growth to

 2-3     the region; and

 2-4           WHEREAS, A center of international commerce, many successful

 2-5     companies have had their origins in El Paso, including Continental

 2-6     Airlines, Old El Paso Foods, and the Hilton Hotel chain, founded by

 2-7     former El Pasoan Conrad Hilton, and El Paso is home to the world's

 2-8     largest Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership; and

 2-9           WHEREAS, The stark beauty of El Paso's desert surroundings

2-10     has been well documented by generations of talented artists and

2-11     writers, and the majestic backdrop of the Franklin Mountains is an

2-12     appropriately grand setting for one of the Lone Star State's most

2-13     appealing communities; and

2-14           WHEREAS, El Pasoans enjoy a wonderful array of cultural and

2-15     recreational activities, from taking in the Kress Collection at the

2-16     El Paso Museum of Art to cheering on the El Paso Diablos baseball

2-17     team, the El Paso Buzzards hockey team, and the El Paso Patriots

2-18     soccer team, and while many knowledgeable aficionados consider El

2-19     Paso's Mexican food to be among the best in the world, it is less

2-20     likely recognized, but no less important, that El Paso was home to

2-21     Francisco Pancho Morales, creator of the margarita; and

2-22           WHEREAS, next year, residents and visitors will be treated to

2-23     additional fun and excitement as the city hosts a grand

2-24     Quadricentennial Celebration, and through its four hundred years of

2-25     colorful history, El Paso has been home to a number of prominent

 3-1     figures in the fields of entertainment, journalism, politics, and

 3-2     the law, including United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day

 3-3     O'Connor, entertainer Debbie Reynolds, newsman Sam Donaldson, Star

 3-4     Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, ventriloquist Ronn Lucas, Texas rock

 3-5     and roll pioneer Bobby Fuller who, along with Buddy Holly, inspired

 3-6     countless garage bands to make a living from their music, and

 3-7     singer Florencia Bisenta de Casillas Martinez Cardona, better known

 3-8     as Vikki Carr, while El Paso's sister city Juarez is the hometown

 3-9     of internationally acclaimed recording artist Juan Gabriel; and

3-10           WHEREAS, El Paso is currently home to the nationally

3-11     recognized civil rights organization, the League of United Latin

3-12     American Citizens (LULAC); and

3-13           WHEREAS, El Paso's rich history and colorful traditions have

3-14     ensured its enduring prominence in the story of the Lone Star

3-15     State, and as its citizens look forward to the challenges and

3-16     opportunities of El Paso's fifth century they can take justifiable

3-17     pride and satisfaction in the world-class city they call home; now,

3-18     therefore, be it

3-19           RESOLVED, That the 75th Texas Legislature hereby recognize

3-20     February 5, 1997, as El Paso Day at the Capitol and extend to its

3-21     citizens best wishes for continued success and happiness in the

3-22     future.