SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 480
WHEREAS, The Texas Senate is pleased to welcome the fine
citizens from San Antonio to the State Capitol and to recognize
April 1, 2003, as San Antonio Legislative Day; and
WHEREAS, San Antonio's history can be traced back to 1691
when a band of Spanish explorers and missionaries came upon a
river, and because it was the feast day of Saint Anthony, they
named the river "San Antonio"; and
WHEREAS, The city was actually founded in 1718 when
Father Antonio Olivares established Mission San Antonio de Valero;
the mission was later named the Alamo and became permanently
etched in the annals of history after 1836 when 189 defenders
held the historic mission against some 4,000 Mexican troops for
13 days; and
WHEREAS, The cry "Remember the Alamo" became the rallying
point of the Texas Revolution against Mexico, and today, the
Alamo is a shrine and museum and is recognized as the "Cradle of
Texas Liberty"; and
WHEREAS, The city was formally incorporated in 1837 when
the young Republic of Texas granted San Antonio a charter; and
WHEREAS, The City of San Antonio has carefully retained
its sense of history and tradition, while faced with the
complexities of cosmopolitan progress; it has continued to
be a crossroads and a meeting place where the rich sounds and
flavors of Native Americans, Old Mexico, Germans, the Wild West,
African-Americans, and the Deep South mingle and merge; and
WHEREAS, The city has a proud military heritage; military
greats like Pershing, Stillwell, Krueger, LeMay, Chennault, and
Eisenhower served at San Antonio-area military installations,
including Fort Sam Houston, headquarters for the Fifth
United States Army and Health Services Command and the future
home of the United States Army Southern Command; the former
Kelly Air Force Base, which became one of the military's
first aviation flight training centers and is now a thriving
base development authority; Lackland Air Force Base, the
United States Air Force's basic training base and the world's
largest military training center; and the former Brooks Air Force
Base, now known as Brooks City-Base, the home of aviation
medicine and research; and
WHEREAS, Recent years have brought remarkable economic
development to San Antonio because of its skilled workforce,
excellent institutions of public and higher education, and
businesses and industries attracted by its quality of life;
the city is now a recognized leader in the areas of biomedical
sciences and health care, tourism, information technology
and security, aviation, aerospace, telecommunications,
and logistics and transportation; it also has the envious
distinction of serving as the gateway for international trade
between the United States and Latin America; and
WHEREAS, Close to eight million visitors a year delight
in the discovery of San Antonio's charms, such as the Alamo,
La Villita, San Fernando Cathedral, the San Antonio Missions
Trail, the McNay Art Museum, the San Antonio Museum of Art, and
the famed Paseo del Rio, better known as the Riverwalk; and
WHEREAS, A multitude of other attractions make San Antonio
one of the top tourist destinations in the country, including
Sea World San Antonio, the world's largest marine life park;
Six Flags Fiesta Texas, an entertainment theme park that
celebrates the musical sounds of San Antonio and South Texas;
the San Antonio Zoo, which has a collection of more than 3,000
animals and is ranked as one of the best in the country; and the
Tower of the Americas, a 750-foot free-standing structure that
is one of the tallest in North America and has come to symbolize
the skyline of this great city; and
WHEREAS, With over 300 days of sunshine annually and
an average temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, San Antonio
offers an abundance of outdoor sports and recreational and
festive activities; the biggest party of the year begins later
this month, when the city hosts Fiesta San Antonio from April 19
to April 27, 2003, a nine-day extravaganza of merrymaking that
celebrates San Antonio's rich and diverse heritage; and
WHEREAS, In a recent survey by Travel & Leisure magazine
and America Online, subscribers named San Antonio one of the
top-five Friendliest Cities in the United States and also rated
this beautiful city one of the top-five Best Cities to Visit in
the Spring; and
WHEREAS, San Antonio is home to many of the state's
sporting, culinary, and political treasures, including the
Texas Open, the San Antonio Spurs, the MasterCard Alamo Bowl,
the Dallas Cowboy's Training Camp, Tex-Mex food, the "puffy
taco," and our United States Senator, John Cornyn, in addition
to the San Antonio state and congressional legislative
delegation who call this historic city home; and
WHEREAS, Noted Texas historian and journalist Frank Tolbert
once said, "Every Texan has two homes, his own and San Antonio,"
because of the city's friendly people, distinct and beautiful
multicultural heritage, and its warm hospitality; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
78th Legislature, hereby recognize April 1, 2003, as San Antonio
Legislative Day and extend sincere appreciation and best wishes
to all who attend this event at the State Capitol; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
the citizens of San Antonio as an expression of high regard from
the Texas Senate.
Wentworth
Madla
Zaffirini
Van de Putte
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 1, 2003.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate