R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is pleased to
 1-2     recognize February 28, 2001, as Rural Hospital Day at the State
 1-3     Capitol and to pay tribute to all those associated with the Texas
 1-4     Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals (TORCH); and
 1-5           WHEREAS, TORCH serves as an advocate for rural and community
 1-6     hospitals in the Lone Star State, providing leadership while
 1-7     addressing their special needs and issues; currently representing
 1-8     162 hospitals across the state, this respected association focuses
 1-9     on the issues unique to acute care hospitals with fewer than 150
1-10     beds; and
1-11           WHEREAS, A member-driven organization, TORCH offers a wide
1-12     range of educational and advocacy services, in addition to
1-13     supplying need-to-know information and quickly answering health
1-14     care concerns; in its more than 10 years of existence, the rural
1-15     and small communities in Texas have benefited immeasurably from the
1-16     organization's efforts to ensure affordable and high-quality health
1-17     care at the local level; and
1-18           WHEREAS, The 162 hospitals in Texas' rural and smaller
1-19     communities bound together by TORCH have shown an impressive desire
1-20     to provide for the well-being of Texans across the state, and it is
1-21     most appropriate to honor the men and women involved with these
1-22     outstanding health care facilities and the TORCH organization; now,
1-23     therefore, be it
1-24           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
 2-1     Legislature hereby recognize February 28, 2001, as Rural Hospital
 2-2     Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation from
 2-3     the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals sincere best
 2-4     wishes for an enjoyable observance.
                                                                     Telford
                                             _______________________________
                                                   Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.R. No. 294 was adopted by the House on
         February 28, 2001, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House