By Van de Putte                                  H.R. No. 124

      75R624 SAJ-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to honor

 1-2     the National Women's Memorial Project for its outstanding tribute

 1-3     to female veterans of the United States Armed Forces; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, The Women In Military Service For America Memorial

 1-5     will honor the service, sacrifice, and achievements of the nearly

 1-6     2,000,000 women who have been part of our country's armed forces,

 1-7     more than 78,000 of whom are Texans; and

 1-8           WHEREAS, Designed by noted architects Marion Gail Weiss and

 1-9     Michael Manfredi, the structure will stand at the gateway to

1-10     Arlington National Cemetery and will feature a reflecting pool, a

1-11     court of honor, and an education center; and

1-12           WHEREAS, More than 200 years ago, Deborah Sampson disguised

1-13     herself as a man to join the Massachusetts Regiment of the

1-14     Revolutionary Army; in later years, females have been welcomed into

1-15     military service, and in 1948, the Women's Armed Services

1-16     Integration Act granted them a permanent place in the military,

1-17     allowing them to serve their country with honor both in peacetime

1-18     and in conflict; and

1-19           WHEREAS, The Women In Military Service For America Memorial

1-20     is our nation's first major effort to pay tribute to its

1-21     servicewomen; their patriotism and bravery are part of our

1-22     collective heritage, and it is the express desire of the Texas

1-23     House of Representatives to voice its wholehearted support of this

1-24     important project; now, therefore, be it

 2-1           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

 2-2     Legislature hereby honor the female veterans of the United States

 2-3     Armed Forces and commend all those associated with the National

 2-4     Women's Memorial Project for their exceptional work on this

 2-5     worthwhile endeavor; and, be it further

 2-6           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

 2-7     prepared for the Women In Military Service For America Memorial

 2-8     Foundation as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of

 2-9     Representatives.