R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The House of Representatives of the State of Texas
1-2 takes pleasure in welcoming many distinguished visitors from El
1-3 Paso on February 7, 2001, to celebrate El Paso Day in Austin; and
1-4 WHEREAS, During almost 400 years of history, El Paso sprang
1-5 from its original indigenous groups, the Spanish missions with
1-6 their accompanying priests and converts, and the newer Anglo
1-7 settlements into a modern 21st century city that is distinctly
1-8 bilingual, bicultural, and binational; and
1-9 WHEREAS, El Paso is the true International Gateway to the
1-10 Americas and with its partner city, Juarez, constitutes the largest
1-11 border community in the world; El Paso has a moderate climate,
1-12 friendly people, skilled workers, and a distinct culture, which
1-13 attracts new industries, businesses, and tourists; and
1-14 WHEREAS, Several successful businesses began their operations
1-15 here; among them are Old El Paso Foods, Continental Airlines, and
1-16 the Hilton Hotel chain; it is even said that El Paso resident
1-17 Francisco Pancho Morales created the margarita; and
1-18 WHEREAS, The home of many famous authors, artists, singers,
1-19 politicians, and members of the entertainment industry, El Paso
1-20 enjoys the advantages of a myriad of cultural attractions; the El
1-21 Paso Museum of Art, the El Paso Museum of History, the El Paso
1-22 Centennial Museum, several old missions, and the Ysleta del Sur
1-23 Pueblo Indian Tribe and Reservation, home of one of the three
1-24 recognized Native American tribes in Texas, offer knowledge and
2-1 entertainment; and
2-2 WHEREAS, Presently El Paso is home to the nationwide civil
2-3 rights group, the League of United Latin American Citizens; and
2-4 WHEREAS, Basketball Hall of Fame member Don Haskins is an El
2-5 Paso resident and a longtime basketball coach at The University of
2-6 Texas at El Paso; he moved to El Paso in 1961 and was already
2-7 established as a notable coach among his peers; he led the Miners
2-8 to seven Western Athletic Conference Championships and 14 National
2-9 Collegiate Athletic Association appearances, including the one in
2-10 1966 when his team won the title game by a score of 72-65; and
2-11 WHEREAS, The 1960s also saw El Paso musician Bobby Fuller
2-12 rocket to stardom as the lead singer of the Bobby Fuller Four; the
2-13 group's single "I Fought the Law" was a top ten hit, and remains
2-14 one of the decade's great rock-and-roll anthems; and
2-15 WHEREAS, Another outstanding citizen of El Paso is Rosa
2-16 Guerrero, founder of Rosa Guerrero Folklorico International; in
2-17 1974, she began the first folklorico dance group; in 1979, after
2-18 she retired from teaching, she formed the Rosa Guerrero Folklorico,
2-19 which she continues to run today, and remains interested in
2-20 education, supporting bilingual education and initiatives to help
2-21 dropout students; and
2-22 WHEREAS, One of the most famous authors in the country today
2-23 is an El Paso citizen, Cormac McCarthy; a writer who was not truly
2-24 discovered until recently, this author has written Suttree, Blood
2-25 Meridian, and his border trilogy, All the Pretty Horses, The
2-26 Crossing, and Cities of the Plains; and
2-27 WHEREAS, Another celebrated artist who is an El Paso citizen
3-1 is Jose Cisneros, famed for his depictions of early life in
3-2 Durango, Mexico, and for collaborations with other artists; he won
3-3 The University of Texas Paisano Fellowship in 1969; now, his works
3-4 are desired and collected all over the world; he was proclaimed a
3-5 Living Legend in 1997, and Governor and Mrs. George W. Bush honored
3-6 him with a reception and dinner in 1998 in the Governor's Mansion;
3-7 and
3-8 WHEREAS, The Texas State Artist for two-dimensional works for
3-9 1997-1998, Ernesto Pedregon Martinez, hails from South El Paso; a
3-10 self-taught artist, Mr. Martinez paints the everyday struggles of
3-11 the Mexican people; a muralist, he has painted military, religious,
3-12 and patriotic murals for hospitals, churches, and schools;
3-13 Mr. Martinez was designated Artist of the Year by the League of
3-14 United Latin American Citizens in 1975 and was selected by the
3-15 Texas Legislature as State Artist for 1997-1998; and
3-16 WHEREAS, The colorful traditions and rich history of El Paso
3-17 will guarantee its prominence in the tales of the Lone Star State,
3-18 and its citizens deserve to be proud of the extraordinary city
3-19 which they call home; now, therefore, be it
3-20 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
3-21 Legislature hereby extend a hearty welcome to El Paso visitors
3-22 coming to the State Capitol for El Paso Day on February 7, 2001;
3-23 and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be
3-24 prepared as an expression of the highest regard and esteem of the
3-25 Texas House of Representatives.
Najera
Chavez
Haggerty
Pickett
Moreno of El Paso
Laney Goodman Merritt
Alexander Goolsby Miller
Allen Gray Moreno of Harris
Averitt Green Moreno of El Paso
Bailey Grusendorf Morrison
Berman Gutierrez Mowery
Bonnen Haggerty Naishtat
Bosse Hamric Najera
Brimer Hardcastle Nixon
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Noriega
Brown of Brazos Hawley Oliveira
Burnam Heflin Olivo
Callegari Hilbert Pickett
Capelo Hilderbran Pitts
Carter Hill Puente
Chavez Hinojosa Ramsay
Chisum Hochberg Rangel
Christian Hodge Raymond
Clark Homer Reyna of Bexar
Coleman Hope Reyna of Dallas
Cook Hopson Ritter
Corte Howard Sadler
Counts Hunter Salinas
Crabb Hupp Seaman
Craddick Isett Shields
Crownover Janek Smith
Danburg Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Davis of Harris Jones of Bexar Solis
Davis of Dallas Jones of Dallas Solomons
Delisi Junell Swinford
Denny Keel Talton
Deshotel Keffer Telford
Driver King of Parker Thompson
Dukes King of Uvalde Tillery
Dunnam Kitchen Truitt
Dutton Kolkhorst Turner of Coleman
Edwards Krusee Turner of Harris
Ehrhardt Kuempel Uher
Eiland Lewis of Tarrant Uresti
Elkins Lewis of Orange Villarreal
Ellis Longoria Walker
Farabee Luna West
Farrar McCall Williams
Flores McClendon Wilson
Gallego McReynolds Wise
Garcia Madden Wohlgemuth
George Marchant Wolens
Geren Martinez Fischer Woolley
Giddings Maxey Yarbrough
Glaze Menendez Zbranek
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 169 was adopted by the House on
February 7, 2001, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House