1-1                                       1

 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 634

 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of Texas takes pleasure in recognizing

 1-4     Cinco de Mayo, the festive day on which Mexico celebrates her

 1-5     successful struggle for independence from the French in the 19th

 1-6     century; the date memorializes the famous Battle of Puebla on

 1-7     May 5, 1862; and

 1-8           WHEREAS, The French occupation of Mexico was part of a larger

 1-9     scheme to threaten the United States; the French planned to govern

1-10     Mexico and then support the Confederate States of America who were

1-11     engaged in a civil war with the hope of permanently dividing the

1-12     Union; and

1-13           WHEREAS, As a result of this battle, the people of Mexico

1-14     learned that they had the power to control their destiny and

1-15     they were inspired to unite as a nation in a common cause to

1-16     end foreign intervention; and

1-17           WHEREAS, Many Texans and Tejanos served in the volunteer

1-18     ranks of the Mexican Army during the historic Battle of Puebla

1-19     on that day; many Hispanic Texans trace their ancestral roots to

1-20     Mexico and proudly join family and neighbors to the south in

1-21     celebrating freedom; and

1-22           WHEREAS, Celebrants enjoy hearing mariachi bands, watching

1-23     ballet de folklorico, viewing arts and crafts, eating lucious

 2-1     specialty foods, and seeing coronations and dances; and

 2-2           WHEREAS, It is entirely fitting that Hispanic Americans and

 2-3     all Texans should celebrate this day and pay tribute to

 2-4     General Ignacio Zaragoza de Seguin, who was born in Goliad, Texas,

 2-5     in 1829; now, therefore, be it

 2-6           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,

 2-7     75th Legislature, hereby commemorate the heroism of those who

 2-8     fought for independence on Cinco de Mayo, recognize the great

 2-9     value of the celebration in building a sense of community among

2-10     all the citizens of this state, and encourage all Texans to take

2-11     part in the celebration and festivities; and, be it further

2-12           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an

2-13     expression of the goodwill and high esteem of the Texas Senate.

2-14           Truan                Gallegos            Madla

2-15           Barrientos           Lucio               Zaffirini

2-16                                Luna

2-17           Armbrister           Galloway            Patterson

2-18           Bivins               Harris              Ratliff

2-19           Brown                Haywood             Shapiro

2-20           Cain                 Lindsay             Shapleigh

2-21           Carona               Moncrief            Sibley

2-22           Duncan               Nelson              Wentworth

2-23           Ellis                Nixon               West

2-24           Fraser               Ogden               Whitmire

2-25                      Bullock, President of the Senate

2-26     ______________________________     _______________________________

2-27          Member, Texas Senate               Member, Texas Senate

2-28     ______________________________     _______________________________

2-29          Member, Texas Senate               Member, Texas Senate

2-30     ______________________________     _______________________________

2-31          Member, Texas Senate               Member, Texas Senate

2-32                      ______________________________

2-33                            Dean of the Senate

2-34                                        _______________________________

2-35                                            President of the Senate

2-36                                             I hereby certify that the

2-37                                        above Resolution was adopted by

 3-1                                        the Senate on May 5, 1997.

 3-2                                        _______________________________

 3-3                                            Secretary of the Senate