H.R. No. 922



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives welcomes back to 
Austin the Border Blitz delegation, composed of representatives 
from McAllen, Mission, Pharr, Edinburg, Hidalgo, and Weslaco; and
	WHEREAS, The gateway to northern Mexico, the Rio Grande 
Valley is one of Texas' most dynamic regions; rich in cultural 
diversity, the valley is a flyway between North and South America 
and offers some of the best birding in the country; the region is 
the fastest-growing metropolitan statistical area in the state and 
attributes its prosperity to agriculture and labor-intensive 
industry; the valley is also booming as a nature ecotourism area; 
and
	WHEREAS, McAllen, only three miles from the border, is 
well-situated for reaping the benefits of anticipated growth in 
commerce and trade between the United States and Mexico; the town is 
rich in Hispanic culture, and its laid-back, subtropical setting 
makes it an ideal winter vacation resort; an area fit for year-round 
farming, fields of vegetables, sugar cane, and onions are always 
plentiful, while summer brings cotton, and winter brings grapefruit 
and oranges; finally, many United States manufacturers combine with 
Mexican maquiladoras in the Foreign Trade Zone to create a strong 
manufacturing presence in McAllen; and
	WHEREAS, The Hidalgo County seat of Edinburg not only enjoys 
a burgeoning economy but is also the only Texas city named a 2000 
winner of the All-American City Award; this accolade, the oldest 
and most prestigious prize accorded communities in the United 
States, was earned twice previously by the city in 1968 and 1995; 
home to the premier institution of higher learning in the Rio Grande 
Valley, The University of Texas--Pan American, Edinburg has shown 
itself to be a community where concerned citizens can come together 
to accomplish different goals; and
	WHEREAS, Located on the Mexican border, the city of Pharr 
boasts a state-of-the-art international bridge, which connects 
U.S. Highway 281 to the city of Reynosa, Mexico; Pharr is blessed 
with a sunny, warm climate, and it is one of the nation's top 
producers of winter vegetables and citrus fruits; Pharr attributes 
its prosperity to a diversified economy that includes natural gas 
and a number of growing industries and businesses such as trucking 
companies and hotels; and
	WHEREAS, Situated in southwestern Hidalgo County, the lovely 
town of Mission proudly calls itself the "Home of the Grapefruit," a 
fitting title for this producer of the famed Texas Ruby Red variety; 
a charming town with much civic pride, Mission celebrates the only 
all-poinsettia show in the United States and is home to the American 
Poinsettia Society; in addition to its agricultural and tourism 
industries, 30 industrial plants play a vital role in Mission's 
economic well-being; and
	WHEREAS, Located on the Rio Grande in south central Hidalgo 
County, the city of Hidalgo is renowned for its unique cultural 
flavor, which comes from its proximity to Mexico's border; like 
other cities in the valley, Hidalgo is a hub for industry and 
agriculture, and its citizens take pride in their community and 
their culture; and
	WHEREAS, The city of Weslaco, centrally located in the Rio 
Grande Valley, provides all of the amenities needed for an 
excellent quality of life; home to nature tourism, the town boasts 
four sites on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail and currently 
features the Mid-Valley Nature Center and the Frontera Audubon 
Center and will one day host the Llano Grande World Birding Center; 
now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby welcome and extend best wishes to the members of 
the Border Blitz delegation; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for the group as a memento of this special occasion.

                                                                          Flores

                                                  ______________________________
                                                       Speaker of the House     

	I certify that H.R. No. 922 was adopted by the House on March 
30, 2005, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House