H.R. No. 475
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Honorable Gonzalo Barrientos is retiring from
public office after more than 30 years as a member of the Texas
Legislature, and his myriad contributions in behalf of the
residents of Travis County and the State of Texas have earned him
the heartfelt admiration of many; and
WHEREAS, Before beginning his 22-year tenure in 1984 as the
senator representing District 14, this esteemed legislator
distinguished himself in the Texas House of Representatives for a
decade; the Galveston native was raised in Bastrop and attended The
University of Texas at Austin, and his primary focus over the course
of 16 legislative sessions has always been to safeguard the future
of our great state and its citizens; and
WHEREAS, An Austin resident since 1960, Senator Barrientos
has long been an active supporter of numerous worthwhile causes and
organizations; before his election to public office, he worked as a
community organizer for the National Urban League, a program
officer for VISTA/Peace Corps, and a trainer for the Leadership
Institute for Community Development in our nation's capital; and
WHEREAS, Senator Barrientos currently serves on the Senate
Finance, Nominations, and Natural Resources Committees and is vice
chair of the Transportation and Homeland Security Committee;
moreover, his leadership and consensus-building skills are
essential in his roles as chairman of both the Capital Area
Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Communities-in-Schools
Advisory Committee; and
WHEREAS, Highlights of the senator's legislative career
include the passage of more than two dozen bills aimed at reducing
the dropout rate of students in Texas, and these initiatives have
netted positive results and given countless young people a brighter
future; in addition to advocating for students, Senator Barrientos
is a longtime supporter of the rights of the elderly and of state
employees; and
WHEREAS, In 2001, Senator Barrientos received the first-ever
Combined Law Enforcement of Texas Association of Texas Lifetime
Achievement Award; a three-time Texas Public Employees Association
Outstanding Legislator of the Year and recipient of the group's
Lifetime Achievement Award, he is also the recipient of awards from
the Austin Groups for the Elderly, MALDEF, the Coalition of Texans
with Disabilities, as well as many other organizations; and
WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Senator Barrientos enjoys the
love and support of his wife, Emma, and their children, Joseph,
Angelina, Alicia, Adelita, and Veronica; his career as a political
leader in Texas has indeed served this state for the better, and he
may reflect with justifiable pride on the remarkable record of
public service he has forged in the Texas State Capitol; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby recognize the Honorable
Gonzalo Barrientos for his outstanding 31-year tenure as a Texas
state legislator and commend him for his tireless efforts to
improve the lives of his fellow Texans; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Senator Barrientos as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.
Naishtat
Dukes
Rodriguez
Howard of Travis
Strama
Craddick Giddings McReynolds
Allen Gonzales Menendez
Alonzo Gonzalez Toureilles Merritt
Anchia Goodman Miller
Anderson Goolsby Moreno
Bailey Griggs Morrison
Berman Grusendorf Mowery
Blake Guillen Naishtat
Bohac Haggerty Nixon
Bonnen Hamilton Noriega
Branch Hamric Oliveira
Brown of Kaufman Hardcastle Olivo
Brown of Brazos Harper-Brown Orr
Burnam Hartnett Otto
Callegari Hegar Paxton
Campbell Hernandez Pena
Casteel Herrero Phillips
Castro Hilderbran Pickett
Chavez Hill Pitts
Chisum Hochberg Puente
Coleman Hodge Quintanilla
Cook of Navarro Homer Raymond
Cook of Colorado Hope Reyna
Corte Hopson Riddle
Crabb Howard of Fort Bend Ritter
Crownover Howard of Travis Rodriguez
Davis of Harris Hughes Rose
Davis of Dallas Hunter Seaman
Dawson Hupp Smith of Tarrant
Delisi Isett Smith of Harris
Denny Jackson Smithee
Deshotel Jones of Lubbock Solis
Driver Jones of Dallas Solomons
Dukes Keel Strama
Dunnam Keffer of Dallas Straus
Dutton Keffer of Eastland Swinford
Edwards King of Parker Talton
Eiland King of Zavala Taylor
Eissler Kolkhorst Thompson
Elkins Krusee Truitt
England Kuempel Turner
Escobar Laney Uresti
Farabee Laubenberg Van Arsdale
Farrar Leibowitz Veasey
Flores Luna Villarreal
Flynn Madden Vo
Frost Martinez West
Gallego Martinez Fischer Wong
Gattis McCall Woolley
Geren McClendon Zedler
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 475 was adopted by the House on May
10, 2006, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House