HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The prayers and hopes of millions of Texans have
1-2 been answered with the release from Yugoslav captivity of U.S. Army
1-3 Specialist Steven M. Gonzales, and it is with profound joy that the
1-4 76th Texas Legislature welcomes his freedom and reunion with family
1-5 and friends; and
1-6 WHEREAS, The ordeal began at the end of March, when
1-7 Specialist Gonzales and two other American soldiers were taken
1-8 captive at the Macedonian border; and
1-9 WHEREAS, The trio had been stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany,
1-10 and were reassigned as part of a multinational force of NATO
1-11 members to aid in the resolution of the conflict in Kosovo; held by
1-12 Yugoslavian forces, the soldiers were imprisoned for 32 days before
1-13 their release; and
1-14 WHEREAS, A Lone Star native and the son of Rosie and Gilbert
1-15 Gonzales of Huntsville, Specialist Gonzales graduated from
1-16 Palestine High School in 1995; an exceptional scholar-athlete, he
1-17 was 10th in his class of 217, served as an officer in the National
1-18 Honor Society, and was a member of both the soccer and
1-19 cross-country teams; and
1-20 WHEREAS, He was the faculty advisory choice for speaker at
1-21 the 1995 graduation ceremonies, and his selection of material, a
1-22 quote from the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., says a great
1-23 deal about the integrity and sense of purpose of this exceptional
1-24 young man: "And there comes a time when one must take a position
2-1 that is neither safe, nor polite, nor popular--but one must take it
2-2 because it's right"; and
2-3 WHEREAS, Specialist Gonzales is now back among his family and
2-4 fellow soldiers, and it is a great honor to join the multitude of
2-5 Texans recognizing his bravery and patriotism and celebrating his
2-6 release; now, therefore, be it
2-7 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-8 hereby commemorate the regained freedom of U.S. Army Specialist
2-9 Steven M. Gonzales and extend to him warmest and sincere best
2-10 wishes for all possible happiness and success in the years to come;
2-11 and, be it further
2-12 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-13 prepared for Specialist Gonzales as a reminder of this grand day
2-14 and as an expression of highest regard by the Texas House of
2-15 Representatives and Senate.
Staples
Ellis
Uresti
Hunter
Moreno of El Paso
Laney Glaze Moreno of El Paso
Alexander Goodman Morrison
Allen Goolsby Mowery
Alvarado Gray Naishtat
Averitt Green Najera
Bailey Greenberg Nixon
Berman Grusendorf Noriega
Bonnen Gutierrez Oliveira
Bosse Haggerty Olivo
Brimer Hamric Palmer
Brown of Kaufman Hardcastle Pickett
Brown of Brazos Hartnett Pitts
Burnam Hawley Puente
Capelo Heflin Ramsay
Carter Hilbert Rangel
Chavez Hilderbran Reyna of Bexar
Chisum Hill Reyna of Dallas
Christian Hinojosa Ritter
Clark Hochberg Sadler
Coleman Hodge Salinas
Cook Homer Seaman
Corte Hope Shields
Counts Howard Siebert
Crabb Hunter Smith
Craddick Hupp Smithee
Crownover Isett Solis of Cameron
Cuellar Janek Solis of Bexar
Culberson Jones of Brazos Solomons
Danburg Jones of Lubbock Staples
Davis of Harris Jones of Dallas Swinford
Davis of Dallas Junell Talton
Delisi Keel Telford
Denny Keffer Thompson
Deshotel King of Parker Tillery
Driver King of Uvalde Truitt
Dukes Krusee Turner of Coleman
Dunnam Kuempel Turner of Harris
Dutton Lengefeld Uher
Edwards Lewis of Tarrant Uresti
Ehrhardt Lewis of Orange Van de Putte
Eiland Longoria Walker
Elkins Luna West
Ellis McCall Williams
Farabee McClendon Wilson
Farrar McReynolds Wise
Flores Madden Wohlgemuth
Gallego Marchant Wolens
Garcia Maxey Woolley
George Merritt Yarbrough
Giddings Moreno of Harris Zbranek
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 269 was adopted by the House on May
21, 1999, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 269 was adopted by the Senate on
May 21, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor