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