R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives takes great
1-2 pleasure in welcoming back the Border Blitz delegation, composed of
1-3 residents from the cities of McAllen, Mission, Pharr, Edinburg,
1-4 Hidalgo, and Weslaco; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Gateway to Northern Mexico, the Rio Grande Valley is
1-6 one of our state's most dynamic regions and serves as a flyway
1-7 between North and South America; the Valley is rich in cultural
1-8 diversity, touting the third fastest growing metropolitan
1-9 statistical area in Texas, and attributes its prosperity to
1-10 agriculture and labor-intensive industry; the region is also
1-11 booming as a nature eco-tourism area and offers some of the best
1-12 birding in the country; and
1-13 WHEREAS, Only three miles from the border, McAllen is ideally
1-14 located to reap the benefits of the anticipated growth in commerce
1-15 and trade between the United States and Mexico; the city is rich in
1-16 Hispanic flavor, and its laid-back, subtropical setting makes it an
1-17 ideal winter vacation resort; an area suited to year-round farming,
1-18 vegetables, sugar cane, and onions are always plentiful, while
1-19 summer brings cotton, and winter crops are grapefruit and oranges;
1-20 moreover, many United States manufacturers are combining with
1-21 Mexican maquiladoras in the Foreign Trade Zone to create a strong
1-22 manufacturing presence in McAllen; and
1-23 WHEREAS, Edinburg, the Hidalgo County seat, has a burgeoning
1-24 economy and is the only Texas city named a 2000 winner of the
2-1 All-America City Award, the oldest and most prestigious prize
2-2 accorded communities in the United States; Edinburg is the
2-3 recipient of two previous All-America City awards, in 1968 and
2-4 1995, and has shown itself to be a community where concerned
2-5 citizens can come together to accomplish different goals; in
2-6 addition, it is home to the premier institution of higher learning
2-7 in the Rio Grande Valley, The University of Texas--Pan American;
2-8 and
2-9 WHEREAS, Located on the Mexican border, the city of Pharr
2-10 boasts a state-of-the-art international bridge, which connects U.S.
2-11 Highway 281 to the city of Reynosa, Mexico; Pharr is blessed with a
2-12 sunny, warm climate and is one of the nation's top producers of
2-13 winter vegetables and citrus fruits; the city attributes its
2-14 prosperity to a diversified economy that includes natural gas and a
2-15 growing number of commercial enterprises, including trucking
2-16 companies and hotels; and
2-17 WHEREAS, The lovely town of Mission is situated in
2-18 southwestern Hidalgo County and proudly calls itself "Home of the
2-19 Grapefruit," a fitting title for this producer of the famed "Texas
2-20 Ruby Red" variety; a charming town steeped in civic pride, Mission
2-21 celebrates the only all-poinsettia show in the United States and is
2-22 home to the American Poinsettia Society; in addition to its
2-23 agricultural and tourism industries, 30 industrial plants play a
2-24 vital role in Mission's economic well-being; and
2-25 WHEREAS, Located on the Rio Grande in south central Hidalgo
2-26 County, the city of Hidalgo takes pride in its unique cultural
2-27 flavor, which comes from its proximity to Mexico's border; like
3-1 other cities in the Valley, Hidalgo is a hub for industry and
3-2 agriculture and its citizens are united in their sense of community
3-3 and culture; and
3-4 WHEREAS, The city of Weslaco, centrally located in the Rio
3-5 Grande Valley, provides all the amenities for an excellent quality
3-6 of life; ideal for nature tourists, Weslaco hosts four sites on the
3-7 Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail and features the Mid-Valley
3-8 Nature Center, the Frontera Audubon Center, and is to be the
3-9 central site of the World Birding Center; now, therefore, be it
3-10 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
3-11 Legislature hereby welcome the Border Blitz delegation to the State
3-12 Capitol and extend to its members and their cities best wishes for
3-13 the future.
Gutierrez
Flores
Hinojosa
Wise
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 581 was adopted by the House on March
21, 2001, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House