By Noriega H.R. No. 845 76R14836 GMW-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Ripley Community Health Center will become the 1-2 Gulfgate Community Health Center in the summer of 2000, and this 1-3 auspicious development will greatly benefit countless Texans; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Since opening its doors to the public on January 2, 1-5 1973, the Ripley Community Health Center has been a leader in the 1-6 health care community, diligently serving the medical needs of the 1-7 residents of East Houston; throughout the years an influx of 1-8 patients necessitated many expansions to the facility, until it was 1-9 determined that a replacement center could better serve the area's 1-10 burgeoning population; and 1-11 WHEREAS, In 1998 the hospital district board of managers 1-12 approved the construction of the $4 million Gulfgate Community 1-13 Health Center; the new center will be more than twice the size of 1-14 the Ripley Community Health Center and will provide easier access 1-15 and more efficient medical care to the community; and 1-16 WHEREAS, The Ripley Community Health Center has been an 1-17 outstanding health care provider for more than 26 years, and as it 1-18 becomes the Gulfgate Community Health Center, it will undoubtedly 1-19 continue to successfully meet the health care needs of East 1-20 Houston; now, therefore, be it 1-21 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas 1-22 Legislature hereby honor the upcoming opening of the Gulfgate 1-23 Community Health Center and extend sincere appreciation to the 1-24 Ripley Community Health Center for its many years of dedicated 2-1 service to East Houston.