SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 496

	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas welcomes 
to Austin the Border Blitz delegation, which is comprised 
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 America and 
South America and offers some of the best birding in the country;
the region boasts the third-fastest-growing metropolitan area 
in the state and attributes its prosperity to agriculture and 
labor-intensive industry; the valley is also a popular nature 
tourism area; and

	WHEREAS, McAllen, only three miles from the border, is 
ideal for reaping the benefits of the anticipated growth in 
commerce and trade between the United States and Mexico; McAllen
is rich in Hispanic flavor, 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, Edinburg is the Hidalgo County seat and 
has a burgeoning economy; it was the only Texas city in 2000
to be named a winner of the All-America City Award, the 
oldest and most prestigious prize accorded communities in 
the Unites States; it has been the recipient of two previous 
All-America City Awards in 1968 and in 1995; Edinburg has 
shown itself to be a community where concerned citizens can 
come together to accomplish different goals; it is home to the 
premier institution of higher learning in the Rio Grande Valley,
The University of Texas--Pan American; and

	WHEREAS, Located on the Mexican border, the City of Pharr 
boasts a state-of-the-art international bridge, which connects 
United States Highway 281 to the city of Reynosa, Mexico; Pharr 
is blessed with a sunny, warm climate; the city is one of the 
nation's top producers of winter vegetables and citrus fruits; 
Pharr attributes its prosperity to a diversified economy, which
includes natural gas and a number of growing industries and 
companies, such as trucking companies and hotels; and

	WHEREAS, Situated in southwestern Hidalgo County, 
the lovely town of Mission proudly calls itself "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 proud of 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; its citizens take pride in their 
community and their culture; and

	WHEREAS, The City of Weslaco, centrally located in the 
Rio Grande Valley, has all of the amenities that provide for an
excellent quality of life and is home to nature tourism; Weslaco
boasts four sites on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail and 
features the Mid-Valley Nature Center and the Frontera Audubon 
Center; the city will be the site of the World Birding Center; 
now, therefore, be it

	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 
79th Legislature, hereby welcome the members of the Border Blitz
delegation and extend best wishes to them; and, be it further

	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as a 
memento of their visit to Austin.
                                                                 Hinojosa, Lucio




________________________________ 
    President of the Senate
 
    I hereby certify that the 
above Resolution was adopted by 
the Senate on March 30, 2005.



________________________________ 
    Secretary of the Senate



________________________________ 
     Member, Texas Senate



________________________________ 
     Member, Texas Senate