|
|
|
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
|
|
WHEREAS, Delegations from the cities of Midland and Odessa |
|
are visiting Austin in honor of Midland-Odessa Day at the State |
|
Capitol on February 13, 2007; and |
|
WHEREAS, Situated only 20 miles apart in the Permian Basin on |
|
the southern reaches of the High Plains, these two dynamic Texas |
|
cities have shared a long and storied history; the arrival of the |
|
Texas and Pacific Railway in 1881 transformed each city from a small |
|
cowtown to an important cattle shipping center; and |
|
WHEREAS, The Permian Basin oil boom of the 1920s transformed |
|
the cities even further; between 1920 and 1930, the population of |
|
Midland more than doubled, and 36 oil companies had offices in the |
|
city; at the same time Odessa's population quadrupled, and the high |
|
demand for oil during World War II helped make Odessa the home of |
|
the largest inland petrochemical complex in the world; and |
|
WHEREAS, Midland remains an important administrative and |
|
business center for the oil industry, while Odessa continues to be |
|
an essential petrochemical processing and distribution site; |
|
meanwhile the cities continue to work together to encourage new and |
|
diverse businesses to locate in the area; and |
|
WHEREAS, With the help of the Midland Development Corporation |
|
and the Odessa Development Corporation, several new employers have |
|
been welcomed to the area, including the Texas Access Alliance Call |
|
Center, Countrywide Financial Corporation, and Trace Engines; |
|
support for expanding the region's economic base is also provided |
|
by the Center for Energy and Economic Diversification at The |
|
University of Texas of the Permian Basin; and |
|
WHEREAS, The city of Midland is proud to be the hometown of |
|
President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, as well as the |
|
longtime home of former President George H. W. Bush, former First |
|
Lady Barbara Bush, and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush; and |
|
WHEREAS, Midland also boasts such fine cultural attractions |
|
as the Museum of the Southwest, featuring works by classical and |
|
Southwestern artists; the Petroleum Museum, where exhibits explain |
|
the history and geology of petroleum in the Permian Basin; and the |
|
American Airpower Heritage Museum of the Commemorative Air Force; |
|
and |
|
WHEREAS, Odessa was the first Texas home of former President |
|
George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; it is also the |
|
home of the Presidential Museum, the only museum in the United |
|
States dedicated to the office of the presidency; the other fine |
|
cultural attractions of Odessa include the Parker House Ranching |
|
Museum; the Ellen Noel Art Museum, "the small museum that does great |
|
things"; and a replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on the campus |
|
of Odessa College, where modern and classical works are staged; and |
|
WHEREAS, For over 100 years, citizens of Midland and Odessa |
|
have sought to preserve the best of their past while working to |
|
build a promising future, and they may take justifiable pride in |
|
their contributions to the culture, economy, and traditions of the |
|
Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
|
hereby designate February 13, 2007, as Midland-Odessa Day at the |
|
State Capitol. |
|
|
Craddick |
|
West |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
|
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
|
|
|
I certify that H.C.R. No. 89 was adopted by the House on |
|
February 13, 2007, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|
|
|
I certify that H.C.R. No. 89 was adopted by the Senate on |
|
February 13, 2007, by a viva-voce vote. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
APPROVED: __________________ |
|
Date |
|
|
|
__________________ |
|
Governor |