1-1                                     1                                  
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 304
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pleasure
 1-4     in joining the residents of Fort Bend County in declaring
 1-5     Wednesday, February 21, 2001, as Fort Bend County Capitol Day;
 1-6     and
 1-7           WHEREAS, Fort Bend County was named in honor of the old
 1-8     Fort Bend, a frontier outpost established on a bend of the
 1-9     Brazos River in 1821; and
1-10           WHEREAS, Created in 1837, the county was a major
1-11     settlement site for Stephen F. Austin's first colony of settlers,
1-12     the Old Three Hundred, who farmed land and established homes along
1-13     the Brazos River and the Oyster Creek area; and
1-14           WHEREAS, Fort Bend County is a popular area for fishing,
1-15     hunting, and vacationing; yet it has recently been named the
1-16     number two location in the United States for manufacturing by
1-17     the National Association of Corporate Real Estate Executives;
1-18     and
1-19           WHEREAS, Fort Bend County is currently gaining national
1-20     recognition for its quality of human resources, amazing growth,
1-21     and economic vibrance; the county enjoyed the third fastest
 2-1     population growth of any United States county through the first
 2-2     half of the nineties; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, The county is leading the state in job creation
 2-4     at three times the state average for new manufacturing jobs, and
 2-5     American Demographics named Fort Bend County the nation's third
 2-6     best address for managerial and professional workers; and
 2-7           WHEREAS, An analysis of data from the United States
 2-8     Department of Commerce shows that the size of the economy,
 2-9     earnings, and employment have grown at a rate much faster than
2-10     99 percent of all economies in the country over the last 10 years;
2-11     and
2-12           WHEREAS, The University of Houston Center for Public Policy
2-13     Institute for Regional Forecasting indicates dynamic growth for
2-14     the future of Fort Bend, with the current population more than
2-15     doubling by the year 2020; and
2-16           WHEREAS, Fort Bend County residents have an award-winning
2-17     school system and a strong economy, and they provide much of
2-18     the state's rice, corn, and nursery crops; and
2-19           WHEREAS, While Fort Bend County offers the opportunities
2-20     generated by fast growing communities, its natural beauty and
2-21     rural charm have been retained, and the residents of Fort Bend
2-22     County deserve to be proud of their efforts and planning; now,
2-23     therefore, be it
 3-1           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
 3-2     77th Legislature, hereby extend best wishes to the people of
 3-3     Fort Bend County for a joyous and celebratory Fort Bend County
 3-4     Capitol Day; and, be it further
 3-5           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared
 3-6     for the residents of Fort Bend County as an expression of
 3-7     esteem from the Texas Senate.
 3-8                                                      Brown, Armbrister,
 3-9                                                         Ellis          
3-10     ______________________________     _______________________________
3-11          Member, Texas Senate               Member, Texas Senate
3-12                      ______________________________
3-13                           Member, Texas Senate
3-14                                        _______________________________
3-15                                            President of the Senate
3-16                                             I hereby certify that the
3-17                                        above Resolution was adopted by
3-18                                        the Senate on February 20, 2001.
3-19                                        _______________________________
3-20                                            Secretary of the Senate