By Oliveira H.C.R. No. 187
75R9784 JTR-D
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, At the behest of Secretary of State Antonio O.
1-2 Garza, the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas undertakes at
1-3 this time to recognize Circuit Court Judge Reynaldo G. Garza for
1-4 his many contributions to the state and to advocate the naming of
1-5 the federal courthouse in Brownsville in Judge Garza's honor; and
1-6 WHEREAS, A native Texan, Judge Garza was born and received
1-7 his early education in Brownsville before earning his law degree at
1-8 The University of Texas; on his return to his hometown he began his
1-9 law practice, which was soon interrupted by the advent of World War
1-10 II; and
1-11 WHEREAS, After serving with distinction in the United States
1-12 Air Force, Judge Garza returned to Brownsville and resumed his
1-13 legal practice, eventually joining the firm of Sharpe, Cunningham
1-14 and Garza in 1950; and
1-15 WHEREAS, Judge Garza's career as an attorney culminated in
1-16 his being appointed to the federal bench in 1961 by President John
1-17 F. Kennedy, making him the first Mexican American to preside in a
1-18 federal court, and in 1979 he became the first Mexican American
1-19 appointed to the United States Court of Appeals, where he
1-20 continues to serve today; and
1-21 WHEREAS, His contributions to the community extend far beyond
1-22 his judicial career, and his recognition of the importance of our
1-23 ties with Mexico is exemplified by his service as a member of the
1-24 Texas Good Neighbor Commission and as an original member of the
2-1 International Good Neighbor Council before he became a federal
2-2 judge; he has served as a Brownsville city commissioner and as
2-3 president of the Brownsville Rotary Club, as well as giving freely
2-4 of his time and talent to the Knights of Columbus, for which work
2-5 he was honored by the late Pope Pius XII; a member of the Advisory
2-6 Board of the Rio Grande Council of the Boy Scouts of America, he is
2-7 a past president of the council and has been accorded the
2-8 organization's Silver Beaver and Silver Antelope awards; and
2-9 WHEREAS, An eloquent spokesman for the cause of higher
2-10 education, Judge Garza has lent his intelligence and experience to
2-11 such efforts as the Texas Select Committee on Higher Education and
2-12 the Committee of Twenty-Five on Education Beyond the High School;
2-13 his committed involvement in education policy has greatly benefited
2-14 generations of Texans, and in recognition of his contributions, he
2-15 has been presented the Alumnus of the Year award by the American
2-16 Association of Community and Junior Colleges and the Distinguished
2-17 Alumnus Award by The University of Texas at Austin; and
2-18 WHEREAS, Judge Reynaldo G. Garza has made his mark on the
2-19 nation's history even as he has given generously of himself to his
2-20 own community, and his stature as a jurist and his accomplishments
2-21 as a citizen are equally worthy of appropriate tribute; now,
2-22 therefore, be it
2-23 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-24 hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to name
2-25 the federal courthouse in Brownsville in honor of Judge Reynaldo G.
2-26 Garza; and, be it further
2-27 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
3-1 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
3-2 the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of
3-3 the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of
3-4 the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this
3-5 resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a
3-6 memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.