R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, February 27, 1997, marks the 49th birthday of our 1-2 esteemed friend and colleague the Honorable Tommy Merritt, and we 1-3 join his family and friends in celebrating this noteworthy 1-4 milestone; and 1-5 WHEREAS, While many new lawmakers typically seek to make 1-6 themselves known through their legislative efforts and work in 1-7 committee, Representative Merritt enjoyed immediate and widespread 1-8 recognition due to his unique and daring hairstyle, and he has led 1-9 even tonsorially conservative members to ponder the potential 1-10 advantage of using one's coiffure as a calling card; and 1-11 WHEREAS, It would be misleading, however, to say that 1-12 Mr. Merritt lets his hair speak for him, since this is a privilege 1-13 he reserves for himself; an avid and rapid conversationalist, he 1-14 has been known to engage even fence posts and domestic animals in 1-15 spirited argument, and it is rumored that modern fiber-optic 1-16 telecommunications technology was developed in order to accommodate 1-17 the sheer volume of his typical conversation; and 1-18 WHEREAS, The founder of one of the top three girls' 1-19 basketball tournaments in the nation, Representative Merritt 1-20 recently attempted to form an all-legislator basketball team, but 1-21 his efforts were thwarted when the State Preservation Board denied 1-22 his request to install a hoop above the speaker's podium; and 1-23 WHEREAS, An avid sportsman as well, Representative Merritt is 1-24 respected and feared by ducks across the Lone Star State, and when 2-1 not out pursuing this elusive prey, he enjoys supporting the 2-2 athletic teams of his alma mater, Texas Christian University; 2-3 fortunately for the Horned Frogs, Representative Merritt is the 2-4 proud owner and driver of the invincible Super Gas Dragster "Door 2-5 Slammer," which enables him to close the distance between Austin 2-6 and Fort Worth at approximately warp speed; and 2-7 WHEREAS, The spirit of fun in which this tribute is intended 2-8 in no way diminishes the affection and respect his colleagues feel 2-9 for Representative Merritt, and the warm congratulations we offer 2-10 him at this auspicious juncture in his life are indeed heartfelt; 2-11 now, therefore, be it 2-12 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 2-13 Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Tommy Merritt on the 2-14 occasion of his 49th birthday and extend to him sincere best wishes 2-15 for continued success and happiness in the years to come; and, be 2-16 it further 2-17 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-18 prepared for Representative Merritt as an expression of high regard 2-19 by his colleagues in the Texas House of Representatives. Bonnen Laney Gutierrez Oliveira Alexander Haggerty Olivo Allen Hamric Palmer Alvarado Hartnett Patterson Averitt Hawley Pickett Bailey Heflin Pitts Berlanga Hernandez Place Bonnen Hightower Price Bosse Hilbert Puente Brimer Hilderbran Rabuck Burnam Hill Ramsay Carter Hinojosa Rangel Chavez Hirschi Raymond Chisum Hochberg Reyna of Bexar Christian Hodge Reyna of Dallas Clark Holzheauser Rhodes Coleman Horn Rodriguez Cook Howard Roman Corte Hunter Sadler Counts Hupp Seaman Crabb Isett Serna Craddick Jackson Shields Cuellar Janek Siebert Culberson Jones of Lubbock Smith Danburg Jones of Dallas Smithee Davila Junell Solis Davis Kamel Solomons Delisi Keel Staples Denny Keffer Stiles Driver King Swinford Dukes Krusee Talton Dunnam Kubiak Telford Dutton Kuempel Thompson Edwards Lewis of Tarrant Tillery Ehrhardt Lewis of Orange Torres Eiland Longoria Turner of Coleman Elkins Luna Turner of Harris Farrar McCall Uher Finnell McClendon Van de Putte Flores McReynolds Walker Gallego Madden West Galloway Marchant Williams Garcia Maxey Williamson Giddings Moffat Wilson Glaze Moreno Wise Goodman Mowery Wohlgemuth Goolsby Naishtat Wolens Gray Nixon Woolley Greenberg Oakley Yarbrough Grusendorf Zbranek _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 247 was adopted by the House on Februrary 27, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House