1-1                                     1
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 164
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
 1-4     proclaim February 10, 1999, as Brownsville Day at the State Capitol
 1-5     and to welcome residents of Brownsville to the Capital City; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Accompanying this distinguished group will be
 1-7     representatives of the City of Brownsville, the Brownsville
 1-8     Chamber of Commerce, the Brownsville Independent School
 1-9     District, the Brownsville Navigation District, the Brownsville
1-10     Public Utilities Board, the Brownsville Economic Development
1-11     Council, and the Brownsville Convention and Visitors Bureau; and
1-12           WHEREAS, The largest city in the lower Rio Grande Valley,
1-13     Brownsville is the southernmost city in Texas and an international
1-14     seaport; and
1-15           WHEREAS, The destination of thousands of visitors every
1-16     year, Brownsville is also a birdwatcher's utopia; it boasts
1-17     the convergence of two major flyways; most Northern species
1-18     come through here while migrating South for the winter; and
1-19           WHEREAS, The county seat of Cameron County, Brownsville
1-20     has a variety of businesses which include tourism, shrimping,
1-21     electronics, food processing, and warehouse distribution which
1-22     serve as a vital economic base; and
1-23           WHEREAS, Home of the Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville is proud
1-24     of this zoo which boasts several endangered species, including the
 2-1     white rhinoceros and the lowland gorilla; and
 2-2           WHEREAS, Originally settled as part of Matamoros, Mexico,
 2-3     the town was first chartered as a city in the United States
 2-4     in 1848, and it was established by General Zachary Taylor as
 2-5     Fort Texas, later Fort Brown, in 1846; this action verified that
 2-6     the Rio Grande was the boundary of the United States after Texas
 2-7     became a state, and this action resulted in the Mexican War; many
 2-8     of the first battles were fought here; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, The old city has had five different flags fly
2-10     over it; the colors of Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas,
2-11     the Confederate States of America, and the United States have
2-12     been flown over the settlement of Brownsville; and
2-13           WHEREAS, Vital to the South during the Civil War,
2-14     Brownsville was the only port available to the Confederacy
2-15     to ship its cotton to trade for war supplies; when the Union
2-16     Army caused the inhabitants to evacuate in 1863, the cotton
2-17     supply was burned to prevent its falling into Union hands; and
2-18           WHEREAS, An area that abounds with historical sites,
2-19     Brownsville makes an attractive and desirable destination
2-20     for tourists; now, therefore, be it
2-21           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-22     76th Legislature, hereby welcome the noteworthy visitors
2-23     from the City of Brownsville; and, be it further
2-24           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared
2-25     for the Brownsville delegation as an expression of the highest
2-26     regard and esteem of the Texas Senate.
 3-1                                                                   Lucio
 3-2                                  ______________________________________
 3-3                                          President of the Senate
 3-4                                       I hereby certify that the above
 3-5                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
 3-6                                  on February 10, 1999.
 3-7                                  ______________________________________
 3-8                                          Secretary of the Senate
 3-9                                  ______________________________________
3-10                                           Member, Texas Senate