HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, On February 16-17, 1999, many proud El Pasoans will
1-2 gather in Austin to celebrate El Paso Days at the Capitol; and
1-3 WHEREAS, The fourth-largest city in Texas, El Paso is known
1-4 for its unique and diverse union of cultures, languages, and
1-5 histories that have shaped this distinctive city since 1598, when
1-6 it was christened "El Paso del Norte"; and
1-7 WHEREAS, El Paso celebrates its diverse indigenous
1-8 communities, including the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Indian Tribe and
1-9 Reservation in El Paso's lower valley; and
1-10 WHEREAS, In 1848, the cavalry post Fort Bliss was established
1-11 in El Paso, and more than 150 years later the military post is the
1-12 site of the largest air defense training center in the world, with
1-13 more than 15,000 active military personnel; and
1-14 WHEREAS, Modern-day El Paso serves as the health care center
1-15 for much of the Southwest and Mexico, boasting five private
1-16 hospitals, one public hospital, Thomason Hospital, Texas Tech
1-17 Health Science Center, and William Beaumont Army Medical Center;
1-18 and
1-19 WHEREAS, The city's educational environment is truly an
1-20 international one, ably meeting the academic and training needs of
1-21 Texas' future workforce through the curriculum offered at such
1-22 outstanding institutes of learning as The University of Texas at El
1-23 Paso, El Paso Community College, and the newly created Center for
1-24 Workforce Preparedness; and
2-1 WHEREAS, El Paso is the largest international metroplex in
2-2 the world, with a strategic regional location that provides easy
2-3 access to an extensive transportation network, comprising two
2-4 international airports, two interstate highways, four international
2-5 ports of entry, and three rail providers; and
2-6 WHEREAS, El Paso's stature as a great international city
2-7 continues to attract both business and tourism, and together with
2-8 its adjoining city, Juarez, Mexico, this sprawling modern
2-9 metropolis comprises the largest border community in the world; the
2-10 city's abundance of skilled workers, combined with its friendly
2-11 people, diverse culture, and temperate climate, has created an
2-12 attractive and productive atmosphere for new businesses and
2-13 industries, and this has brought unprecedented economic growth to
2-14 the region; and
2-15 WHEREAS, A center of international commerce, many successful
2-16 companies have had their origins in El Paso, including Continental
2-17 Airlines, Old El Paso Foods, and the Hilton Hotel chain, founded by
2-18 former El Pasoan Conrad Hilton, and the city is home to the world's
2-19 largest Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership; in addition to these
2-20 thriving businesses, El Paso is also the headquarters of the League
2-21 of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the nationally
2-22 recognized civil rights organization; and
2-23 WHEREAS, The stark beauty of El Paso's desert surroundings
2-24 has been well documented by generations of talented artists and
2-25 writers, and the majestic backdrop of the Franklin Mountains is an
2-26 appropriately grand setting for one of the Lone Star State's most
2-27 appealing communities; and
3-1 WHEREAS, El Pasoans enjoy a wonderful array of cultural and
3-2 recreational activities, from taking in the Kress Collection at the
3-3 El Paso Museum of Art to cheering on the El Paso Diablos baseball
3-4 team, the El Paso Buzzards hockey team, and the El Paso Patriots
3-5 soccer team, and while many knowledgeable aficionados consider El
3-6 Paso's Mexican food to be among the best in the world, it is less
3-7 likely recognized, but no less important, that El Paso was home to
3-8 Francisco Pancho Morales, creator of the margarita; and
3-9 WHEREAS, The city has been home to a number of prominent
3-10 figures in the fields of entertainment, journalism, and the law,
3-11 including United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor,
3-12 entertainer Debbie Reynolds, newsman Sam Donaldson, Star Trek
3-13 creator Gene Roddenberry, ventriloquist Ronn Lucas, Texas rock and
3-14 roll pioneer Bobby Fuller, who, along with Buddy Holly, inspired
3-15 countless garage bands, and singer Florencia Bisenta de Casillas
3-16 Martinez Cardona, better known as Vikki Carr, while El Paso's
3-17 sister city, Juarez, Mexico, is the hometown of internationally
3-18 acclaimed recording artist Juan Gabriel; and
3-19 WHEREAS, El Paso's rich history and colorful traditions have
3-20 ensured its enduring prominence in the story of the Lone Star
3-21 State, and as its citizens look forward to the challenges and
3-22 opportunities of El Paso's fifth century, they can take justifiable
3-23 pride and satisfaction in the world-class city they call home; now,
3-24 therefore, be it
3-25 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
3-26 hereby recognize February 16-17, 1999, as El Paso Days at the
3-27 Capitol and extend to its citizens best wishes for continued
4-1 success and happiness in the future.
Chavez
Najera
Moreno of El Paso
Haggerty
Pickett
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 84 was adopted by the House on
February 17, 1999, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 84 was adopted by the Senate on
February 17, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor