By Denny                                             H.C.R. No. 115
         76R8165 JBR-F                           
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, Civic prayers and national days of prayer have a
 1-2     long and venerable history in our constitutional republic, dating
 1-3     back to the First Continental Congress in 1774; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, The Declaration of Independence, our first statement
 1-5     as Americans of national purpose and identity, made the "Laws of
 1-6     Nature and Nature's God" the foundation of our United States of
 1-7     America and asserted that people have inalienable rights that are
 1-8     God-given; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court has affirmed the
1-10     right of state legislatures to open their sessions with prayer and
1-11     the supreme court and the United States Congress begin each day
1-12     with prayer; and
1-13           WHEREAS, In 1988, legislation setting aside the first
1-14     Thursday in May in each year as the National Day of Prayer was
1-15     passed unanimously by both houses of congress and signed by
1-16     President Ronald Reagan; and
1-17           WHEREAS, The National Day of Prayer is an opportunity for
1-18     Americans of all faiths to join in united prayer to acknowledge our
1-19     dependence on God, to give thanks for blessings received, to
1-20     request healing for wounds endured, and to ask God to guide our
1-21     leaders; and
1-22           WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper to observe a day of prayer
1-23     in Texas when all may acknowledge our blessings and express
1-24     gratitude for them; now, therefore, be it
 2-1           RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
 2-2     hereby designate the first Thursday of May 1999 as "A Day of Prayer
 2-3     in Texas" and encourage the citizens of Texas to observe the day in
 2-4     ways appropriate to its importance and significance.