R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, Nelda Laney has continually gone above and beyond
1-2 the call of duty in her position as the wife of House Speaker James
1-3 E. "Pete" Laney, and her warmth, kindness, and dedication have
1-4 earned her the lasting respect and gratitude of all the members of
1-5 this chamber; and
1-6 WHEREAS, The Laneys have been married for 33 years, and for
1-7 23 of those years, Speaker Laney has served as a state
1-8 representative; throughout that time, Mrs. Laney has balanced her
1-9 many duties as the spouse of a public official with the needs of
1-10 the couple's three children, KaLyn Laney, Jamey Laney Phillips, and
1-11 J Pete Laney, and the grace with which she has managed these roles
1-12 has been an inspiration to all who know her; and
1-13 WHEREAS, An honors graduate of Texas Tech University,
1-14 Mrs. Laney originally pursued a teaching career, and her enthusiasm
1-15 for learning has infused many of the projects that she has
1-16 undertaken in the past several years; with Texas First Lady Laura
1-17 Bush, she helped to organize the premier Texas Book Festival,
1-18 promoting Texas literature while raising much-needed funds for our
1-19 state's public libraries, and she was a guiding force in the
1-20 reestablishment of an agricultural museum in the Capitol; and
1-21 WHEREAS, Mrs. Laney's efforts in the restoration of the
1-22 Capitol building extended far beyond that one project, however, as
1-23 she frequently donned a hardhat to inspect the ongoing construction
1-24 and speak with the many different tradesmen who were completing the
2-1 work; when crews faced a difficult deadline to finish the house
2-2 chamber for the 74th session, Mrs. Laney responded in true Texas
2-3 fashion, going to work to help lay the carpet that we walk on
2-4 today; in addition, through her leadership of the Historical Art
2-5 Enrichment Program to Enhance the Capitol and the Capitol Fund
2-6 Drive, she has helped to raise millions of dollars to furnish the
2-7 stately building with appropriate antiques and works of art; and
2-8 WHEREAS, She further bolstered this noble cause by
2-9 establishing an innovative source of revenue for the State
2-10 Preservation Board; Mrs. Laney drew on her artistic talents to
2-11 personally design a beautiful gold-plated Christmas ornament
2-12 depicting the Texas Capitol, and proceeds from the sale of this
2-13 unique keepsake will benefit the Capitol preservation program for
2-14 years to come; and
2-15 WHEREAS, Only one concern seems to exceed Mrs. Laney's
2-16 devotion to the Capitol building and its many historic artifacts,
2-17 and that is her concern for the people within the building; stories
2-18 of this gracious woman's hospitality and generosity abound, and one
2-19 would be hard pressed to find a denizen of or visitor to this
2-20 statehouse who has not been touched by Mrs. Laney's thoughtfulness;
2-21 from preparing sandwiches and snacks for sergeants, staffers, and
2-22 committee members to opening her personal quarters for use by
2-23 legislators feeling under the weather, Mrs. Laney has established
2-24 herself as a second mother to nearly everyone in the House of
2-25 Representatives; and
2-26 WHEREAS, While most women would shy away from the demands of
2-27 more than 150 foster children, Mrs. Laney seems to take the chaos
3-1 in stride, and her resourcefulness in a crisis is nothing short of
3-2 legendary; this session's swearing-in festivities for new house
3-3 members faced certain cancellation when icy roads prevented
3-4 caterers from reaching the Capitol, but Mrs. Laney, with the help
3-5 of several other legislators' spouses, took to the kitchen and
3-6 miraculously turned out breakfast for 150 people and lunch for 75,
3-7 and she has actually been known to straighten all the shutters in
3-8 the house chamber and is rumored to have been seen weeding the rose
3-9 garden on the Capitol grounds; and
3-10 WHEREAS, A proper accounting of all of Nelda Laney's
3-11 achievements, honors, thoughtful acts, and public service projects
3-12 would fill many volumes, and each member of this chamber
3-13 undoubtedly has a favorite memory of this truly remarkable woman;
3-14 Nelda Laney embodies the finest traditions of hospitality, service,
3-15 and compassion that Texans hold dear, and in doing so, she has set
3-16 an exemplary standard for others to follow; now, therefore, be it
3-17 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas
3-18 Legislature hereby honor Nelda Laney for her outstanding work in
3-19 behalf of the people of Texas and confer on her the formal title of
3-20 First Lady of the House; and, be it further
3-21 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-22 prepared for Mrs. Laney as an expression of highest regard by the
3-23 Texas House of Representatives.
Jones of Lubbock
Wilson
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 Merritt Wilson
Glaze Moffat Wise
Goodman Moreno Wohlgemuth
Goolsby Mowery Wolens
Gray Naishtat Woolley
Greenberg Nixon Yarbrough
Grusendorf Oakley Zbranek
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1125 was adopted by the House on June
2, 1997, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House