By Gutierrez                                           H.R. No. 582
         76R11179 JBR-F                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to join
 1-2     with the citizens of South Texas in celebrating the opening of
 1-3     Trans World Airlines' direct service from McAllen to Austin on
 1-4     April 6, 1999; the house of representatives is also pleased to
 1-5     welcome to Austin the Border Blitz delegation, composed of
 1-6     representatives from McAllen, Mission, Pharr, Edinburg, and Hidalgo
 1-7     who will be passengers on this initial flight; and
 1-8           WHEREAS, The gateway to Northern Mexico, the Rio Grande
 1-9     Valley is one of Texas' most dynamic regions; rich in cultural
1-10     diversity, the Valley is a flyway between North and South America
1-11     and offers some of the best birding in the country; the region
1-12     boasts the third-fastest growing metropolitan statistical area in
1-13     the state and attributes its prosperity to agriculture and
1-14     labor-intensive industry; the Valley is also thriving as an
1-15     ecotourism area; and
1-16           WHEREAS, McAllen, which is located only three miles from the
1-17     border, is ideal for reaping the benefits of the anticipated growth
1-18     in commerce and trade between the United States and Mexico; McAllen
1-19     is rich in Hispanic flavor, and its laid-back, subtropical setting
1-20     makes it an ideal winter vacation resort; the climate is conducive
1-21     to farming as well, producing fields of vegetables, sugar cane, and
1-22     onions year-round, while summer brings cotton and winter brings
1-23     grapefruit and oranges; finally, many United States manufacturers
1-24     combine with Mexican maquiladoras in the foreign trade zone to
 2-1     create a strong manufacturing presence in McAllen; and
 2-2           WHEREAS, Edinburg is the Hidalgo County seat and serves as
 2-3     the western gateway to the Lower Rio Grande Valley; Edinburg has
 2-4     become one of the nation's leading producers of vegetables and
 2-5     citrus fruit, and the city's recent dramatic expansion has
 2-6     generated significant economic growth; Edinburg is home to the
 2-7     state-of-the-art Edinburg Regional Medical Center and one of the
 2-8     Rio Grande Valley's premier institutions of higher learning, The
 2-9     University of Texas--Pan American; and
2-10           WHEREAS, Located just 11 miles from the Mexican border, the
2-11     city of Pharr boasts a new international bridge that connects it to
2-12     the town of Reynosa, Mexico; Pharr is blessed with a sunny, warm
2-13     climate, and like neighboring McAllen and Edinburg, the city is one
2-14     of the nation's top producers of winter vegetables and citrus
2-15     fruits; Pharr attributes its prosperity to a diversified economy
2-16     that includes natural gas and cotton production, as well as a
2-17     number of rapidly growing industries and companies; and
2-18           WHEREAS, Situated in southwestern Hidalgo County, the lovely
2-19     town of Mission proudly calls itself the "Home of the Grapefruit,"
2-20     a fitting title for this producer of the famed Texas Ruby Red
2-21     variety; a charming town with much civic pride, Mission celebrates
2-22     the only all-poinsettia show in the United States and is home to
2-23     the American Poinsettia Society; in addition to its agricultural
2-24     and tourism industries, the city has 30 industrial plants that play
2-25     a vital role in securing Mission's economic well-being; and
2-26           WHEREAS, Located on the Rio Grande in south central Hidalgo
2-27     County, the city of Hidalgo is proud of its unique cultural flavor,
 3-1     which comes from its proximity to Mexico's border; like other
 3-2     cities in the Valley, Hidalgo is a hub for industry and
 3-3     agriculture, and its citizens take pride in their community and
 3-4     their culture; and
 3-5           WHEREAS, Trans World Airlines' decision to offer direct
 3-6     service to Austin is indeed a boon for all citizens of McAllen,
 3-7     Mission, Pharr, Edinburg, and Hidalgo; as the Rio Grande Valley
 3-8     continues to thrive, its busy residents will undoubtedly enjoy the
 3-9     convenience and timeliness of Trans World Airlines' nonstop flight
3-10     to the state's capital; now, therefore, be it
3-11           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
3-12     Legislature hereby commemorate the inaugural flight of Trans World
3-13     Airlines' service from McAllen to Austin and extend best wishes to
3-14     the Border Blitz delegation and to all future passengers of this
3-15     flight for a safe, comfortable passage; and, be it further
3-16           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-17     prepared for Trans World Airlines as an expression of high regard
3-18     by the Texas House of Representatives.