H.R. No. 809
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, With the close of the 79th Session, the Honorable Al
Edwards will be ending his service in the Texas Legislature, having
represented his Houston area constituents, and in fact all Texans,
with integrity and distinction for 28 years; and
WHEREAS, A veteran of the civil rights movement who
collaborated with Dr. Martin Luther King, the Reverend Jesse
Jackson, and other leaders, Mr. Edwards has worked diligently to
protect the gains won in that era and to honor the contributions
made by African Americans and other minorities in Texas; in 1979,
his first year of legislative service, he sponsored the bill that
made June 19 a state holiday that commemorates Juneteenth--the date
in 1865 when slaves in Texas were first notified of their
emancipation--and has also carried out several nonlegislative
activities in support of this event; moreover, Representative
Edwards has been an important leader among the state's African
American lawmakers, serving as chairman of the Texas Legislative
Black Caucus from 1991 to 1997; and
WHEREAS, This veteran representative has been a key player on
a number of important committees during his tenure; during the 79th
Legislature, he was chair of Budget and Oversight for the Ways and
Means Committee, served ably on the Appropriations Committee, and
chaired the Rules and Resolutions Committee, a position he has held
since 1991; in previous sessions, he was the chair of Budget and
Oversight for the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and chair of
the House Joint Committee on Rail Passenger Service in Texas; in
addition, Representative Edwards was a member of the Transportation
Committee for 22 years and of the Urban Affairs Committee for seven
terms; and
WHEREAS, A concerned and active citizen, Mr. Edwards has been
involved in a variety of other initiatives addressing important
national and international causes; he was chairman and vice
chairman of the Democratic National Committee Black Caucus, served
as Texas chairman for the 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns of
the Reverend Jesse Jackson, and founded Operation Justus, a
community-based referral service addressing social issues;
furthermore, Mr. Edwards has not been reticent to return to the
direct forms of protest he learned during the civil rights
movement; in 1987 he was jailed for protesting the apartheid
government of South Africa and in 2004 led a march in Waller County
to bring attention to a voting rights issue; and
WHEREAS, His distinguished legislative service and civic
activism have been duly honored with a wide range of awards and
commendations; cited by Who's Who in America and Who's Who of Global
Decision Makers, Mr. Edwards has also been inducted into the
African American Biographical Association Hall of Fame and is the
recipient of an honorary doctorate from the University of Belize;
and
WHEREAS, Having assumed many roles in his life, including
those of social activist, religious minister, business person, and
civic leader, Al Edwards has brought a vast range of experience to
his legislative career, and his exemplary service has reflected an
ongoing effort to aid Texans in all walks of life and to create a
state in which they can share in the benefits of freedom and
prosperity; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commend the Honorable Al
Edwards for his notable service as a member of this legislative body
and extend to him warmest best wishes for success and happiness in
the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Representative Edwards as an expression of high regard
by his colleagues in the Texas House of Representatives.
Turner
Craddick Gonzales Menendez
Allen Gonzalez Toureilles Merritt
Alonzo Goodman Miller
Anchia Goolsby Moreno
Anderson Griggs Morrison
Bailey Grusendorf Mowery
Berman Guillen Naishtat
Blake Haggerty Nixon
Bohac Hamilton Noriega
Bonnen Hamric Oliveira
Branch Hardcastle Olivo
Brown of Kaufman Harper-Brown Orr
Brown of Brazos Hartnett Otto
Burnam Hegar Paxton
Callegari Hernandez Pena
Campbell Herrero Phillips
Casteel Hilderbran Pickett
Castro Hill Pitts
Chavez Hochberg Puente
Chisum Hodge Quintanilla
Coleman Homer Raymond
Cook of Navarro Hope Reyna
Cook of Colorado Hopson Riddle
Corte Howard of Fort Bend Ritter
Crabb Howard of Travis Rodriguez
Crownover Hughes Rose
Davis of Harris Hunter Seaman
Davis of Dallas Hupp Smith of Tarrant
Dawson Isett Smith of Harris
Delisi Jackson Smithee
Denny Jones of Lubbock Solis
Deshotel Jones of Dallas Solomons
Driver Keel Strama
Dukes Keffer of Dallas Straus
Dunnam Keffer of Eastland Swinford
Dutton 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
Giddings McReynolds
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 809 was adopted by the House on May
15, 2006, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House