1-1                                     1
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 581
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pride
 1-4     in joining citizens across our country in recognizing Friday,
 1-5     April 9, 1999, as Former Prisoners of War Recognition Day; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Former Prisoners of War Recognition Day is an
 1-7     opportunity for Americans to honor and demonstrate support for our
 1-8     country's former prisoners of war and to express appreciation for
 1-9     the suffering and loss of personal freedom that they endured during
1-10     their imprisonment; and
1-11           WHEREAS, Throughout our nation's history, our men and
1-12     women have placed themselves in great peril in order to defend
1-13     our country, and many of these people were held captive for long
1-14     months or years and were forced to endure hunger, abuse, torture,
1-15     isolation, and dreadful suspense; and
1-16           WHEREAS, During World War II alone, 129,635 United States
1-17     military personnel and 18,745 civilians were captured and interned
1-18     by the Nazis and by the Japanese; and
1-19           WHEREAS, In the State of Texas, the members of the American
1-20     Ex-Prisoners of War total 2,488; there are 24 chapters of this
1-21     organization in Texas, and the oldest chapters are the East Texas
1-22     Chapter chartered in 1953 and the San Antonio Chapter chartered
1-23     in 1956; and
1-24           WHEREAS, The American prisoners of war made extreme
 2-1     sacrifices for our country and are among the brave men and women
 2-2     who have defended our nation's ideals, security, and safety; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, It is appropriate that the Texas Legislature
 2-4     designate a day on which to pay tribute to the former prisoners
 2-5     of war and express gratitude for the love they have demonstrated
 2-6     for our country and for the extraordinary courage, patriotism,
 2-7     tenacity, and endurance they have demonstrated; now, therefore,
 2-8     be it
 2-9           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-10     76th Legislature, hereby encourage Texans across our state to
2-11     observe Former Prisoners of War Recognition Day on Friday,
2-12     April 9, 1999; and, be it further
2-13           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor
2-14     of all former prisoners of war as an expression of high esteem from
2-15     the Texas Senate.
2-16                                                    Truan
2-17           Armbrister           Gallegos            Nixon
2-18           Barrientos           Harris              Ogden
2-19           Bernsen              Haywood             Ratliff
2-20           Bivins               Jackson             Shapiro
2-21           Brown                Lindsay             Shapleigh
2-22           Cain                 Lucio               Sibley
2-23           Carona               Luna                Wentworth
2-24           Duncan               Madla               West
2-25           Ellis                Moncrief            Whitmire
2-26           Fraser               Nelson              Zaffirini
2-27                       Perry, President of the Senate
2-28                                  ______________________________________
2-29                                          President of the Senate
2-30                                       I hereby certify that the above
2-31                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
2-32                                  on April 9, 1999.
2-33                                  ______________________________________
2-34                                          Secretary of the Senate
2-35                                  ______________________________________
2-36                                            Dean of the Senate