H.R. No. 1410R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Since the year 2000, Will Harrell has demonstrated remarkable ability in leading the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas as its executive director, and his fifth anniversary in that position provides a fitting opportunity to reflect on his contributions to the organization and to the citizens of Texas; and WHEREAS, Mr. Harrell spent his formative years in the Lone Star State, attending high school in Houston and college at The University of Texas at Austin and finding his initial employment in the field of law as a legal assistant for the Texas ACLU; he left Texas, however, to attend law school at the American University in Washington, D.C., and to travel the world fighting for social justice; before returning to Texas five years ago, he was busy monitoring elections in Bosnia, representing farm workers in Colorado, defending victims of human rights abuse in Guatemala, and serving as executive director of the National Police Accountability Project at the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York; and WHEREAS, When he arrived in Texas to direct the state affiliate of the ACLU, he discovered a limited budget, a meager membership, a staff of two, and an absence of volunteer infrastructure; determined to turn things around, Mr. Harrell spent the first year of his tenure traveling the state, meeting with individuals working on civil rights issues and mobilizing communities through such grassroots efforts as local town hall meetings; and WHEREAS, Five years later, the Texas ACLU has made revolutionary progress under his direction; it has supported the work of the legislature in important criminal justice initiatives, and Mr. Harrell has fostered relationships of mutual respect with legislators on both sides of the aisle; and WHEREAS, He has also enlisted dozens of talented lawyers and activists and forged important alliances with LULAC, the NAACP, and other civil rights groups to build an effective and cohesive coalition for criminal justice, a cause which he considers the most pressing issue in the state today; moreover, he has increased the ACLU staff to 15, attracted more than twice as many members across the state, and tripled the budget; and WHEREAS, Perhaps the key to Will Harrell's successes lies in his innate and passionate desire for justice and liberty for all citizens; he has inspired many Texans with his hard work and determination; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Will Harrell on his fifth anniversary as executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and commend him for his commitment to the people of this state; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Harrell as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Burnam ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1410 was adopted by the House on May 13, 2005, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House