By Coleman                                       H.R. No. 289

      75R7941 JHS-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives takes great pride

 1-2     in welcoming two distinguished guests, the Honorable D. Klaus

 1-3     Franke and Mr. Alfons Schops, on the occasion of their visit to the

 1-4     State Capitol; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, These two gentlemen are actively involved in the

 1-6     Texas-German Teacher Exchange Program, which sends Texas teachers

 1-7     to Germany and places their German counterparts in schools

 1-8     throughout the Lone Star State; now in its 10th year, this exciting

 1-9     program is presently operating in 16 school districts in Texas and

1-10     boasts 52 teachers instructing students in such areas as math,

1-11     science, special education, and foreign language; and

1-12           WHEREAS, Senator Franke was first elected to the Berlin House

1-13     of Representatives in 1964, and he continues to serve the citizens

1-14     of Berlin as a respected member of that policy-making body; during

1-15     his long tenure, he has served as deputy speaker of the house as

1-16     well as minister for housing and construction in Berlin; and

1-17           WHEREAS, In 1991, this dedicated public servant was named

1-18     chairman of the House Budget Committee, and two years later he

1-19     became president of the Partnership of Parliaments; in addition to

1-20     holding those prestigious positions, Senator Franke is chairman of

1-21     the board of the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation; and

1-22           WHEREAS, Mr. Schops is currently employed as the executive

1-23     director of the Partnership of Parliaments and has served as

1-24     program director of the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation since 1995; a

 2-1     devoted civil servant, he worked in the protocol section and the

 2-2     public relations division of the Berlin House of Representatives

 2-3     from 1988 to 1990; and

 2-4           WHEREAS, Named deputy executive director of Initiative

 2-5     Berlin-U.S.A. in 1993, Mr. Schops has done much to promote positive

 2-6     relations between Germany and the United States; the chief personal

 2-7     assistant to a member of the Federal Parliament, he gives freely of

 2-8     his time to the Archdiocese of Berlin, serving as the chairman of

 2-9     that organization's youth committee; and

2-10           WHEREAS, By helping to promote a cross-cultural educational

2-11     format for the young people of Texas and Germany, Senator Franke

2-12     and Mr. Schops are encouraging a greater understanding of the

2-13     similarities and differences that connect and define these regions;

2-14     the importance of this philosophy and the value of the program that

2-15     backs it cannot be overstated, and the outstanding efforts of these

2-16     fine gentlemen are indeed deserving of special legislative

2-17     recognition; now, therefore, be it

2-18           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

2-19     Legislature hereby welcome the Honorable D. Klaus Franke and

2-20     Mr. Alfons Schops to the State Capitol and commend them for their

2-21     participation in the Texas-German Teacher Exchange Program; and, be

2-22     it further

2-23           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-24     prepared for Senator Franke and Mr. Schops as an expression of high

2-25     regard by the Texas House of Representatives.